Give Thanks...The Post I Cannot Share

Last night, I snapped several photographs, even took a video to remember the closing of another season of an incredible show.

I can show you almost none of it.

What I can show you is a photo of the venue (what it looks like on the outside...), and the mask I wore when I greeted the attendees as I stood outside with them and waited for the shows to begin.

Other than that...nope.

I am one of a select few that is allowed to see "behind the curtain" of the show...I get to see the inner workings, see how the sausage is made. Oh, and there's little thing called a "non-disclosure agreement" that prohibits me from posting those pictures or that video.

I'd sure love, too...

But I won't, or better, can't.

I'd love to show you just how special the show is, how amazing it is, how  completely dedicated to one singular purpose it is and it fulfills that purpose extremely well.

Basically, the show scares people.

I'm grateful I've been associated with Lagoon's Seance since its inception. I've worked with some of the most talented people I know all dedicated to scare the bejebbers out of all those who enter that non-assuming door. Yes, I'd love to share more, but the best I can do is invite you to come experience Seance yourself next year. And maybe...just maybe, I'll see you there.

Might As Well Let Them Know Who We Are...

 Before I left for my weekend gig, I spotted the un-carved pumpkin and wondered what I could transform it into before I had to go.

What to carve...?

For years we've amassed a large library of carve-able patterns...so many good ones to choose from. I could have picked one of those impressive pictures, but I went another direction. I decided to let everyone in the neighborhood know who we were.

Let's go back to one year ago. We were new to the neighborhood. We knew no one, and no one knew us. We set up a candy cannon to practice social distancing and to hopefully bring a little fun to the whole "trick-or-treat" experience. It was, in a word, a success.

Fast forward to this year, I still feel like we're unknown. We have met more people than we knew last year, but it's still weird living in a neighborhood where we still don't know a majority of those who live around us. Hopefully, this year's pumpkin will help.

I love Halloween and I'm sad that it's almost over, but at least we're letting everyone know who we are...

And who is launching candy at their children from from atop the driveway.

Good Morning...

 The other day while at work, I saw an incredible sunrise. I blogged about it (because I almost missed it...). We've had some fall storms roll in as of late and because of that, we've had cloudy skies. Cloudy skies sometimes translate to brilliant sunrises. I thought I'd see if I could catch one.

When I got to work, I put my phone on a small tripod and pointed the phone eastward. I set the phone's camera to the time-lapse function and hit "go."

Then I waited...

and waited...

and waited. 

After a couple of hours, I thought I'd check to see what I'd captured. As I worked, I kept glancing outside and I didn't think the morning was too impressive. It was no where near what graced us the other morning--far from it. But, I thought I'd check it out anyway.

Turns out, it was amazing. There's something about seeing things sped up that I think is cool.

So, I give you a random morning, a couple of hours in under thirty seconds.

It was a good morning.

For The Beauty Of The...Field

  

 Where we used to live, we had a mountain in our back yard...a real, live mountain complete with hiking trails, animal dens, even an abandoned mining cave or two. People would travel from all over to hike the trails and see the valley from only the perspective those trails would provide.

We no longer live on the mountain. We now live on a hill. The mountain was east of our house. The hill is north. But, there's something next to our new house that wasn't close to the old one...an empty field.

But, it's not empty.

It's actually full of many amazing things.

And I've  spent a lot of time walking around that field.

I've taken a lot of pictures, too...which  really surprises me.

I've mostly walked back and forth in the field for health reasons. It's also a great place to listen to podcasts. Lately, I've found myself listening to one particular podcast,  The No Sleep Podcast as I walk. The timing of the podcast makes it especially good for a late afternoon wander. Looking back, however, I've noticed many of my pictures from the field have turned out pretty good. Here are just a few.

There are other places to go for a walk in the neighborhood, along streets and sidewalks. Maybe when it gets cold and more importantly, it gets wet from rain and snow, I'll probably stick to the road and sidewalks, but until then, I'll see if I can't stay in the field and continue to see all the beauty that resides therein. 

When The Zoom Call...Gets Scary

 I guess it was appropriate, to have my computer camera go blitz-o this week of all weeks. And, the Halloween jack-o-lanterns as my background photo just added to the atmosphere.

Let's be clear--my usually normal monthly one-on-one zoom call I had earlier this week with my supervisor was not "scary." For him, it was more funny than scary, and for me it was frustrating. The problem was my webcam and it would not stop flashing. I thought I had figured out the problem. It had to do with the lighting in the room. The flashing picture was not a new issue and in the past, I could turn on my office light or open/close the blinds. Whenever the flashing started I was able to fix it by manipulating the light in the room.

Not this time. No matter what I did, the flashing continued. I even tried shining a LED penlight directly into the webcam and it fixed the problem, but only temporarily. Then, the flashing returned.

I tried everything to stop the flashing--nothing worked. My boss kept commenting on how funny it was. Maybe from his point of view (because his screen was the large one...) it was--if not scary--very appropriate for the season.

I had another meeting today. This time, no flashing, nothing funny or scary (except maybe my monthly evaluation numbers...). Who knows...perhaps it was connected to Halloween in some way.

And that's a little scary.

Christmas Is Wonderful...But Halloween Is Fun

Last week I walked by a Hyundai with an unusual grill decoration...

Ah, Halloween.

Love it!

On social media, before any major holiday (and I include Halloween as a major holiday even though we don't get time off work for it...), people come out of the woodwork to proclaim, "I love 'blank. 'Blank is my favorite holiday." It's great to get to know others this way. I know I've probably done the same thing.

I do seriously enjoy the days leading up to, and the day of Halloween. It happens to take place during my favorite season of the year (see--I do it, too...). There are several reasons I enjoy the day so much. One of the things that makes the holiday fun for me is just how creative people are when the night of haunting arrives. Sure, we decorate for Christmas, and many get creative for Christmas, but not like Halloween. 

Walking past the car reminded me of this.

Another reason it's fun is because--like Christmas--you get involved as a small child and you look forward to it year after year...can't wait for it to get here. Plus, as you get older, the things you can do changes. Trick-or-treating is replaced by teenager parties, which in turn morph into parties as adults. Then, if you get married and have kids, you can experience the joy they feel when Halloween arrives.

And finally, there's the old, "What are you going to be this Halloween" question.

Hardly anyone asks me what I'm going to be for Christmas...

At least, not anymore.

For A Couple Of Decades...I Knew This Information By Heart

 Last weekend, I arrived at my side gig a little early, so I thought I'd walk around and see some of the things I don't have time to see once I clock in. Near what was sometimes called "Gaslight Gardens," there are a couple of walls where photographs showing the amusement park during the past 100+ years of its existence are displayed.

I also spotted a large poster that listed the year certain attractions opened at the park.

And, for many of those years, I knew exactly what attractions were added, and when. Lagoon was such a large part of my life.

For example, earlier this year an incident occurred on the Sky Ride, a "ski lift" type ride that allows patrons to go from what was then one end of the park to the other. Reports said the ride had been incident-free for fifty years. I instantly knew that was wrong, because I knew the ride wasn't installed in 1971, but later. The poster confirmed what I already knew.

Back in the 1970s and eighties the park usually put in a ride or two new attractions every year. As kids we couldn't wait to see what new things awaited us. I remember when they put in the Jet Star 2--it was so cool. I mean, it almost went upside down. Seeing what new attractions were at the park became an annual event...maybe not for every kid, but it was for me.

I loved reading the dates and names of the rides. It brought back so many memories. Many of the "new" rides have come and gone, and I suppose in another fifty years, many of the existing rides they have now will also be retired. It's the way of things. I'm glad Lagoon put up the poster. It'll be interesting to see if they put up another one years from now, If so, perhaps a grown man will stop and think about how exited he was for "The Spider" or "Wicked" or "Samurai" or "Cannibal" to open.

I hope so...it's a good feeling.

Give Thanks...Family Traditions

 If, in the next couple of days, you find yourself meandering around the Farmington Utah Cemetery, you may come across a humble pumpkin sitting atop a headstone. Of all the headstones in that particular cemetery, that particular one means the most to me, and of all the pumpkins in the world, that one sitting alone on the cold earth means the most to me.

This morning, I picked up the pre-selected pumpkin, hollowed it out, and carved into it three words and a tiny spider. Some say I was preparing for Halloween, but actually, I was carrying on a family tradition, one I've kept alive or decades. It's the Jack-O-Lantern I carved for my mom before her birthday.

I am thankful for family traditions. I don't know if we have more or less than other families when it comes to traditions. I've only been associated with mine, and my wife's. Most of our traditions center around holidays, and I suppose the Happy Birthday pumpkin falls in that category. I'd like to think I'd do something similar even if it weren't close to Halloween.

Yes, the headstone means the most, the pumpkin means the most, and one of the three words I carved earlier today is one of the most important words I've ever known...

Mom.

Happy birthday, Mom (in a few days...). Same time next year.

Hey...That's A Cat In The Sink

 Yes...that's one of our cats sitting in our hall bathroom sink. 

I just don't understand cats.

I don't understand most animals, but I think I understand cats least of all.

We rescued Sam Dean Winchester when he was only weeks old. A family found two abandoned kittens and we took one home. We housed him, fed him, gave him what we believed to be interesting and engaging toys.

And he grew, and grew, and grew. Today he weighs more than fifteen pounds. I say this not to shame him, but to say, he's a big cat. Due to also giving a home to a rescue dog, we cannot allow the dog or the cat to be in the same space at the same time. Cat's behind a gate (I supposed the dog is technically behind a gate, too...). In this way, we find harmony in the home. Sure it's a pain at times keeping them apart, but it's better than the alternative. 

This particular cat does odd things. He waits for us to walk into the room before he'll eat. I'm sure there's an explanation for that behavior, but I don't know what it is. He also likes to "hang out" around our feet whether they're moving or not. Apparently, many cats to this--maybe they're trying to trip us so we'll fall and they can have access to even more food...anything's possible.

The other day I caught the cat in the sink. With his coloring, he almost blends in...

Those blue eyes, though--they give him away every time.

How To Make The Dentist Office A Little Less Scary...Fill It With Harry Potter Stuff

 I had a dental appointment today, which I've done religiously every six months for many many years. I expected for the experience to be like it's been time after time I've gone before, but as I entered the waiting area this morning, I saw they had decorated. At first, I thought not much of it--decorating during the holidays is nothing new, but this time it was a little different...

The place was decked out in all things Harry Potter.

It was amazing.

It was one of those experiences where every time you turn and look at another corner of the room, a new Harry Potter item appeared (not magically--it was placed there beforehand...). I snapped a couple of pictures when I first walked in, but it would have taken me a long time to to capture all the Harry Potter-themed items.

Before I left, as I spoke to the person to re-schedule my next appointment, I asked who decorated the office. As luck would have it, it was her and her daughter. I was impressed. They did a fantastic job. So, if you happened to be getting your teeth cleaned/drilled/pulled in the Farmington area, and your dentist works in the Rock Hotel Dental building, you'll see just what impressive job they did on decorating. 

And, it'll take your attention away from the sound of a drill...

Sick Of Santa...

 Last week my wife and I went on a little shopping trip to check out Christmas decorations. We saw everything from little figurines you put on your porch or in a window to gigantic blow-up statues that will surely overwhelm all of your neighbor's Christmas displays making sure your house is the "most festive."

That's where I spotted Santa.

Santa was huge...some might say life-sized. On the ground between Santa's feet was a button...just step on the button and Santa comes alive. Acting a little silly, I decided to see if I could take a Pic Of The Day and maybe get a video out of it.

The picture and video I captured isn't anything special, but the conversation we had with a couple of store employees I found the most interesting.

They were sick of Santa...

And they let us know.

In order to get my pictures and video, I had to step on that button a few times. The programmed message didn't last long, but long enough that if you had to listen to the same message over and over and over and over again all shift long, you'd get a little sick of Santa, too. The workers at the store said that at least (so far...) the placement of Santa this year was better than his location last year. The year before Santa was placed near the store's main entrance, so every kid would stomp on the button to see Santa come to life.

The Santa was impressive. I didn't notice the cost of Santa, but I'm sure it was a lot. Still, with all the--literal--bells and whistles, I think I'd pass on picking up Santa and bringing him home, even if I could afford to do so.

I guess I like my Santa not so visual, and less vocal.

Thanks KUTV For Posting My Little Picture...A Picture I Almost Missed

 I work in an eastern-facing office. I've been in this office for almost a year and because I clock in before the sun rises, I get to see many many sunrises. So, during the past year I sometimes get a sense of when a morning might become something special.

I thought this morning might be just such a morning...

Turns out, I was right.

But, I almost missed it.

The thing about sunrises is, they're fleeting. They don't stick around. Sure, you have several minutes of color, but that peak moment of pure brilliance can only last a few seconds, depending on the particular sunrise.

This morning, I saw the clouds as dawn drew near, but then I went to work. And I forgot about the sunrise. I started to organize my day--got into that rhythm that allows me to do the same thing for ten straight hours. I can't believe that while working, I didn't glance slightly to the left and look out the window, because when I finally did, what I saw took my breath away.

It was one of those special displays, one that doesn't come around very often. I snapped some pictures, then I took my phone outside and took a few more. I rarely do this, but I thought the picture good enough to send it into KUTV, one of our local TV stations, and that's what I did. The station posted my little picture on their site. Truth be told, the photo didn't come near doing what I saw this morning justice.

It surprised me that I almost missed the sunrise. Let that be a lesson to me...I should take time to look around more, be more away of the beauty that's there...

Or that's coming.

The "Hidden" Message...In "Ted Lasso"

 Like millions of you, I've followed the exploits of Ted Lasso and the adventures of the Richmond Greyhounds as the lovable team battles relationships, anxiety attacks, bruised egos, and other soccer teams to somehow triumph against improbable odds.

I've blogged about the show before, about how the show "won me over" the way the show's namesake won over everyone--the players, the owner, the fans as an "fish-out-of-water" protagonist. I thought they way they did it was brilliant, but I noticed something watching Season Two this fall...

Something even more brilliant...

Something I almost missed.

The show, among the other amazing things it does well, is a voice, a voice for a much-maligned group, a segment of the population that has been pretty much hammered on for years. What Ted Lasso does is stand up for the human male. It's a story about men, but what it isn't is a story about how terrible men are, how they are not destroyers of societies, not greedy selfish pigs, not walking evil in gym shoes.

This isn't to say that these men are without fault--far from it. The series many times shows men in all their unflattering glory. But what it doesn't do is begin with the premise that all men are the root of all evil. It shows men's weaknesses, but also their strengths. It shows how men don't necessarily want to just use women for their own selfish needs, among other things. 

I have no proof of this, but my theory is part of what has made Ted Lasso such a success We get to see men being men, without the labels that follow around men like these days like a bad penny. Like I said...no proof, just a thought...a thought I'd like to believe is right, and I think we need to see more of in entertainment.

Maybe others would, too.

Can't wait for next season.

Your Friendly Neighborhood Pumpkin Patch...

 For years and years every fall our family would load up the van and head west...not too far west (we'd drive into water...) but west enough that homes and streets gave way to open fields and in one of those large tracks of land, they grew pumpkins. It was a great place to satisfy all our pumpkin-related needs during the Halloween season.

That was then--this is now. 

When you relocate, you have to find new grocery stores, new eye doctors, new almost everything--even new places to buy pumpkins. Sure, you can pick them up at the local stores, but we hoped we'd find something similar to what we were used to. They don't have that type of establishment where we now live. The other day, we even drove by a local farm that sold pumpkins and we decided to stop in and do some shopping, but on the day we decided to go, it was closed.

What to do?

We turned the van around and headed down a country lane. I thought I had seen a sign for a corn maze while driving around earlier this month. Maybe they'd have some pumpkins. Before we arrived, however, we drove by a humble little farm and we noticed many pumpkins for sale.

Jackpot!

We stopped and loaded up the van. The only resident that came out to greet us was an adorable and very smart boarder collie who had a tail that never stopped wagging. We chose our trophies, then wrote a check for the amount of the goods and put it in a coffee can on the home's front porch.

It was different. It wasn't the farm with a hay maze, or zip lines, or corn hole games, or pumpkin tetherball. It was simple, humble, hometown, neighborly. It was, in a word, wonderful.

Give Thanks...For Work

I just finished a long weekend...a very long weekend. I worked my regular job, then did my weekend gig. Because of fall break, my weekend gig lasted four days instead of three. We just walked in the house from our last shift and I'm tired...

Very tired.

But, I'm also something else...

Grateful for work.

Even though "work" is more difficult as I get older, both physically and mentally, work is what allows me to provide food, shelter, and clothing for my family. It also allows me to interact with others and make the world a better place. At least, I hope so.

There's opposition in all things. And because of this, there's a time to play, and a time to work. I'm grateful for work...

Of course, I hope to enjoy retirement, too, even though I'm sure I'll need to do something some would call "work."

Prepping For Winter...Box Elder County-Style

 When we put in our sprinkler system last spring, we were told we needed to make sure we cleared the lines with water before things froze. The only problem was...

We'd never done that before.

Thanks to a kind (and wise...) neighbor, we were able to prep our pipes for winter. First, we needed an air compressor. We chose the pumpkin spice model. Next, we had to figure out how to use it. This meant, I had to open the valves to push air through the lines instead of water.

It took a few practice runs, but eventually we got as much water out of the lines as we could. It was a satisfying gurgle. 

This move has been a real eye-opener. This is just another thing for us to learn as home owners in Box Elder County.

Missed The Deadline...This One Would Have Been Fun

 I had plenty of time to prepare--I even tried conjuring up a few storylines that I think would "wow" those on the committee. But, as I lived my life between August and October 15th, writing a kick-butt story sort of faded into the black.

It never got written, and in a few hours, this particular opportunity will have passed.

I am a little bummed I didn't get a story written. Of course, there's no guarantee my story would have made the cut. I think part of the reason I didn't get a story written is because I wanted it to be extra amazing, one that they couldn't pass up. But, any story would have been better than no story.

I don't wish to give the impression that I didn't have time. I did have FanX and a Halloween part-time gig during the acquisition timeline, but those are not really excuses. Any writer can tell you that "being busy" can't be used as an excuse for not writing. If that were the case, nothing would get written. There's always something that needs doing, something that takes precedence.

I'll look for something else. We live in a an amazing time--someone somewhere is looking for stories, good stories, to include in anthology. Who knows...maybe even those in charge of this one will do it again in the future.

If so, I hope to not pass that one up, too.

Our First Apple Harvest...

 We thought maybe they might not make it, the three fruit trees we planted in the front yard. In fact, our first tree--an apricot tree--didn't make it. It died after we planted it (or, it may have been dead when we bought it...). 

We were not to be denied having fruit trees in our yard, so we went out and picked up three trees, an apricot, a nectarine, and an apple tree. The apple tree was the only one that bore fruit.

The other day was harvested the crop.

We ended up with five apples of various size.

But, it's not necessarily about the size of the harvest, but what those little apples represent. It took some trial and error for us to get those trees to survive at least one season. We had to do our research to find out how to plant them--it's not just dig a hole and put in the tree.

Next year we're hoping to get yields from all three trees. They all look healthy enough. But, even the heartiest tree may not make it...some don't.

Yes, our harvest was underwhelming, but I'm happy for it. Here's to more success next year.

Burying Something In The Yard...What It Was Is A Secret

Before things got cold (and they're going to get a lot colder...), the wife and I ventured into the yard armed with shovels.

We had things to bury.

What we buried is a secret, but it's not really a good secret. We put into the ground things many homeowners put into the ground in the fall hoping things will transform in the spring. In a way, however, it will be a surprise to neighbors, I suppose. All summer we did nothing on that ground. It baked in the sun. Truth be told, we were tired after putting in the yard and it gets hot in the summer so we left that part of the yard unattended.

So, come next spring, the surprise to the neighbors will be that something has been planted in the yard and it will hopefully be beautiful and wonderful to behold. 

Oh, and we've got our fingers crossed that what we planted actually survives the planting, the winter, and the spring to break forth and bloom.

That'll be a surprise for us. 

Yeah...They Used Real Skeletons In "Poltergeist"

 I came across a funny tweet the other day. Often, when I spot a funny tweet, I'll take a screen shot and send it to my friend. I did, but when I was checking past photographs tonight, I came across the original screen shot.

It reminded me of something I learned a while ago...

In the film Poltergeist, they used real skeletons in the film...not plastic ones, not ones made specifically for the film. No, they were once real people.

I found out about this, not because of that film, but as a "gee whiz" bit of trivia. I can't remember where I heard it, but I found out that before a certain time period, it cost more to make a believable skeleton as a prop than it did to use an actual skeleton for a film. That may have changed now with advancements in not only the manufacturing such things, but also computer enhancements to make "fake" look as good as the real thing.

So, after I heard this little tidbit, I remembered one of the most terrifying films I ever saw, the 1982 Steven Spielberg classic, Poltergeist. Near the end of the film, the mother living in the haunted house ends up in a swimming pool under construction. During a terrible thunderstorm the mother finds she's not alone in the muddy pool. I thought back on that scene and realized that those skeletons--that were terrifying, by the way--were once people. It made that scene even more horrific.

If you do a simple internet search, you'll see site after site confirming this fact. I took this picture from Looper.com. If you'd like to read the article yourself, just click: HERE.

Yes, the tweet was funny, but it was also eerily accurate.

And just in time for Halloween.

I Really Don't Know Much About Horses...

 A few months ago I decided getting more exercise is something I needed to do. As far as where to get exercise, I chose close to home. The hillside is a perfect place to take a walk. The second or third time I ventured north, I spotted a couple of horses. They were in a corral, but I didn't get close. 

I really don't know much about horses.

A week or two later I was chatting with one of the locals and I asked about the horses...I wanted to know who owned them. Turns out, the man with whom I was chatting was the owner. I asked if it would be okay to go near the horses, maybe pet them. He said it was fine if I did--he only asked that I not hand feed them so they wouldn't get used to having humans hand feed them.

No problem.

On my next hike, I walked over and introduced myself. The horses were a little skittish, but they came over as I talked to them. I did not, however, touch them them. I stayed a few feet away just to make sure I didn't spook them. I finished my walk and didn't think much of the horses after that.

Until, the next time I headed up the hill.

I spotted the pair, and as I got closer, I noticed that they saw me and once they saw me, they walked to the edge of the corral. They continued watching me as I approached until I reached them. This time, they did not timidly walk over as they did before. They were excited to see me. I even got to pet them. What surprised me is that I thought they'd react the same way they did before, but I guess they recognized me and wanted me to come over and say, "hi."

Many in my family are "horse people." They've lived and worked around horses all their lives. My dad and mom grew up with horses...they helped them literally survive. I grew up in a different world--one pretty much without horses. Hopefully, I'll get to know those particular horses better as time goes on.

Give Thanks...Too Soon?

 When I worked in an office, they usually supply you with storage bins where you can store stuff--at least they did where I worked. I think the places for stuff was a throwback to another time when a general office worker pushed a lot of paper and a worker needed a place to put all that paper after (and before...) is was pushed.

Flash forward to the way we live and work now.

We don't really need the storage space like we once did--at least, for me.

I was looking for something this morning and I thought it might be in my office desk. I pretty much knew it wasn't, but I thought I'd check. That's when I spotted Gobbles, the Beanie Baby (Gobbles and I share the same birthday, by the way...). It is part of a beanie baby menagerie I used to have at work and whenever the appropriate holiday came upon us, I'd put the appropriate animal on my desk.

I dug out Gobbles, and wondered if it was too soon to release Gobbles from his darkened prison and place him on my desk. After all, Thanksgiving is only a month and a half away.

This made me think...why shouldn't I have Gobbles on my desk all year long? I know people put out Halloween decorations in September and Christmas decorations in October. If there's one holiday that we need more of, it's Thanksgiving. If there's one holiday that we should consider every week, it's Thanksgiving. It there's one holiday that would make the world a better place, it's Thanksgiving.

So, to answer the question, too soon?

The answer is--nope.

Goodnight...To A Giant Of A Man, Mentor, And Friend

 "Elder Taylor."

I was already excited about the prospects. I'd waited a long time to find out where I would be assigned.

"You've been assigned to the Glostrup area--it's in København--and your companion will be Elder Richardson."

The name meant nothing, nor did the location. I knew as much about Glostrup as I did about quantum physics.

Then they added, "Ældste Richardson...han er dyktig at sproget."

That's all I needed to hear. Even my limited command of the Danish language told me that my companion--my trainer--was good at the language. I hoped I'd be paired with someone who would help me improve my Danish.

Turns out I learned a lot more than how to improve my second language from the Ed Richardson.

On Monday, I read a post on Facebook from Ed...he was in the hospital and it was serious. Yesterday I woke to the news that he passed away.

Elder Richardson and I spent two month together, biking and walking the streets of Copenhagen's western suburb. He taught me what it was like being a missionary in Denmark.  I learned that even though we were yelled at, flipped off, spit on, that the Danes were "not" those people. That they were loving, warm, intelligent, and some even wanted to hear what we had to say. We must have looked strange--Ed, a big guy, tall and wide, and me, a scrawny 120 lb kid who looked fifteen-years old. I first met Ed in the spring of 1985...thirty-six years ago. Since that time, I never considered Ed not a friend.

Of course, as lives to, I had little interaction with Ed since. We both began our lives, married, became fathers, and fathers-in-law. We both had struggles and triumphs, victories and defeats.

When someone you know--someone who had a large impact on your life--passes away, a light goes out and you feel it, even though we hardly saw each other in those thirty-six years. When I saw Ed's post of his hospitalization earlier this week, I prayed things would turn out differently. I hoped his constitution would match his personality and rise above. Unfortunately, it was not to be.

Several of those I knew in that distant land decades ago have died. As I search the old pictures, I was reminded of just how many. Now Ed resides in that column, a column we'll all one day join.

Goodnight, Elder Richardson. Tak for alt.

The Quarter-Of-A-Million Dollar Car...

 On Twitter a few days ago someone posted a picture of a blue SUV they spotted in Farmington, Utah. A few people commented on the picture...you know, the usual. Then today, as I picked up some supplies before my weekend gig, I spotted the same car.

Okay--I'm not 100% sure it's the same car, but I seriously doubt there are two of these things puttering around central Davis County.

After all, the thing costs a quarter-million dollars.

And it's the cheapest Lamborghini you can buy.

As cars go, I like the color. It was a beautiful blue. If I didn't see the bull logo, I would have never suspected it was a Lamborghini. It looked like many crossover cars out there...the Audis, the Hyundais, the Hondas. Since I know absolutely nothing about the car, I have no way of knowing if this thing is worth the price. I can only hope whomever owns it paid cash. I'm not opposed to someone buying and driving such a vehicle--if they've got it, that is. I can only imagine whomever owns it feels the experience justifies the costs.

I have no doubt it's an incredible machine. I'll bet it rides like you're floating on a cushion as you drive, be it on the highway, or the mountain road. And had I the means, (and by "means" I mean could afford to pay cash for a fleet of them...), I'd probably appreciate all the things a Lamborghini URUS has to offer.

I came out of the store, passed the blue beauty once again, then hopped into my 2010 Subaru Forester (which affectionally call, "Donk"...) and drove away. 

Mine's a SUV, too...

Back To Beautiful Mornings...

 Twice a year, because of my work schedule, and how our house is situated on the lot, and how the mountain ridge to the east is shaped, and how the earth tilts on its axis, I get the opportunity to catch amazing sunrises.

Of course, I could catch every sunrise if I didn't like sleeping in. But, this time of year in autumn and its sibling time of year in the spring, I get to sit in my office chair and watch the sun crest the mountain top officially signaling a new day dawn.

These pictures by no means represent the best of what I've seen, and like I have stated many times on this blog, almost all pictures of sunrises and sunsets I post do not do the awesomeness of what I see justice. Last week I snapped a couple of pictures as the colors began to form.

Sunrises are a fairly new experience for me as far as appreciating them. Most of my life I lived at the base of a mountain, so I missed out on what many in the valley saw each morning. The sunsets where I used to live, on the other hand...they were spectacular. Here, because of how the house is located in the subdivision, we don't get the wonderful opportunities to see the sunsets like we once did.

So, I get to enjoy sunrises while at work. That's a great deal, in my opinion.

When We Visited Bear Lake...We Ate At Cafe Sabor

 We drove into the valley in the morning. The tourist season ended when kids returned to school and the families returned home. The streets--jam-packed only weeks before--were nearly vacant of cars, trucks, bikes, or motorcycles.

But, we were there in our trusted Toyota minivan, driving up and down the main street enjoying the beautiful (though, smoky...) scenery and wonderful weather.

Then, as the clock ticked from morning to noon, we decided to get something to eat. But, where? We are unfamiliar with eating establishments on the western shore of Bear Lake. We drove north along Main Street and after a while the businesses ended and only beach homes and other properties remained, so we turned around and gave the eating establishments a second chance.

We chose Cafe Sabor.

I never knew it existed, but that's not unusual. I didn't know 99% of the businesses in Garden City existed. One place we did notice was a shake shack (or, a place that sold shakes and other things...) that was crowded with eager shake-eaters. Since we didn't know the reputation of that place either, we thought that must be a good place because so many people were there.

When we pulled up to Cafe Sabor it was almost empty so we did't know if it was a good place to eat or not. Sure, it was only a few minutes after 12 noon, but still. We went in, ordered, and the food was quickly delivered. As we ate, we noticed more and more people followed our example and chose Cafe Sabor as their restaurant of choice for that day.

The food--we liked it a lot. The atmosphere--again, liked it. It was a cozy place and the servers were fun and engaging. The other eaters confirmed it was good.

I didn't know until I wrote this post tonight that there are more than one Cafe Sabors out there, one even closer to us than Garden City. We're glad we picked that place to eat. If given the opportunity, we'll probably do it again.