With Used Cars...Timing Is Everything

 Something arrived in the mail today...something most people look forward to getting, something they love to receive.

The title to my car.

It's all ours.

And, it's all broken.

Usually, our car is driven sparingly. We use it when I need to go somewhere and my wife needs the van, and perhaps most importantly, it's great in the snow. I drive the car mostly in the fall to go back and forth to my side gig. I was driving back from working down south last month then a noise--a very unpleasant and sad noise--came from the back end of the car. It was so loud we parked the car and made an appointment to have it checked out.

We drove the car to the shop, they gave it the once-over, and concluded the bad sound came from bad things. The transmission was dying. 

Funny how timing is everything.

The week in which we find the car is inoperable is the week in which we made our final payment.

I knew when I bought it three years ago that we were taking a chance. We also knew we wouldn't be driving the car much. Plus, it's a Subaru--a brand noted for its dependability. I've never had a car drop a transmission before so I didn't see/hear/feel the signs. Maybe it's been going out for some time--I wouldn't know.

My wife and I test drove a few cars to replace Donk, the Subaru. We found that many--costing over $10k--were in worse shape than mine, well...except for the transmission, of course. We're going to try and save it, give it not a new heart, but new muscles.

I'll keep you posted on the progress. But, there's one good thing, we at least own the car.

Well Done, Utah...Well Done

 This post may be premature, but that's okay. The regular season is over and the University of Utah football team has had a great season, even though they still has two games to play, one in three days, the other at a time and location to be determined later.

Two games to play...

Yes, there have been ups and downs--still, it's been another incredible year.

I became a fan of this team when I was a student of the school. Back then, they had some good years, but most of them were so-so. The big goal for the program was to be WAC champions. This was no small task, mostly because BYU was also in the WAC and they usually won the championship. Times sure have changed.

Throughout the year, Utah has been in multiple Top 25 lists, and they've been listed among the top programs in the country. It's still strange for me to see a graphic with the nation's most storied programs and among them is Utah. It still blows my mind.

Sure, they have not won it all, and they might never get there, but for a little school in the West being talked about with the Michigans and Floridas and Oregons of the country, it's a true measure of the success of the team, and more specifically, Head Coach Kyle Whittingham.

Most everyone has already given Utah a "L" for Friday's conference championship game. I hope they win, but even if Utah doesn't, I know they'll play tough and do their best. As a fan, that's all I can ask for.

Yes, even with a couple of losses, it's been a great year and I'm still glad to proudly wear a "U"

A Fitting Tribute...

 I saw somewhere that newspaper comics writers were going to dedicate one of their posts to honor the legendary Charles M. Schulz, creator of the world-famous Peanuts cartoon on the anniversary of his birth.

Luckily, we subscribe to to a newspaper that prints comics and I was able to read many of those touching tributes.

They were great.

I am of a certain age where newspaper comics were consumed on a daily basis. Depending on how old I was, I would get the paper and turn immediately to the comics page. If I recall correctly, Peanuts was located in the coveted top left corner of the page, the fist comic you'll see if you read (as many of us do...) left to right, top to bottom. I grew up with Charlie Brown and the peanut gallery. The movie, A Charlie Brown Christmas came out the same year as I did. I've never lived in a world without Charles Schulz's art, and I'm thinking many of you haven't either.

When you consider the impact this man had on our society--and especially those who do what he did--it's easy to understand why all those cartoonists would honor him in the manner in which they did. I'll bet many of them became cartoonists because of him, because of the way he made them feel as they grew up.

Last Saturday was the one-hundred year anniversary of his birth. Next February 12th will be the twenty-third anniversary of his passing. Even after almost a quarter century, the man still impacts those cartoonists...

And the rest of us, too.

Give Thanks...For Birthday Candles

 Tonight, we gathered and celebrated birthdays (plural...). We lit candles on a delicious red velvet cake, sang a short and sweet tune, then the candles were extinguished with a blast of air. Presents were opened, cake and ice cream was consumed...a good time was had by all.

I'm grateful for another year of birthdays. 

I'm also grateful for family.

With Thanksgiving over and Christmas around the bend, it's time to take in a deep breath. My son's birthday is a perfect time to do that. It's not as cold as it's going to get. There's still time to not only get Christmas gifts, but make plans on how to get them. 

We live in strange times. So many people are not with us this year that were here just a year before, my sister being one of them. So many have personal stories of a loved one they've lost. That's one of the great mysteries of life--the not knowing the future. Some would say it's the greatest mystery we'll ever face.

The fires danced atop the candles illuminating smiles around the table. The light and heat soon disappeared. Hopefully, they'll be reignited a year from now and I hope to be among those in attendance, too.

Untangling Yarn...Untangling Life

 It was something on my "To Do" list for a while. The box sat in our bedroom waiting for attention for several months. But, it wasn't completely ignored. I brought up a big plastic tote to transfer the yarn from the big cardboard box to the big plastic tote. That counts for something.

I decided today was the day to tackle the project.

It wasn't until I dug into the box that I discovered it was a tangled mess--not as bad as it could have been, but bad enough that I almost shelved the task for another day.

I think it was the college football game I had playing on the TV that helped me make the decision. The game was good (Michigan/Ohio State...) and I thought I could try and see how much decluttering I could do.

I jumped in. Most of the skeins and balls were not tangled. That helped. I dug into the box, separated those unattached from those attached, then sat down and went to work. Several times I seriously considered taking a pair of scissors to the mass of entwined yarn and calling it a day. Sure, several feet of yarn would be sacrificed, but if that's the cost of saving time, so be it.

Funny, that didn't happen. I decided to try and work it out. I took one ball of yarn and pulled to see if I came loose. Not all did, but a few separated themselves from the tangled mess. If I met resistance, I stopped and tried another. Soon, I had freed several balls of yarn leaving only the most tangled left. 

One by one, I separated another ball from the others until only three remained...then two...then finally none of the yarn connected to another.

Freedom!

It reminded me about life. I know it's a simplistic way of looking at things, but it works, in a round-a-bout way. I thought about destroying something to make quick work of the problem. If I positively had to have everything separated in a few minutes, I would have done that. Since I had the time, I sat down and took things step-by-step. I cleared the easier things first, then when I got to the tough ones, I had a much easier go of it.

Currently all the yarn is jammed into the tote waiting for the day when the lid is lifted and crafts can begin. Maybe, when I need to lift the lid on my life's tote, things will be a slightly organized. 

One can hope.

Let The Games...Begin!

I have an confession to make...

I'm a soccer junkie.

 It just so happens, right now is the worst/best time for a soccer junkie.

This week the World Cup began in Qatar. Because not everything revolves around America or its fans, the games are broadcast early in the morning here and run until the early afternoon. If I want to watch the first game of the day in the opening round, I have to get up at 3am. 

I mean, I'm a junkie, but not that much of a junkie.

I'm a fan of two different teams, the Americans and the Danes. The Americans have played two games--two draws--and need to beat Iran to make it to the knock-out round. The Danes play France tomorrow morning. Don't know if they'll beat the defending reigning World Cup champions. Then again, I thought America would be blown out by England. 

Shows you how much I know.

Even the most crazy soccer fans in America can't hold a candle to your average fan across the world. They're nuts, but in a good way. I wish we supported our national team the way other countries support theirs. 

There's a good chance, both of my teams don't advance. It's very possible. Of course, watching the tournament isn't as fun, but being a junkie, I've got to keep watching until the final whistle sounds and then goes quiet, not to be heard again until four years have passed.

Alas, the life of a soccer junkie.

A Pretty Chill Thanksgiving...

 We did things a little different this year.

My brother contacted us about a month ago and asked about this year's Thanksgiving plans. We hadn't made plans and we told him as much. Before you could say "Reply" he sent a text asking if we'd like to celebrate the holiday with them.

Of course we would.

Next, we received a follow-up text asking if we wouldn't mind having dinner on Wednesday night instead of the traditional Thursday as millions of others would do so more of us could attend.

Of course we would.

Yesterday, we loaded up the minivan and headed down. The drive was nice and we spent an evening talking and eating incredible food. As things do, we broke up the party and headed home. It was a wonderful experience, something--especially considering last year--I hope to cherish.

This was the first Thanksgiving without our sister. My siblings and I don't get together every year. Had we known it would be the last time she'd be with us, we'd have gathered together for sure.

Because we had our big meal last night, today was weird. No turkey, no big meal that requires days to prepare. We sat around watching Christmas movies (at least, the ones we could get through...). It was pretty chill. I suppose we shouldn't focus on the food, but the family. That's the most important part. Growing up, I saw my siblings every day--sometimes I had to find excuses to take a break from family. Now, you have to put forth effort the see each other. Funny how things change.

No, it was a different holiday for us. I'm thankful for family. It's the most important thing.

This World, Or Our Little Part Of It...Is Beautiful

 Last night as we slept, a skift of snow fell and blanketed the ground, not much, it was gone almost as soon as the sun escaped through the clouds in the morning. It was, however, enough snow to diminish the haze that so often accompanies our cooler months. The end result...

Beautiful views.

Tonight we loaded up the van--complete with dog--and traveled south to spend a pre-Thanksgiving evening meal with family. As I drove, I couldn't help but notice just how beautiful this little part of the world actually is. Safely, I was able to snap and have snapped a few pictures. They're not the greatest photos and in no way capture what I saw. 

Of course, what you don't see is some of the lingering haze, the thousands upon thousands of homes, roads, lawns, gardens, telephone poles, power lines, and other forms of visual pollution (in some people's opinion...) that you can see as well. I suppose anyone could look at the same pictures and point out how this part of the world is not beautiful--it's anything but. It's their opinion and a valid opinion in many ways.

So, is it better to look at life through rose-colored glasses and just see the good? Not necessarily. It's good to understand many viewpoints, and discuss those as well. Personally, I think a society where more and more people have access to jobs, shelter, clothing, and opportunity is a good thing.

I don't find myself in Utah County that often and now that we live farther away, we find ourselves visiting even less. I've got issues with some aspects of Utah County, but you cannot deny it's beauty, especially with snow capping the mountains as winter draws near. Yes, this world, or our little part of it, it is beautiful.

Our Lemon Tree...I Remember It Well

 My mother-in-law bought a lemon tree a while back. Because of where we live, such a plant cannot survive outside so it has spent the entirety of its existence inside. The space where it now lives is open and airy, and most importantly, has lots of light.

Plants like light. Her lemon plant does as well.

So far, it's thriving. We can only hope it continues to do so in the future.

It reminds me of when we bought a lemon tree. Unfortunately, it did not go so well.

Our old home had a lot of natural light. We basically built an A-frame cabin with a huge wall of windows facing southwest. At first, our lemon tree grew and grew. It even produced a couple of lemons, but then something happened and the plant eventually died.

Bummer.

There are many reasons a person may want to live someplace else. The climate, the weather, the number of people (plus or minus...), are only a few of the reasons people decide to move. I've never lived on the coast where citrus trees thrive. Even though I don't necessarily want to live in those areas, I'd love to have lemon and orange and lime trees growing in my backyard. I've often thought we could have groves of these trees in Utah--they'd just need to be inside. Too bad we don't have areas large enough to do this.

When our lemon tree died, at least fifteen years ago, we did not replace it. There went my dream of having fresh fruit found in other states available for us. And really, it's so much easier to go to the store and buy fresh fruit there.

I hope my mother-in-law's tree continues to grow and provides years of enjoyment (and nutrition...). Looks like she's living the dream.

Is It Just Me, Or Are The Christmas Trees A Little "Scrawny" This Year...?

 It's a little early, but Christmas tree lots are popping up all over. I've only seen a few, but I've noticed something shared in each lot I've seen...

Scrawny Christmas trees.

You probably can't tell by the above photo, but these particular trees are not full. They're pretty bare. In our old house, we had a 30" ceiling in one part of our front room and every once in a while, we'd get a supper tall--supper skinny Christmas tree. It was fun decorating the top part of the tree from the loft. We also picked those trees because they were cheaper.

Speaking of cheap, Christmas trees no longer are.

I suppose they've always been expensive, or some of them have been. To get a full tall tree, you'll be forking out lots of cash. This was okay with us--we'd find something practical and within budget. Things changed with us a few years ago. We found we couldn't find any trees within our budget. We had two options...

Increase the budget, or...

Buy an artificial tree.

We chose the latter.

Maybe early trees are always a little thin. I'm not sure because when we did buy live trees, we'd usually wait until about mid-December to pick one up. Maybe the bigger, fuller, fatter trees come later. Maybe I'm just imaging they are scrawny because I'm seeing everything through "Shrinkflation eyes."

Maybe I have no idea what I'm talking about (that happens frequently...). I don't know. I only hope that the people who buy these trees take them home and perform a Charlie Brown miracle to allow these trees to fulfill their Christmas destiny. I hope if you buy a tree, it turns out to be one you love.

Give Thanks...To Those We've Lost And Who Have Changed Our Lives

 Three posts...

Three deaths.

It was a day of devastating news.

This morning as I prepared to greet the day, I fired up the phone and saw a post...a friend mourned the passing of someone important to him.

A few hours later, another friend posted the news of another passing...a mentor, a friend, an artist.

Then, the news hit closer to home. Tonight, as I browsed social media, news of another's passing. This news differed from the others. Like the previous two, this person was a performer, an artist, a soul who needed to perform, to share her talents. However, unlike the others, she was younger, just beginning a new life in many ways with so much for her left to do. 

Three posts...three lives.

Since last November, every Sunday I have tried to post topics with a singular theme...giving thanks. I thought of writing about something else, something not focused on the passing of three extraordinary individuals. But the only reason we mourn, that we feel sad is because they touched our lives and made them better. They were important to us. They were loved and as we all know, when we open our hearts, we leave ourselves open for pain.

The three...an actor who inspired and impacted millions, an author who wrote books and helped create world-famous conventions, and a local performer who I watched entertain thousands...each a light that touched our souls, each leaving a void when that light is gone.

I am thankful for their hard work, for the art they left behind, for the lives they changed, for the better world we all have because of them.

Don't Think They Think People Are Giving Books As Gifts For Christmas...

 I know it's early for some, but my wife and I have spent a lot of time the last couple of weeks shopping for Christmas. We actually finished this past week--a whole month before the big day. This is unusual for us...normally, we're not that organized.

One of the places we go for gifts is Walmart. It's close and it has so many things. The fact that many of those things are on sale helps. A few weeks ago we were back in the vacuum/tools/electronics section of the store. There's also something else in that section...

Too bad it was completely blocked.

The section--books, and you couldn't even walk down it.

I know this is temporary, at least I hope it is. The store has so much stuff, they have to stow things someplace. I'm sure the $7 bags of various colors will find a place near other more or less expensive colorful bags. That pallet of goods will be moved and shoppers will have access to the printed page.

I have so many friends who would rather have a new book as a Christmas gift than almost anything else. They are mostly writers themselves. It was strange, turning into that aisle thinking I might find a book for some of our harder-to-shop-for people on the list and I was blocked--completely blocked. Just across the aisle, there was a pallet of TVs of all sizes and prices. Funny, those TVs had nothing blocking their access.

I haven't been back to the book aisle since I stopped and took a couple of pictures a few weeks ago. Like I said, I'll bet it's no longer blocked. Then again, maybe it is.

Giving a book is a great Christmas gift ideal. I hope none of you will will be hindered in your goal to find that perfect gift.

Thanksgiving...This Year Giving Thanks We'll Be At My Brothers ;)

 Yup...

That meme pretty much nails it.

Traditionally, in our family, Thanksgiving to me means I work three days, then I can sleep in Thursday and look forward to a day of feasting and football (well, I used to watch NFL games...). This is not how my wife views the week of Thanksgiving--oh no. For her, it's not just one day, it's several days. 

First, there's the planning. This is not a minor detail. You have to figure out what the family's going to eat, pre-meal, meal, and dessert, snacks throughout, and other things that sound yummy. Then, there's the shopping. Because of food allergies, we end up having to go to several stores to get what we need. It takes time, and money. All this prep and shopping takes place long before the actually meal is served.

Then, the week of Thanksgiving arrives. My wife has prepared several Thanksgiving meals over the years. She knows the timing of the event, when things need to take place. She's a pro.

A few weeks ago, my brother called and asked if we'd like to join him at his house for the big day/meal. We said, "Sure." I was glad that we'd get to spend time with the family. As we get older, we see less and less of extended family, mostly because all our families are getting bigger and bigger--it is the way of things. My wife was glad because all that planning, shopping, food preparation, and serving will not take place here, but somewhere else.

Of course, the meal is cherry on top. Getting together with family is the most important thing. It's what makes Thanksgiving the biggest blessing.

I Think We're Calling This Year's Outdoor Christmas Decorations...Done

 I guess things changed at Halloween. There was a time when we rummage around under the stairs, haul out the dusty boxes full of holiday decorations, and deck the house with holiday cheer, including outside the house.

This year...not so much.

In fact, we only put up two things for Halloween, in addition to our carved pumpkins. We bought a couple of Halloween trees with orange lights. They were cute, but very underwhelming. Still, we liked them and we even liked the minimalism of our decorations.

After the ghouls and goblins called it a night and Halloween ended, I put away the small Halloween trees under the stairs and dug out a small lighted Christmas tree and a deer. Instead of putting them back, I decided to put them outside and light them up.

We think that might be it for this year's outdoor Christmas decorations.

We decorated at Halloween and did even more at Christmas--not "Clark Griswold" crazy, but enough to let others know that the residence of our house celebrated the holiday. Last year we even tried putting up lights on the roof lines...

It did not go well or look good. We took comfort in the fact that we tried.

Maybe it's because last year's displays were not spectacular. Maybe it's because we're getting older and don't want to put in the effort. Maybe it's something else. Whatever the reason, we have a simple tree and deer display that we like and that--in its way--lets us celebrate the season. So, if you're driving in our Northern Utah neighborhood and you see the simplicity of our decorations, now you know the rest of the story.

The Experiment: Making Better Pies...Fortunately, We Are The Guinea Pigs

 The other day my wife made a proclamation...not anything earth-shattering (well, maybe it was...). Just a simple statement of a goal she had...

She wanted to practice making better pies.

Um...yes, please!

My wife is an excellent cook. Me not fitting into clothes that once were un-snug is proof. Baking, though...it's a tough world. When my wife said she wanted to improve her pie-making abilities, I offered my full and unconditional support--I am fully on board. Yesterday, was Experiment #1 and #2...apple and cherry pies.

She made one to give to a family in the neighborhood (the apple...), and our family got to enjoy the cherry pie. Yes, we're guinea pigs, but happy ones. The crust was a little thick--not my opinion, but her's--but other than that, extremely good stuff.

As with anything, practice makes better. I look forward to continuing the Great Pie Experiment of '22...

And continuing my role as Chief Guinea Pig.

Is It Really Colder...?

I heard a wise man once say, "History begins when you were born." I'm not sure if that wise man was the originator of that thought, and I can't at this moment remember exactly who it was who said it, but as I grow older, the phrase makes more and more sense to me.

So, what does that have to do about if it's colder outside than normal?

Good question.

I live in Northern Utah, almost to Idaho. It can get cold where we live--not Colorado or Alaska or Canada cold, but cold...cold enough that at certain times you'll die if you're outside at night without adequate protection. Thankfully, we have a beautiful home that protects us from the elements. We're grateful for our house--it allows us to survive.

But, back to the cold question. Right now where we live, it feels like December or January. My wife said the other day, she can't remember a time when we went from turning off the a/c to turning on the heater in the home the next day. I agree. It's unusual. We had an incredible Indian Summer this fall. Then, it got cold. But, is it that much colder than usual?

One thing humans do very well is keep track of stats. As technology improves, so do the facts. I could, if I wished, check the average temperature of our town year after year as long as records have been kept. These records will give me the definitive answer to the question, is it colder?

The problem is, people nowadays don't like facts at times if it goes against what they believe to be true, especially if it requires the changing of opinions. Yes, it may be colder than normal. Then the question of "why" is asked. I'm not going there...too big an issue. 

When we think about history, so many times we only go back to what we ourselves remember. I remember there being so much snow in the winters in Northern Utah. Did we really get more snow back then? Now, it seems like we hardly get any snow at all. Is my own truth, my own history correct? Was there more snow in the winters years ago? Has the climate changed so much in my lifetime? Many look to the records for answers, but it's so much easier to remember how things "used to be."

I hope we get a lot of snow this winter. We need it. Is it the sign of things to come? Maybe, and if so, people years from now will remember this winter one way or the other...whether it actually happened or not.

Though Still A Work In Progress...Love What They've Done So Far

 Last week, I found myself in my old neighborhood, on a street where I lived off and on for half a century. It's still weird for me to go up the hill, take a left at a dead-end road and drive down the street I drove thousands upon thousands of times.

I don't know if it'll ever not feel weird.

Even though it's only been just over two years since we left, part of the fun of returning is to see things that have changed, and things that have not. The house we built has seen some changes, but it looks pretty much like the way it did when we last drove by. My childhood home, however...

Well, that's gone through a lot of changes.

And I think it looks great.

The last time I drove by, I was able to speak to my good friend who bought the home from us after my mother passed away. He said he was thinking about painting the bricks white. He had already painted the addition white. I like white. The old bricks were more yellow, even though I always thought they were white. Up against the new part of the house, you could really see the yellow in the bricks. I told him I thought painting the bricks would help. I didn't realize how much it did.

Another huge project undertaken by my friend is the construction of a concrete staircase for the main entrance. My father built a wood staircase to get upstairs. Those stairs lasted a good long time (that's redwood for you...). Years ago when my friend told me he planned on putting in concrete steps, I couldn't see it. He's close to finishing the stairs and again, I think they look great.

I was hard, in a way, to see the changes. Of course, nothing ever stays the same. My father who built the house and my mother who raised us in that house were both gone. I was glad someone moved it who was going to make changes needed to bring the structure into the next century. He's done that.

We travel to our old hometown several times throughout the year. I'm sure we'll drive down our old street  again...might be in a few months, might be in a few years. There will be more changes and I for one will be glad to see them, too.

Give Thanks...For Ice Cream

 A few weeks ago I found myself in a store where my daughter works. The store, the Amish Creek Bulk Food Company, is located in Willard, Utah. If you've been there, and if you like homemade food and furniture, you'll LOVE this place.

What I love was their ice cream...

Especially, the True Night flavor.

It's a vanilla, raspberry, and dark chocolate concoction, and in a waffle cone, it's hard to beat.

Funny thing about ice cream, I credit it for keeping me alive as a child. My mom bought gallon tubs of the stuff because every day I would come home have a huge bowl of whatever kind she chose. I remember eating a lot of vanilla, chocolate, and Neapolitan--that kind used to freak me out a little...why did they not swirl the flavors? Too big a question for a small mind.

I know it's not true, but I say that ice cream kept me alive as a child because I was the skinniest kid I knew. I could not gain weight to save my life. My first drivers license said I weighed 103 lbs. I didn't hit 130 lbs for ten years after that. I think eating so much ice cream provided me the necessary nutrition I needed to grow.

Fast forward many decades (and many lbs...), and there's no way I could eat a daily bowl of ice cream now. I think I gain weight just looking at pictures of ice cream. 

My son, whose pictures as a child are almost indistinguishable of pictures of me at the same age, has followed in my footsteps by enjoying a bowl of ice cream almost on a daily basis. Unlike me, he's not a daily-eater (don't think we can afford it...). As I write this, I'm thinking about scooping up some of the cold deliciousness when I'm done. I'm grateful for many things in my life...

Ice cream is one of them.

Back In 2008...Some Were Kung Fu Fighting

 November 12th, 2008

A day that shall live in...well, not infamy, but something less severe, something fun. 

A video popped up on my social media today, a video I posted fourteen years ago. It's one of the rare times you'll see me dancing (unless you've attended one of the several community theater productions I've been in and if so, I was always a dancer in the back...). My boss at the time thought of a fun skit to do at our staff meeting. He recruited me and another co-worker to help fulfill his artistic dream.

The end result is something that still puts a smile on my face, even after all these years.

It also brings back memories. This was a tough time in my career. I had just taken a huge step and changed departments. When my job was eliminated, I was demoted as a supervisor and they placed me in another department. After about a year working there, I chose to leave and start again at the bottom...ten years with the company and I was starting over. I found myself in a small office with an incredible staff. I made many life-long friends, including my boss. He and I graduated at the same time with our masters degree. I'm still a frontline worker. He's second-in-command, my boss's boss's boss's boss. I'm happy for him--he's a natural leader.

I knew the person who filmed this (taken on a pre-smartphone phone, hence the quality of the video...) posted it to YouTube. A few years after it happened, I found it on YouTube. I tried looking for it a year or two ago and there's just no way, with the billions of videos posted since then...too many Everyone Was Kung Fu Fighting videos.

Back then, I enjoyed going into the office to work, seeing friends, working together as a team. Now, the thought of returning to work in an office is as unappealing as influenza. Oh, I'd go back if ordered, but the fun is gone. All my friends I had back then have moved on--some to the highest posts in the organization, but most quit to do other things, have families, switched jobs, left for better things.

I don't have many visual memories of my time in the Woods Cross office, but I have this video, and now, so do you. It's a fun little video to watch, but to me, it reminds me of good times...

Back when some of us were kung fu fighting.

Remembering Veterans...

 Veterans Day...

The day has always brought mixed fillings for me. One the one hand, there's nothing I can say or do to re-pay the sacrifice others did so me and my family can live the life we have. Thankfully, we can honor them for those sacrifices. Today's the day set aside for such remembrances.

There should be more days like today.

But, on the other hand, there's loss, and not just because many who have served are no longer with us. My father passed away when I was a child. Not once did I ever speak to my father about the times when he served. As I've aged, those experiences mean more and more to me. I went through my teenage years without his knowledge and experience. When I was the age my father went to war, I entered a different from of service, but instead of facing the very real possibility of death, I encountered hatred, bigotry, discrimination...hardly the same thing.

I grew up and live today the son of a veteran, the nephew of many veterans--all of them now gone. 

On this day, friends and family post pictures and memories of loved ones who served. I do the same, almost every year. I'm jealous of those who were able to know their veterans on a deeper level, a personal one, while all I have is a handful of grainy black and white photos of my father and the strangers who served with him. Even though it's not much, I cherish the pictures. They mean the world to me.

Behold, The State of Utah's New Flag...Aughk

 When I first heard about a possible changing of our state flag, I almost couldn't believe it. I had one question...

Why?

It made no sense. Well, it does for a certain type of person. I can almost hear the people sitting around a table when the idea struck.

"You know what? Our state flag is so boring--we really ought to change it."

"Yeah, I agree--it should be changed. I know--we could have a state-wide contest and come up with a new design that everyone would love."

"Great idea!"

"I know, right?!"

Aughk.

I'm not completely against the idea--the flag is sort of boring, as flags go. But it's just so unnecessary. We don't need a new flag. I haven't done any research into this so if I'm off base I apologize, but what really bugs me is the fact state resources went into this. If the entire process--the re-design committee, the judging, the marketing, the PR, if ALL of it was publicly funded (most likely by "Big Flag" no doubt...) and didn't cost the taxpayers of Utah one penny, then this wouldn't bug me as much.

Still, it might cost money converting to the new flags and everything that involves. Next we'll be inundated with a "Hey--look at our new flag! Isn't it great?" campaign to convince everyone it's really a good thing.

I guess I'm just an old man yelling at clouds here, but for me, it was just so unneeded. No one seem to be asking for a new flag, Today it was announced this was the final design. There you have it, loyal readers--our new state flag in all it's red/white/blue/mountains/beehive glory.

Yippie.

Time To Break Out The Shovels...

 At 6am this morning sleet hitting the side of the house woke me up. I thought someone was throwing a bucket of pebbles at my bedroom window.

Nope...sleet.

I got up, inspected the window for permanent damage, saw there was none, then got ready for work.

An hour or so later, I saw from my office window snow swirling outside. It didn't last long, but evidence of the skiff blanketed the ground with a thin layer of white. No worries...soon the clouds cleared and the snow disappeared.

But, the storm that hit a few hours later dropped more than a thin layer, so much so, I grabbed a shovel from where it hung unused for months, and scraped off the snow leading to our garage.

Though the calendar says it isn't, today felt like winter. The sleet, the wind, the low clouds, the snow that didn't necessarily need shoveling but was shoveled anyway...it all added up. Funny, how you wish for things to be different, different car, different house, different season, then when it arrives you are almost unprepared. In the hottest summer days, I dream of winter. Now that it's arrived, you think of the things you can no longer do until things warm up.

For the next five or six months, I'll be thinking about the roads if we need to go anywhere...are they wet, are they frozen? Should we take the van, or the SUV? Do I need a jacket, or something heavier? And, will these shoes be okay for what we're planning to do?

Winter comes in second on my list of favorite seasons, even with all its issues and flaws and accommodations. When else can you see a sunset before dinner, curl up in a warm blanket with a cup of hot chocolate while flames flicker in the fireplace? When else, when it's logical, I mean.

Tis The Baking Season...

 Tis the season...

To bake!

The fact that cooler temperatures outside means we can fire up the oven is just another reason to love this time of year. It's already my favorite season. My wife said to me the other day that she wanted to do more baking. Cooking or baking in the summer months heats up the house too much.

There's also a difference between this year and last. Last year, our oven was broken. We lived for a year without the ability to bake anything. The burners on top of the range worked, but not the oven. That was a long year...culinarily speaking.

It's also the season for sweet things to eat. This is both good and bad. Good because of the deliciousness, but bad because eating too much sugar can't be the best thing for a person, especially a person of advancing age. I need to practice moderation in my sugar intake.

These cookies taste better than they look, and they do look good.

I only wish you could have some, too. After all, it is the (baking...) season.

Broadway On The Side...A Small Company With Big Dreams

 This past weekend, I attended a concert, more of a musical review. It was held in one of the smallest venues I've ever attended. The stage, at times, barely fit the performers when they all participated at once. And, I'd never heard of this particular company before this fall.

But, what I saw and experienced when I attended Broadway on the Side's production of, Heroes and Villains, was wonderful.

Of course, it helps when your daughter is in the cast.

Still, I've attended and performed in hundreds of choir concerts, musical reviews, community theater shows--not many Broadway or West End productions--but I feel confident to say that I can tell musical talent when I see and hear it. On a crisp Friday evening in a small space in Harrisville, Utah, I witnessed solid talent on that small and inconspicuous stage. It was a refreshing delight.

Not only was I impressed by the voices, but the story of this new arts company was perhaps the most inspiring. Megan Worthen Nelson spoke to the audience before anyone took the stage and explained a vision of where the group wants to be in the future--it's a bright and incredible future if it comes to pass. They foresee building their own theater, a place where not only their own productions take place, but where the community can come together for recitals, concerts, and other acts. They also have begun youth programs, classes, and workshops.

It reminded me of the experiences I witnessed in Davis County in the past two decades. An established theater, Rodgers Memorial Theatre, grew from a small space in a strip mall to a state-of-the-art building where thousands of performers and techs and tens-of-thousands of patrons have grown emotionally, laughed and cried as a community, as neighbors, family and friends. The impact of this theater on the people of Davis County and Utah cannot be seen on paper, but it has made the area better in so many ways.

As we watched the singers and listened to their voices as they told their stories, the dream of building something not just good, but exceptional, felt real, tangible, obtainable. Oh, how I hope this dream happens. So much good would come of it. If you're interested in helping support Broadway on the Side, you can access their website by clicking: HERE. You can also follow them on almost every social media platform.

Last Friday, in one of the smallest venues I've ever attended, I saw performers with obvious talents, but I also saw brave and determined people working towards a dream to make life better for us all.

Give Thanks...For The Opportunity To Cast My Vote

 I voted.

It was early, but I don't know if they have in-person voting in my area, so I took advantage of early voting, made famous by the Covid Pandemic of '22. As the last day to count votes (in most places, anyway...) rapidly approaches, the country has been inundated with ads, pro and con, for and against, red and blue. I hear the word "Democracy" tossed around like a it's the most important word in the country.

It's not...

Even though they act like it is.

Maybe they believe it. Maybe they know our country is not based on a democracy. I think we're going to find out soon.

If we lived in a democracy, then views and policies with the most votes would be law. If the largest group of people wanted to kill all people under 5' tall, it would be legal and it would happen. The Founding Fathers were smarter than that. As a republic, this can't happen--or it will have a tough time happening. A republic protects insanity like this from occurring. This is jr. high school civics stuff here, something we've all been taught.

I suspect millions will feel as though democracy will die on Tuesday, when in fact, it's the very definition of democracy. When all the votes are counted, people will be declared the winners and their opponents, the losers. People will cry out in anguish if they backed the losers. Screams of fraud and deception will ring throughout the land, while cheers and "yahoos" will try and drowned them out. I know this because it's happened before and it will happen again--such is human nature.

It's funny. We will see pure democracy in action and it will be called either a fraud or one-hundred percent accurate. And if past is prologue, all that screaming won't change one mind either way.

Even though there are some bumpy days ahead, as long as I've understood where I lived in comparison to the rest of the world, I've always been grateful for our country, for those wise men and women who risked all for the concept of a free nation, where everyone could fulfill the extent of their dreams. Yes, men and women's hearts have failed them at times, but the dream of America is pure. I'm also grateful I was able to add my voice to millions of others in the pursuit of that dream.

Just A Little Non-Conventional Winterizing...

 We are first-time fence owners. Growing up, we had one fence separating our home and the next-door neighbors, but the other side of our lot was open to the mountain. As people began to build around us, we didn't put up fences, and when we built our own house, we didn't want a fence. 

The new place, though...

It's a much more traditional lot and because we have a standard poodle, we needed a fence so it became a priority. Last spring we had it installed and we've loved it ever sense. There are always pros and cons to everything (opposition in all things...), so there are some drawbacks to a fence. When it came to what kind of fence we wanted, we went with vinyl, mostly due to price. One of the downsides is the caps that sit atop the posts--we've found they tend to pop off during windstorms.

And we have windstorms.

During the last big wind--the one that destroyed our decorative windmill--I found two of the caps on the lawn. We decided to see if we could somehow attach them to the posts. I thought about getting small screws to secure them, but my wife had a better idea. She suggested using the small vinyl bumpers you put behind pictures or under things to protect surfaces to keep the caps in place.

Brilliant.

This afternoon in a cold light rain, I took off the caps and put on the bumpers. Our theory to keep the caps in place is unproven, untested. It may not work at all. We're expecting another windstorm tomorrow. I guess we'll see after it passes to see if it works. It's got to be better than nothing. I'm thinking it'll work great.

Personally...I Think He Was Outside The Whole Time

We did some shifting around of decorations last week. It's needed, especially during the holidays. The Halloween decorations were put away, and instead of trying to find a place to store a small outdoor Christmas Tree and a lighted deer under the stairs, I decided to put them outside...sort of a mini pre-Christmas scene. It turned out pretty good, we thought.

The problem was, I kept the front door open more than usual as I set things up. So, when I went to close the front door, we found a spider hanging on the inside of our front door.

Ugh...

I know how important spiders are so I didn't want to kill it outright. We opened the door and guided it to the other side of the door. Then we shut the door. We were no longer in a room with that particular eight-legged visitor.

That's when all those nasty thoughts creep into your head...

"Was that thing actually inside the house the whole time?" "How long has that thing been inside with us?" And most importantly, "Are there any more of them around?"

I know there are things in this house. I think I can deal with that by not knowing they are there. If I don't see them or any sign of them, I'm good. The ultimate "out of sight, out of mind" situation. That's when I decided to look this as a "glass half full" situation.

"I believe," I told my wife. "I think the spider was outside the whole time, and because the door was open so much, it just dropped down onto the door. Yeah, that's what I think happened."

I don't know if she--or even I--totally believe what I had just said, but I think it made both of us feel better knowing that we didn't have a guest living inside the house with us and that it hadn't been inside the whole time. I'm going to go with that as what "officially" happened. Now, I need to not think about it...just forget it happened.

I Guess I'm A Homebody...But, I Like Being A Homebody

 A few weeks ago, an interesting post made its way into my Facebook feed. It's like a poll of where a person has lived, stayed, visited, stopped, passed through, wanted to visit, and never been. I usually never participate in these fact-finding exercises, but I thought this one might be fun--not necessarily for the benefit of others, but for my own curiosity. 

Before I started filling out my information, I sort of knew what the answer would be...

I was right.

I've seen the Western United States...The Eastern, not so much.

And if you were to remove a trip to pick up my brother from his LDS mission (Hawaii...), a flight home from my LDS mission (New York, Illinois...), and two college choir tour trips (Georgia, Washington D.C., Maryland, and Virginia...), all states east of Colorado, Wyoming, Montana, and New Mexico would all be white. Without those trips, I would have set foot in eleven states.

Eleven...

5.5% of the United States.

As I've gotten older, I've seen friends and family travel all over the world. With the help of social media, I've been able to share their experiences, in a way. I see the selfies at incredible beaches, spectacular mountain tops, even famous churches and temples. And I'm happy for them. They're making lasting memories and it's obvious it's worth it to them to go.

As with many things in life, I have a choice when it comes to how I feel about family and friends traveling all over the world. I could be jealous and wish it was me and my family in front of incredible beaches, spectacular mountain tops, and famous churches and temples.

Or...

I could enjoy my homebody life. When I was growing up, I sometimes felt bad that I would never be able to do all the things I wanted to do, or live in all the places where I would want to live. There just wasn't enough time, not to mention the costs. I've found wanting things beyond my grasp only leads to heartache. Almost sixty years of experience supports this philosophy.

When I think about all the places I could go, I think about all the places I can afford to go to that are close by, that are in the 5.5% of states I've already seen. There's still hundreds of incredible places in my home state I haven't seen. The exercise confirmed something I already knew...I'm a homebody, and that's fine with me.

Happened Upon A Little Sports Show...In A Bakery

 I stopped by our local grocery store to pick up my son from work. He wasn't quite done, so I waited. While I waited, I checked out some of the baked goods offered at the store. I've been to the store many times, but this time I saw something new...

A local sports program doing a live broadcast, in the bakery.

I thought that was pretty cool.

Living in a small town is different--it's not like where we used to live was huge, but it was closer to Salt Lake City and therefore, closer to the the major sports markets of Utah. I was for a time, a sports reporter for a small newspaper--I had that gig twice. I also was involved with the Utah Jazz organization for a few years. I'm in no way "connected" to the sports journalism community, but I was closer than I am here. 

I loved seeing two men sitting on folding chairs in the bakery talking about local sports. After they finished, I chatted briefly with one of the men. He said they talked about the high school golf team, as well as other sports including football. Like many places, football is king here. I have no idea who the men were, but I imagine they are former players and/or coaches. If I grew up here, I might recognize them, perhaps even know them personally.

It was great seeing people involved in sports, nationally, internationally, even in a small town in Northern Utah. Sports is supposed to bring people together. I have no idea how many people listened to their broadcast, maybe many, maybe few. But, I know of at least one person (me...), I was glad they were there.

Thank You, Mr. Rowe...For The Story That Means So Much

 Unfortunately, I was a day late accessing Mr. Rowe's Halloween edition podcast. Yesterday was filled with holiday preparations. Had I not taken the day off work, I would have--most likely--taken the time to fire up Mike Rowe's latest podcast.

It was a shorter-than-normal cast dedicated to the day special to so many.

Halloween.

Of all the things Mr. Rowe could have discussed, shared, he chose something extremely personal to me and my family. He recited Robert Service's classic, The Cremation of Sam McGee. As per his usual, Mr. Rowe explained why he chose that particular story and what it meant to him. He then masterfully (as a trained performer can do...) read the story, complete with effects to add drama to an already wonderful story.

It game me chills.

The chills came not necessarily from Mr. Rowe's reading, though part of it did. It came from a flood of memories that engulfed me as I listened. Hearing that story, those words, transported me to back almost half a century, to some of the most beautiful terrain in the world. I found myself sitting beside a campfire in a mountain valley shadowed by the Teton range. Surrounding me is family--many who are no longer with us--tired from multi-mile hikes but not wanting to miss my uncle recite from memory the same story, the same poem.

Those years after my dad passed away were filled with family. My mother's siblings, their spouses, and children adopted me, my brother, and sister. They became collectively a surrogate for a fallen father. We spent several summer weeks at the family farm between Driggs and Tetonia, Idaho. We would load up food, bedding, repelling gear, and other things necessary for survival in the wilderness and begin walking. After several miles, we'd camp, have dinner, then sit around a fire and listen to Uncle Arlin tell our favorite Robert Service poem.

As a kid, I lived for it. I even memorized the poem and performed it in a high school poetry reading competition. Basically, those words speak to me soul. As the story flowed through my earphones, I tried keeping up, tried reciting the once-memorized story with a smile across my face.

Thank you, Mr. Rowe. As a daily blogger, I many times search for things to share. I wonder if this particular choice of poems required much thought, or if it's just something you love as much as so many of us. Either way, I'm glad you chose it. I'm glad you shared it. I'm glad I live in a world where I could hear your voice and relive some of my greatest days.