Honored...Humbled...Won Another Kovel

 In a perfect world, I would have been able to gather with friends for a week of creativity, board games, story swaps, and overall awesomeness.

Sometimes things don't work out.

Sometimes that's okay.

If you consider yourself a writer, you may be one of the fortunate writers who either arrange/create/participate in a writing retreat. I've been on a few in my writing career, though they've all been at the same place. I only have one frame of reference when it comes to writing retreats so I can't with authority speak for them all, but in my opinion. they're fantastic.

This year I wasn't able to attend for non-writing reasons. I did find myself at a work meeting held within a few miles of the annual event. On my way home, I stopped by. I believe this year's retreat was the best attended since I started going. The house is big...had I gone I most likely would have slept in the living room (or in my car...). I wouldn't care.

I got to say hi to many friends and fellow writers. And when I left, I was presented with an Edward M. Kovel Award. Yes, there are higher literary awards, but none mean as much to me. 

To the writers, those who gave up their time and home for everyone else, to the families that support their loved ones and allow them to take time off to pursue something they love, may your Kovel be filled with the tears of your enemies and my all your words flow like sparkling water.

Oh, by the way, my Kovel was for: 

Best Visit to a Mental Hospital...

Much-appreciated, and accurate, too.

Well...I Thought I knew What The Problem Was

 There was a time when I used to be able to fix home appliances when they broke down. Last week, we deep-cleaned the big bedroom and when we finished, the brush no longer spun.

Bummer.

Back in the day, most of the time this happened was because a rubber ring slid off its tracks and all I had to do was put everything back together, plug in the vacuum, and voilá--things fixed. Housework continued. Everyone happy.

After I cleaned the brush, I looked for a way to get the thing started again. There was no obvious fix, so I did the next best thing...I did an internet search. The sites I briefly accessed talked about the wires becoming worn and disconnected to the motor that drove the brush. That all seemed a bit complicated for me. I'm used to simple fixed for simple things.

In the videos, they were able to disassemble the vacuum and troubleshoot the problem. Looks like the vacuum people have wised up since those videos were made because I can't take apart the unit without a special tool--one I don't have. 

Sneaky vacuum people.

I'm guessing those sneaky people want me to take my vacuum to a professional so they can fix it. I have no idea how much it costs to have a vacuumed fixed. I'll bet, with some of the units being on sale, I could probably buy a new vacuum for the same cost as getting mine repaired, which makes the vacuums...in a way...disposable. That's too bad because most likely, I could have fixed it and saved me some money, and the world from having to provide yet another vacuum.

Oh...The Carnage

 All things of man are doomed...

That goes for dog toys, too.

It seems our dog's owner--my son--picks the best toys for his best friend. My son once again proved this point with something he picked up as a doggie Christmas present last winter. This little fuzzy hedgehog turned out to be the dog's favorite toy. We all loved it because it didn't squeak...it honked.

It was a great dog toy.

Tonight, after so many tries, the dog finally split it open and that was the end of that. He raced downstairs with the toy's inners in mouth and finished it off. We gathered the remains so the dog didn't digest them. Now, the honking hedgehog will end up in a landfill.

Sure, our dog has other toys and I'm sure the dog will find another to play with and to annoy us with. I wonder if he'll miss the hedgehog...I think we will.

Now This Is A Store I'd Like To Visit...

 Funny how there's so many things we don't know about. Take, for instance, where does all that lost luggage from the airlines go? What happens if no one claims it?

The other day I found out where that luggage goes...it most likely ends up at the nation's only retailer of lost luggage. It's a store in Alabama and if I lived anywhere close, I'd be checking it out in person. You can access their website by clicking: HERE.

I think what intrigues me is the potential...imagine all the things people take with them when traveling. Now, they don't take everything they have..they only take the things they need. That's why it's so devastating when people's luggage is lost. They're up a creek without their luggage.

I heard about the lost luggage store on The Atlas Obscura podcast. That's not one to which I subscribe--I heard the episode on another podcast, but I'm glad I heard it. It talked about how this store came to be, how it started out as a contact for selling unclaimed baggage from one airline, the it grew and grew.

Just looking at all the stuff they sell. It's amazing. There's 49 laptops for sale, 202 books, 81 handbags, 29 pet products, and 131 infant/toddler shoes. And it goes on and on.

Even though I think that kind of a store would be amazing, it makes me sad. All that stuff once belonged to someone and then it didn't. I don't know all the steps something has to go through to end up at the store, or all the steps a person failed to do to have all their stuff at the store. Personally, I've never lost any luggage while traveling...the lack of traveling helps with the odds. But, I've had things stolen out of my car and it sucks. Thinking somehow those things they stole could end up on a store somewhere that anyone could then buy...well, it would make me a little mad.

Still...the draw of seeing what's in the store might make me overcome that feeling. Looks like I'm not the only one.

When You Write/Post Every Day...You Wonder When It Will End

 If you consciously do something every day--something you don't have to do, but have chosen to do on a daily basis--it's weird thinking about that activity stopping.

There are many things I do daily...many have to do with personal hygiene (you know, the basics...), but there's others. I try and read/listen/study my scriptures daily. I try and say my daily prayers. I usually eat something. 

Then, there's other things I do, at least, I've done for over a decade, like post a daily picture on social media and write a daily blog post. I've thought about what that means. It means that since January, 2011 I have accessed the internet. For many, that's more like a curse than a blessing. I've also had to try and come up with something--anything semi-interesting to write about and post.

It also means that I've posted a picture and written a blog post the day my son left on his mission (and returned...), the day we got me a new--to me--car, the day we decided to move and the day we moved, and the day my sister collapsed at work, the day she died, and the day we held the funeral.

Every day, without fail, without exception.

If I continue to write and post every day, I'll write about so many other things, both the best days and the worst days, the accomplishments and the failures...the opposition in all things. Of course, I don't always write about these things, but when a great/terrible thing happens, I'll be on my computer/tablet/phone putting something out there.

Today...sort of ordinary. I went to work, we made some adjustments to the pet situation, enjoyed a delicious home-baked dinner, and now chilling at home, watching an incredible, yet somewhat frustrating This Is Us episode, and finishing up something I do on a daily basis.

I have no idea what tomorrow will bring. On paper, there's work, breakfast/lunch/dinner, maybe some yard work, and "fingers crossed" get in a little writing. At least, I hope that's how it goes. 

Then again, there might be something incredible that happens.

Then again, something incredible always happens, every day. And, God-willing, I'll be here to write/post something.

As The Cat's World Turns...

If you own pets, there will surely come times when life throws you a curve ball. The most pets we've had at the same time under our roof was four, two cats and two dogs. When we lost our little dog--our family's first pet--we didn't replace her. That was not the case when we lost one of our cats. Within a few weeks, we rescued a tiny kitten and brought him home.

A lot has happened since then. The tiny kitten grew...

And grew...

And grew. He's now close to twenty pounds--a force to be reconned with.

Last fall, a case of the sniffles visited our family (it's happened to a lot of people...). After we all recovered, something changed. The no-longer-small-ball-of-fur was causing problems. It seems we were more allergic to the cat than before.

We then were faced with a decision...we either move the cat downstairs or find a new home for him. The downstairs option didn't work out because of our older, more "bullying" cat who had already claimed the basement as his domain...not an option. A few weeks ago, our older cat passed away. We discussed putting our remaining cat downstairs, but we weren't sure. We still had some issues to resolve.

We thought about other option, the "finding him a new home" option. Since last fall, I posted about our cat on this blog--no takers. We put up flyers at our local grocery stores--no takers, until last Friday. I got a text asking if we still had our cat. We said we did. The text-er wanted to drop by Saturday to take him home and see if he could get along with their other cat.

When that text came in, we wondered again if we wanted him gone. Of course, we didn't, but we thought maybe it would be the best if we found him a new home.

Saturday came, the text-er did not. We decided to put the cat downstairs. Last night was his first night in the basement. We weren't sure how he'd do, but he weathered the change better than I thought he would. Today he did even better. None of us like change, including cats. We're hoping this works out. We sure like having him around...just not as close as before.

Give Thanks...Modern Conveniences

We believe it was a scheduled outage, mostly because the second after the power went out, I got a phone call from the power company. Thinking it was spam, I let the call go to voice-mail. Sure enough, it was the power company calling to inform us of the outage in our area.

This year was different...we were prepared.

Of course, no one can be fully prepared for the events of life. Years ago, the power went out on our street after a huge windstorm. After several days without power, we started throwing out all the food in our freezer. Turns out, it wasn't the worst thing to have happened because a few months after, we moved and I don't know how much of that food we threw out we would have taken with us.

I remember talking to our neighbors on the cul-de-sac and asked them how they were doing living in the Nineteenth Century. They were doing fine--they threw away no food because we were apparently the only family on the street without an alternative power generating source.

With one of our stimulus checks, we invested in Twentieth Century technology. We bought a small little generator at Costco. It was on sale. We brought it home, stuck the box in a corner and forgot about it. We knew we had it and we'd use it in the case of an emergency. The phone message from the power company  last week said we'd only be out of power for a few hours. We decided to give the little Firman Generator a test run.

Following the instructions, I dug it out of the box, filled it with oil, then gasoline, took placed it at least 20' away from the house and started it up.

We had power!

We've never had a generator before. The closest thing was having an electrical outlet in our Pontiac Vibe (we used that car as a generator when the power went out for days...). Last week, we charged some devices, and when lunch time came around, we fired up the microwave oven.

I'm grateful to have an option, which is really all it is. Still, if we go without power for days, we'll be able to save the food in our fridge, which could save us a lot of money. I'm grateful for having this first-world problem and solving it with a first-world solution.

 

Stuff Like This...No Good Can Come From It

 A few days ago, I blogged about the Utah Jazz and how I no longer watch them play. It was after a playoff loss. Good news--they evened their series today, so there's that. I'm happy for them and their fans.

One sport I do continue to follow is college football. It was always high on my list, but since following a sports league nowadays involves more than simply watching and rooting for a team, college football has been elevated to number one. This makes the spring and summer almost unbearable at times...waiting for August and September to get here. Today, the University of Utah held their Spring Game...I have it recorded on the DVR--I'll get to it. I'm not the Ute's biggest fan, but that doesn't matter. I am a fan.

During the spring and summer, those who also enjoy the college game write and post things about the upcoming season, and the junkies eat it up. In a quest for clicks and reposts, people will put stuff out there, stuff that entertains and engages the public...

Even though sometimes they hurt.

Case in point, a ridiculous "Way-Too-Early Top 25" preseason poll.

And my team comes in at Number 4.

Oh, nothing good can come from this.

So, if I believe the preseason hype, then only disappointment can follow. I'm a believer of my team, but are they really the #4 team in the country? Hardly. College football is a big business, a billion-dollar concern. To place the team I follow so high...I wonder if whoever assembled this poll believes it, or if they just want to "push people's buttons."

I also saw another post on social media today. It was from an athlete deciding where to play college football. I don't know where he'll ultimately end-up, but Utah is listed as an option. What caught my attention is the other school choices...some of the best of the best programs in the country, and Utah is among them. Now this is one player's situation. The fact, however, that this player is considering Utah and Alabama, it shows the oldest university west of the Mississippi River is being considered one of the nation's best.

I have a choice...I can believe the hype of these preseason polls which will make any losses that much worse. Or, I can not believe it, wait until the games are actually played. The problem is, Option 2 is a tough thing to do. 

Maybe Money Does Grow On...And From...Trees

 Last year, we conducted an experiment. At the time, we didn't call it an experiment, nor did we think of it as such, but that's what it was. We were experiencing our first spring in a new land and we wanted to plant some trees.

For Round 1, the first tree we planted did not survive. Truth be told, it was probably dead/dying when we put it in the ground. Our Round 2, we bought three small fruit trees and asked the experts at the nursery what we did wrong in Round 1 and how to keep the new trees alive for Round 2.

We planted three trees. They survived the first year, which I would think would be the toughest year for a newly planted tree. It's been so much fun seeing the blossoms, watching bees buzz around them, and looking forward to a small, but wonderful harvest.

This spring, we've visited a nursery or two. We've even considered picking up another fruit tree to add to our humble orchard...

Don't think we're going to be doing that.

Not because we don't have the room or great places to plant more trees, but because of the cost. My wife checked out trees similar to the three we planted last year and the cost floored her. We paid around $100 for the three trees last year. This spring, one tree begins at $75. It made me worry (just a little bit...) that someone might come along and dig them up and steal them out of our front yard. I know it's a silly thought, but that's what went through my head when I saw the trees in my yard and heard how much they cost now.

Of course, it's not just trees that have gone up...everything has. I don't believe it's going to stop any time soon, either. We probably won't be adding trees this year, maybe next year or the year after that. I love having fruit trees--glad we have our three.

Confessions Of A Former Utah Jazz Fan...

 Times have changed.

Back in the day, looking at that screenshot would have caused me a bout of mild depression. Such in the life of a Utah Jazz fan, or any sports fan, actually. Yes, there are teams that win and win and win, but eventually, they stop winning--can't win them all, some people say. And when they don't win, it's a bummer.

I started to be a huge Jazz fan in the late 1980s, back when the team had the best point guard/power forward duo in NBA history. They were an easy team to root for, to enjoy watching, to love. Since then, the franchise has had good seasons, bad seasons, and last year, the league's best record.

I even worked for the organization for two years in the early 1990s.

Hello...I'm Scott Taylor and I'm a recovering Jazz fan.

Most Jazz fans believe that tonight's game was pivotal. Of course, in the playoffs, all games count more than normal, but having home-court advantage in Round 1, playing at home with three of the other team's best players not playing, all the Jazz had to do was win...they did not. I'm sure a majority of people leaving Vivint Arena tonight think the series is over. It's not, but it could be soon. Even though I no longer watch/keep up with/obsess over the team, I still feel bad for those that do.

Maybe they win the next three games and win four in the next series and then win and win and win and win and hold up that shiny trophy, but things are not looking good.

Being over a year Jazz-sober, I know I sleep better. I have time to do other things like read and write (or, just watch other TV shows...). And since I don't watch any NBA games, the months of April/May/June are unsurprisingly less stressful for me.

I don't know if I'll ever fall off the wagon and once again root for the yellow, green, and purple (or whatever colors they don nowadays...). In life, sometimes you have to give up stuff...like the Utah Jazz.

Concerning The Old VW...The Story/Mystery Continues

 Almost every time I drove down the hill, I'd glance over at the field where my eyes would lock on the once-blue VW 411, or possibly 412 (my knowledge of that particular model is lacking...). Such a cool car sitting out in a field near the Tremonton/Garland exit on Interstate-15.

Many a time I thought about finding who owned the car and talking to them about selling it, seeing if it would be worth my time to restore it. There's not many old VWs sitting around in fields (or barns or garages or landfills...) anymore. But, I know myself and I know that I'm too cheap to put any significant money into a car to restore the car properly. That's why I never went beyond the "think it would be cool" step and actually tried contacting the owner.

A few weeks ago when I drove passed, I noticed the white car on the other side of the old VW was gone. Interesting, I thought. Maybe the owner was cleaning up his field and getting rid of the cars. Again, I thought about looking into getting the car. Once again, I buried the thought...

Until I passed the car one more time.

That's when I spotted a note in the window. Ah-ha! It's for sale, I thought. The next chance I got, I drove by to see if the For Sale sign had any details, mostly, how much the owner wanted. All the note had on it was a name and a phone number. Good enough, I thought. I got out, snapped a couple of pictures, then drove home. 

Later that night, I texted Andy to know more about the car.

"I saw the old VW in the field and wondered how much you want for it and what condition it's in."

A few minutes later, I got a response.

"I don't have an old VW."

"Oh, I'm sorry," I texted back. "I saw the car in a field with a note. That's where I got your name and number."

Andy texted back.

"No, I don't have the car. I'm trying to find who owns it to possibly buy it."

I apologized for bugging him. I told Andy that I considered doing the same thing myself. I wished him luck and he never texted me again.

The next time I drove down the hill, the field was car-less...the old once-blue VW was gone.

I'm hoping Andy bought it. I'm hoping he brings it back to life. The only thing that makes me sad is I'll probably never know what happened to the car, how much it sold for, or anything else. It's like a puppy from the pound has been adopted and I'll never see it again. If Andy were more chatty, I would have asked if he bought it, but he wasn't so I won't.

Who know? Maybe one day I'll be driving down the road and a classic VW 411 (or 412...) will pass me going the other way, or I'll see it parked somewhere. Is it the same car? Is Andy driving?

The story...the mystery continues.

Jeffrey Robinson...Audiobook Narrator

 It's been years since Jeffrey and I shared a stage. It was only one show, even though both he and I continued to participate in community theater productions. Then, he up and moves across the country. Unless either he or I have one heck of a commute, I doubt we'll ever share a stage again.

It's too bad, obviously, but if I lamented about all the people with whom I most likely will not "share a stage" again in my life, it might be a bit of a downer for me.

Thanks to social media, I'm able to keep in touch with Jeffrey, as we post events here and there. A loving and proud father, he posts photos and stories of his family, as did I when my kids were younger (and still do, even though they're old enough to be embarrassed by their old man...). I've even read about a new endeavor in Jeff's life...that of becoming an audiobook narrator. Today he posted a link to his new website and I checked it out.

I was impressed.

Not that I shouldn't have been. Jeff is good at whatever he tries, or so it seems. On his website, which you can access by clicking: HERE, you can check out a few audio samples of his readings. I like his voice, it has a deep maturity to it, something I didn't expect since we were so much younger when we did the show many years ago. 

Jeffrey's narrator life is just beginning. I hope he has a long and successful career.

Patpet Dog Collars...Interesting

 It's an interesting invention.

I suppose gadgets like this have been on the market for years, but I've not seen one this close up until yesterday. We went to Easter dinner at my brother and sister-in-law's house and they have one for their new puppy.

The term, "shock collars," for me has such a negative connotation. The collar my brother bought does more than just shock a pooch. According to the product website--if you're interested, you can access the page: HERE--the collar can be used for a multitude of things.

This particular model has:

• 150M (492ft) Remote Training Range
• Easy to use with blind operation design
• For one dog, expandable to 2 dogs
• Standard tone, 8 levels vibration & 16 levels safe static training modes
• LCD display showing battery and stimulation levels
• 2h rapid charging lithium battery, up to 60days-remote/30days-receiver standby time
• IPX7 waterproof receiver

I don't know what all this means other than it's impressive. I did a little research on the vibrating mode. Apparently, if your dog has a less than severe barking problem, try the vibrating mode to help train your pet. I never new they had that.

Needless to say, the collars are as high-tech as possible, and this particular brand ranges from just over $46 to just under $150.

Will I ever get one? We've had two dogs in our family, both were barkers and we never purchased one, mostly because we're cheap, but there's that stigma...do we want to use a shock collar? As with most things, time will tell.

Give Thanks...For Easter Sunday

Easter Sunday

We spent the day with family, at church, then with family again.

Here's just a few of the memories.

The day was wonderful, and made possible because of a sacrifice...a life for ours. I spent the day with some of my favorite people. I didn't include how wonderful the food tasted, how I and my family traveled several hundred miles safely, how I saw an incredible sky, and how tonight I get to sleep in relative safety with my loved ones under the same roof. I'm thankful for all of these things. Yes, it wasn't perfect--we were missing my sister deeply, but it was almost perfect. And I'm thankful for the one who made it possible.

Have You Ever Tried A Jalapeño Fritter? I Did This Morning...

At one of our local grocery stores they have what they call, "Fritter Friday." It's basically what it sounds like...on Fridays they have fritters on sale. I have taken advantage of Fritter Friday on many occasions. I'll buy five fritters and have then for breakfast for five days...five breakfasts for at grand total of $2.50.

If you also want to participate in Fritter Friday, you'll need to arrive within a reasonable hour on Friday. We've bought them in the mornings and the early afternoons, but if you go to the store in the late afternoon or evening, well...Fritter Friday will be over for you for another week.

Such was the case yesterday. We had errands to run earlier in the day so we arrived at the store around 5pm. The first thing we looked at when we walked in was the glass shelves where the fritters usually are. 

We saw none. 

Bummer.

But, ever the optimist, my wife suggested I ask if all the fritters were gone. Being the dutiful husband, I followed my wife's suggestion and asked.

"Any fritters left?"

The young bakery employee said, "We have jalapeño fritters."

"Say again?"

"All we have are jalapeño fritters."

Apparently, it's a thing. I asked a follow-up. "Are they any good?"

"I've never actually tried one myself," she said. Hardly a vote of confidence.

The two things...the sweet deliciousness of a fritter with the sharp hot spices of the jalapeño pepper...the shouldn't go together...they can't go together, but in this part of the country (and maybe others as well, I don't know...) they put jalapeños in fritters.

I walked away, but something nagged at me. I returned and put a fritter in the bag, paid for it, and brought it home. I had to know how they tasted.

This morning, I dug out the fritter and gave it a shot. It was, in a word, interesting. It tasted exactly how I thought it would taste. The sweet was there and it was still delicious. Then, that hot spicy would hit and remain. There's something wrong about having a dessert that makes your eyes water. And I usually love jalapeños in stuff.

I finished the meal. I ended up puling some of the larger chunks of pepper out of the fritter to make it more palatable. I know I'm not "up" on much of the popular trends, but I doubt I'd ever imagine someone would look at a fritter and a jalapeño pepper and think those two things should go together. Chances are, I'll probably not be reliving that particular adventure any time soon.

It Was Only A Mile And A Half...But It Was A Mile And A Half

 Yesterday, I attended a staff meeting for work. It was the first time since December, 2019 that I attended any group activity with my work...very unusual. In the past, we used to gather monthly and we'd have  large meetings quarterly.

The Public Health Emergency we've all experienced changed that, too.

At noon, we broke for lunch. I hoofed it up a small hill to the building where the cafeteria was located. I was trying to catch up with co-workers who had a slight lead. I caught up to them, but I experienced something new...a shortness of breath.

Now, I understand I'm a fifty-six year old man who works out a few times a week, but not vigorously, so not being in the best shape is something I know about myself. Still...I've been able to run almost effortlessly most of my life. Having to catch my breath was a foreign experience, something I did not like.

Almost every morning when I work, I take a fifteen minute break and spend it on a stationary bike, an elliptical machine, and a treadmill (five minutes on each machine...). I know it's not much, but at least I get to leave work and do something else--almost more a health break for my mind as much as anything else. Last year I spent a lot of time walking after work, mostly on the hill next to our house. I'm hoping to resume that this year. What surprised me about the shortness of breath yesterday is that I can walk for a half hour, an hour at a time without issue. That little jog took it out of me.

This morning I returned to the treadmill and walked for thirty minutes covering one and a half miles. I know it's not much, but it's a start and I know I need to walk before I can run. Hopefully one day soon, I can run and breath at the same time.

Apple TV's "Severance"...A Different Show

 We live in an interesting time, especially when it comes to entertainment. I believe in the future college courses will be taught on the history of entertainment between 2010 and 2020. The internet has allowed not only feature films to be pumped into our living rooms, but entire television series and limited series as well. Either paid (or pirated...) a person can access almost every scrap of content that's been made.

The other day we came across Apple TV's Severance. It is an unusual show. I'm not going to describe the show too much here--with a simple search you can learn all about it, other than to say the term "severance" has to do with a disconnect--literal--between a person's work life and home life. It's very stylistic and, in a word, slow...slow developing, slow moving, slow and methodical storytelling.

Actually, the uniqueness of the way it's written/filmed is a large part of its charm. It's different that way. But, after a few of the episodes, the pacing and storylines began to wear thin. I remember turning to my wife during the third or fourth episode and said, "I hope this show had a big payoff."

It needed it, too.

Of course, we didn't know how the first season would end. We hoped some of the questions would be answered, some of those loose ends be tied up. Needless to say, the end of Season One ended with a bigger payoff than what we expected.

At first, the show reminded me of another unusual show...Lost. I loved and at the same time hated that show. It created so many questions and only seemed to answer a few. I finally got tired of it. Now, because shows have morphed, evolved, Severance as a limited series works well. Yes, there were a lot of questions, but we didn't have to go through so many episodes to get to the payday. The show is modern, which means, lots of swearing and some violence, if you're wanting to check it out. I wonder how next season will go...

An Ocean...In The Sky

 Imagine looking up and seeing an incredible sky filled with hues of turquoise and blue, remnants from one of mankind's greatest accomplishments splitting the canvas, the white rolls like cotton suspended in space, the moon swimming in blue.

A moment frozen in time, where seconds and minutes change the view forever, colors fade, light dims...until what was once visible disappears forever.

A picture taken by an observer, feet firmly planted on the earth.

Now, change your perspective.

Imagine floating hundreds of feet in the air. Below an ocean meets land nearby. You look down and see the deep blue of millennia-old water, the darkened color caused by an increased depth. As the seabed rises, the water changes from blue to turquoise to lighter still.

A lone wave crosses the water, generated by forces millions of miles away, traveling in all directions until it reaches a point where water and land meet. A white speck is seen far from the shore, perhaps a ship, perhaps something else.

It's all about perspective.

Different interpretations...seeing the world differently.

Never Knew About The National Monument To Our Forefathers Before...

 There's a family that used to live in the neighborhood (and up here, "neighborhood" means several miles away...). They moved away last month. It's too bad...we don't know that many families here. Hopefully, that will change.

My wife helped them move, which was a nice thing to do. In return, she was given a statue. They have a 3D printer and they like to make things with their 3D printer. One of the things they made was the statue they gave to my wife.

The National Monument to Our Forefathers.

I'd never heard of it.

Granted, I don't travel much. I've never been to Massachusetts. I've never been to New England. The closest I ever got was a lay-over at LaGuardia on my way home from my mission. That was in 1987. Thing is, if I ever went to Boston or Maine, checking out The National Monument to our Forefathers would not have been on my list of "things to do."

However, after receiving this little statue, I'd love to go to Plymouth and check it out. Looking at pictures of the monument, it feels like something that was built by aliens, by people who lived so much differently than us, by people who cared about this country...loved this country. On the statue are carved the words: Faith, Law, Education, Liberty, Morality. There are other words carved into the statue--according to the many websites dedicated to the monument--but those are the only ones I can see on my 3D-printed version.

Yes, it would be fun to see this thing in person, see a visual representation of a philosophy, of a way people looked at life. At least I have the statue.

The Story/Stories Behind The Shoes...

 I wondered when I'd see the first post about the collection of writers gathered this week in a location near the campus of Brigham Young University. Turns out, it didn't take long. On day one, I saw a picture, a simple shot of a bunch of shoes in an entrance way.

It brought back memories. In the past, my shoes would silently reside among the sandals and Vans and boots and New Balances and various other brands and types of footwear. I'd shed my shoes, find a quiet place in a home build by a famous writer, a building that affords an atmosphere to allow myself and other writers a place to create art and bring peace and frustration to my soul. 

Not this time...not this year.

For the second time in as many years, I decided to remain home. Last year, the unknowns were the deciding factor. The last thing I wanted to do was bring home an illness to my family--can't afford to do that. This year, other factors came to light that prevented my attending. I'm not regretting the decision, only that I know what I'm missing. 

Such is life sometimes.

My writer friend who posted the picture (I'm assuming he took it as well...), identified the shoes as belonging to writers. He should know--he writes like a man possessed, possessed with stories to tell. When I see the shoes, I know a few things: 1. That the people who belong to the shoes have given up their lives for a short period to hone their craft and further their stories. 2. The writers will have hours and hours to write followed by good food and the possibility of game play in the evening. 3. The writers will be awarded incredible hospitality as their hosts are some of the best people I know, who open their homes out of the goodness of their hearts.

And if those who own the shoes choose to do so, they will write more, create more, and advance their stories more than they most likely ever could at home. I salute you, those who made the journey to the house on the hill. May your words flow like water and the blocks never come.

Give Thanks...For Neighbors With Toys

 Because it's spring and not yet hot (I wilt when it gets into the 80s...), we've dedicated these recent weekends to yard work. If you've read this blog in the past, you know yard work is not a favorite of mine. I enjoy a nice yard as much as anyone, but putting in the work to obtain such a yard...different story.

Yesterday, we decided to take on the weed field that is the south side of our house. I didn't get a picture before we filled multiple large garbage bags of weeds, but it was a literal carpet, mostly those goat's head sticker weeds. We might have stopped earlier, but the day was so perfect for yard work, cloudy with a light breeze. We kept going. By noon we had put down the ground cover layer of fabric and I had called it...I was done. 

The day before yesterday we ordered gravel...lots and lots of gravel. Now that the fabric was down, we would be spending the next couple of months moving the gravel to the other side of the house using our Fisher Price wheelbarrow. It would take time, but we knew we could do it little by little.

After putting in the hard work yesterday afternoon I was taking a nap when the doorbell rang. Our neighbor saw us working in the yard and she saw the huge pile of gravel. Turns out, her husband bought a new toy to put in their yard...a mini-backhoe. She asked if we wanted him to come down and move the rocks for us.

I was speechless.

When I did regain the ability to talk, of course we agreed to the help. Minutes later, he drove up in a brand-new shiny tractor. In about 30 minutes, we had the back and side yards covered with gravel. I still can't believe that the project we started and expected to take weeks, if not months to finish, was done by the time we went to bed. As luck would have it, my wife had just baked some chocolate chip cookies and we game him a plate.

Last summer, another neighbor asked us if we needed help moving some rocks. Once again, we did not turn down an offer for help. Once again, the neighbor had recently purchased a big toy--another tractor. I know these people did not need to help us. We're so grateful they did. But, if you think about it another way, maybe them helping is part to help and part just to play with the new toys. Either way, we came out the big winners.

Looking For A Good Read? It's Easy...Check Out Immortal Works' Amazon Page

 Years ago a few of my writing friends announced they were starting a small press publishing company. I wished them nothing but success. I have experience with a small indie press. They believed in me so much they published three of my short stories. I can't adequately express how grateful I am to that company. Because of those shorts getting published, it opened the door to so many other things, panels at conventions, writing opportunities, and getting to know many many incredible people.

But, I was also a little leery. Most of the small indie presses I've known don't stick around very long. There's a good news/bad news aspect to this. The bad news when a small press goes under is that...well, it no longer exists. But the upside are that the stories, books--sometimes many books--get published. They exist and that can't be taken away.

The press my friends started is called Immortal Works. I've mentioned them many times on this blog because they published my first novel. I also worked with them as an acquisition editor for a time and I chose a story that's now part of their library. Today, the owner and founder of the company sent us a link to the publisher's Amazon page. You can access the site by clicking: HERE (my novel's on Page 3...). Not all of the books they've released are included yet on the Amazon site. This makes the accomplishment of the small press even more impressive. 

I scrolled through the books on the Amazon site, so many stories, so many dreams of new and established writers came true because someone took a chance on their talents and worked with them to create art.

Immortal Works...a small indie press. Still cranking out the books, still believing in the dream.

Starting Again...Third Time's The Charm

 Funny how those stories just keep coming back...

Years ago, maybe even a couple of decades, a co-worker mentioned something to me as we were chatting. It was one of those comments that I may have dismissed, but I didn't. In fact, that one statement hatched an idea in my mind and that idea became the beginning of a story.

Funny how those ideas come...you never know when they'll strike. 

I remember starting the story then I set it aside for a few years. But, as I often do, I started the story once more. I actually wrote several chapters before I stopped again. Something was off, either the character development or how the subplots were interacting with each other...something. I think that's why I stopped. 

This week I started the story one more time, not from where I left off each other previous times, but from the beginning. I think that's the best thing for the story. This way, I hope to fix the problems that plagued me in the past. 

They say the third time's the charm...I sincerely hope so.

My New Favorite Instagram Account...

I am not a big Instagramer. I mean, I use the app occasionally. When I want to post a picture that is more artistic, I'll use Instagram.

I don't follow that many sites, either. I have several friends that I follow on the site, but I admit I don't fully utilize it as many do.

 I do have a few favorites. A guy in Denmark who takes pictures from the handlebars. Love his stuff. Another friend, Paul Jespersen, always posts incredible pictures of Utah and the world. I don't know what he does for a living, but he gets to travel and he's got a great eye.

I found a site recently that I'm really enjoying, and the photos are of places I don't need to travel across the world to see...just across the county. The site is the instagram account for Box Elder County. It's under "boxelder" if you're searching.

Before we moved here, I knew of Box Elder County, but I didn't now all that much. In the time we've been here, my wife and I have traveled across much of it. We have not gone west beyond the mountain range to the Park Valley or Grouse Creek. To Be honest, I'm not sure if we'll go...it's way way out there.

Finding new places to visit is fun. Seeing the local beauty is fun. Box Elder County is a big place and there's a lot to see. I'm glad there's a site that shows off much of its beauty and uniqueness.

Thank You Mr. Ninja Blender...Yum

 A blender...

Is it a staple, or a luxury?

In the past, we always had a blender of some sort in our home. It wasn't used a lot, but it's one of those things that when you need one, only a blender will do. It wasn't until my son bought a nice blender that we had a deluxe model in the house. My son was/is a fan of the smoothies...you know, for health reasons. Then, he got married and moved out...

And he took the blender with him.

We were blenderless...a blenderless household.

At first, we really didn't miss it. We weren't smoothie people (for health reasons or non-health reasons...). It wasn't until my wife and I found ourselves in Costco a few months back when we passed the blender section. We stopped and looked.

And considered buying one.

Turns out, we did...a nice Ninja model that was on sale. It's not the nicest blender a person can buy, but it's pretty amazing. There's even a "Smoothie" setting. You load it up, turn it on, and moments later, you have blended deliciousness. Tonight's treat--raspberry shakes.

We're so glad we decided to re-join the ranks of the blendered homes.

It's All About Physics...

 All because we wanted less grass...

When we thought about how to landscape our park strip, we decided to put down rocks...lots and lots of rocks. Part of why we decided on rocks is because it appears to be this region's greatest commodity. They're everywhere. Last year we did not completely finish the project, so this spring, we were at it again. I dug out our wheelbarrow and went to work.

A few words about the wheelbarrow...

It's basically made by Fisher Price.

Not really, but it might as well be.

All kidding aside, I like it--it's been a great help for us. It's light and the wheels do not deflate. We've used that little thing so much last year hauling literally tons of rocks and dirt. If it had a fault, because of its design I had to take baby steps when hauling the rocks. It wasn't until last weekend I figured something out and it had to do with physics.

I found a point, by leaning the wheelbarrow forward, that it balanced on the wheels, similar to using a dolly or hand truck to move very heavy object. By balancing the load, I could stand up and walk normally. With that small discovery, it made the task so much simpler. 

Funny how the little things can help so much.

R.I.P. Teewinot...2007 - 2022

The news was not what we wanted to hear, but deep down, we all knew it was the news we were going to get. Today we said good-bye to an incredible cat...more than a family pet.

In 2007 my family decided to visit my cousin Brent and his wife Sheila. They live on the family farm in Driggs, Idaho, God's Country (If God likes amazing summers and hellish winters...). While we were there our kids played in the pure air and open spaces a farm affords. They also had a blast chasing around a litter of kittens that ran around the farm with them.

Pure joy.

We had a few years earlier moved into a house and we needed a cat. We asked if they wouldn't mind parting with one, to which they agreed. We chose the only male kitten and we called him Teewinot because he was a climber and Teewinot Mountain can be found a few miles from my cousin's house.

Man...what a great cat.

I know many are not cat people and others downright hate cats. I can understand that, but I'll bet they'd like this one. We was cool, not uppity. And he owned the cul-de-sac where we used to live. He'd lay down in the middle of the street and give anyone passing by a nonchalant glance. He got in fights--we think he won many, but lost many, too. He was also a tremendous hunter, bringing victims of his skills home...everything from mice to squirrels and even bats and bunnies.

As he got older he even took on the neighbor dogs. He was fearless. Except for marring up the siding under our bedroom window and destroying countless window screens, Teewinot had few faults. And he even accompanied me on many a mountain hike. I blogged about one such adventure: HERE.

Last week, everything changed. He barely moved, wouldn't eat or drink...so unlike his normal curious self. Yesterday we took him to an E.R. vet and they diagnosed kidney failure...we could spend thousands of dollars for treatment, but the result would be the same...he would not survive. We made the agonizing decision to end his pain. We brought him home, sedated and lethargic, and put him in the back yard. He sat in the sun with my youngest, the two of them spending their last afternoon together.

Pets are amazing, not just for the companionship, but in what they teach us. They teach us patience, discipline, responsibility, and they continue to teach in death. We learn the value of life, the selflessness of some of God's amazing creatures.

I'll be spending the next few days searching my photos for classic pictures of our beloved cat. We're planning on compiling a book. Yes, he's gone and we remain, but hopefully, the memories will linger still.

R.I.P. Teewinot...a great cat.