It Lingers

It has now been over a week since I first got sick.  Certainly a week isn't that long in the grand scheme of things but dang, I am not feeling all that well and it sure would be nice to get back to feeling good.  I thought on Tuesday that I was on the mend but then I didn't feel all that great yesterday and today has been worse.  Walking around feeling like crap is not a lot of fun.  My energy is way down, my head hurts and there is a queasy feeling that seems ever present.  I hammered out some oatmeal tonight for dinner and then went for a bowl of cereal just to try and get something in me.  The milk is bothering me, it tastes, well, not good.  The lingering nature of whatever I have is not my favorite thing.  I hope it passes soon.  Anyway, what do you do when you are not feeling well?  I don't have he luxury of taking off work so I have to suck it up and push through.  Perhaps that is part of the problem as to the lingering nature.  Well, it is only for a moment and it soon will pass.  We will keep plugging along as best we can.  I had a nice rest this evening and that was good.  Hoping tomorrow will be better. 

G Camp 2014!

This morning Natty made her way to Girls Camp for the first time with the young women from our ward.  She went up with the young women in Alaska last year and had a great time.  I think she was excited to be able to go with her friends from home this year.  I am excited for her to be there and certainly hope that she will have fun, strengthen friendships and have a significant spiritual experience as well.  I don't think it at all wrong for a father to want his daughter or for parents to want their children to have significant spiritual experiences that will draw them closer to the Savior.  I don't know that I had significant spiritual experiences at scout camp when I was a young man but I do remember going to youth conferences that had a huge impact on my life.  I know that I went on a scout camp the year I graduated high school and formed friendships and bonds that were a great strength to me.  Anyway, G Camp 2014! It's on!  I thought they would be getting rained out based on the weather we've had the last few days but today has been dry.  We did see a little lightning in the sky tonight but hopefully the ladies stay dry in their adventures.  Well, hopefully they don't get too wet anyway. 

Andy was a bit sad to have Natty gone.  He talked about it a few times and asked for a blessing tonight.  What a kid. 

Jack met a new friend this evening when we were mowing the lawn.  His name is Dustin and lives the next street over.  He just got back home after visiting his dad for the summer and apparently his mom moved into the neighborhood.  They played really well together which is a big deal for Jack.

Potato Andy!

The boys came to work with me today as they will for the remainder of the week with Natty heading to girls camp tomorrow morning.  Andy has been talking about working at the Brick House so today I did some training with him on cutting the potatoes for into fries.  We knocked out four 5 gallon buckets and roughly 75 pounds of potatoes.  He did his best to run the potatoes through the fry cutter and every now and again he would get one to go by himself.  Otherwise I was right there with him and would give him a little assist on getting the potato through the cutter.  He did good work.  Taught how to cut them, how to wash and re wash the potatoes, how to load up a basket of fries and cook them with our three art method.  The man-child had the process down and couldn't seem to get enough of slicing them.  Well done Andyboy or Potato Andy!  We will continue our training. 

Oh the Sickly's

Last Wednesday evening I cam down with something.  It wasn't good.  I think the Lord blessed me to be able to go and accomplish what I needed to in driving to Long Beach, getting the kids and driving home.  I have not been 100% since then and tonight I am feeling the chills, the fevers, the sickly's big time.  We managed a couple of activities for FHE and then I served up some cold cereal for dinner. I'm sure the kids loved that.  I am fixin the shake apart here so I am going to sign of, jump in the shower and then crawl into bed maybe even with a few extra covers.  Surely the trip wiped me out and having to sleep in the car in the airport parking garage didn't help.  Hopefully this sticks with me and hopefully we get past it soon. 

The Welcoming Ward

It was the first Sunday back for the kids and the members of the ward were so welcoming and so excited to see them.  The kids had smiles on their faces and were excited to be back home in the 8th Ward, the welcoming ward for sure. 

Andy and I got to visit with the Bishop for a few minutes after Sacrament Meeting to discuss his upcoming baptism.  We have asked that we be allowed to have the baptism on his birthday because his mom will be in town and that will make it so she can be there.  His birthday falls on a Sunday so the Stake Baptism day wouldn't be until the following Saturday.  Rachel being able to attend is important and so that is what we hope to have happen.  It shouldn't be a problem. 

I was called to serve as an instructor in the Elders Quorum when the Presidency visited with me last Wednesday evening.  Today I was sustained and set apart.  It should be a good calling for me.  I love to teach and want very much to do a good job, to be prepared, to listen to the Spirit and to follow the promptings of the Holy Ghost as I try to deliver the message Heavenly Father would have us receive.  I have not been released from the scouts and that is good.  They keep me on my toes for sure but I enjoy serving with these young men.  No doubt the 11 year old scouts keep me on my toes but it is good and I quite enjoy serving along side Brother Leko. 

We had a nice visit with Annie Draper this evening and then we were off to help with some things at the folks.  Dave was there with Griffin as were Dan and Amy so it was fun for the kids to see everyone.  We came home and watched Ephraim's Rescue which was quite good.  We all enjoyed the movie and the Spirit.  I love the fact that it is a true story and I love the faith of the pioneers and the faith of Ephraim. Truly a touching movie. 

It was a wonderful Sunday.  

Complete

With the kids home life certainly feels more complete for me.  It is a little busier in the sense that I am not simply taking care of myself but I suddenly am back to three children that I have responsibility for.  That is a responsibility that occupies some real-estate in my mind.  It is good real-estate, prime real-estate.  It tends to replace the me-time real-estate and that is okay.  There is a certain amount of me-time that one gives up when they become a parent.  Me-time is more like we-time in our home and that usually translates to fun times and good times.  I am grateful for we-times, I am grateful for my sweet children who certainly complete this family. 

Home to Cedar

I managed to get some sleep in my personal suite that I parked on the 3rd floor of the Parking Garage at the Long Beach Airport.  It was not the most comfortable sleeping situation but it worked and I got 3 to 5 hours of sleep.  That is a pretty big gap but I am not in the mood for accounting for each minute of the 5 hours I was parked there before I got out of the car.  I tossed a bit and I lay there wondering if I would be able to fall back asleep and naturally I had to pee but I did not.  The kids actually arrived a little after 8.  The flight was delayed but that was okay, they made it in safely.  We didn't stay in Long Beach very long.  We drove toward the 605 and stopped off for donuts at a donut shop I had seen a couple times last night.  The kids were happy to have donuts and the donut shop did a pretty dang good job with them.  Anyway, after a long drive in to Vegas we stopped and saw Clorinda, Merien, and Katherine.  Clo put together some lunch and the kids played with their cousins while I got a power nap in.  So needed.  Well, we are all happy to be home and I am ready to go kill over.  Long couple of days but worth the trip for sure.  Love these beautiful children. 

Sleeping in the Car

I made the drive today down to Long Beach.  Last night I looked at getting a hotel reservation and then decided I wouldn't worry about it and I would just find a place for the night.  No big deal,  should be easy.  Let's just say that the search for a room for the night went on for about 3.5 hours.  I went all over Long Beach and over to San Pedro then north of Long Beach in search of a place to stay.  Everywhere is booked up.  So now I am in the car at the airport and I am ready to sleep.   Must close eyes and sleep.

Suddenly Ill

This evening I came home for scouts and my head began to hurt.  A little headache came on and then after scouts I had a visit from the Elders Quorum Presidency and that was good, new calling coming that won't warrant a release from the 11 year old scouts.  Anyhow, my headache got worse.  A little after that I ate some apple slices to get something in my stomach and then hit some ibuprofen up.  I sat down in my favorite chair, put up the leg rest and laid back.  My headache has faded some but I feel like absolute garbage right now.  That is not good.  We've had a cook out all week because he has been sick.  I can't be sick like that right now.  I have to drive to Long Beach tomorrow and it is not going to go well if I am feeling like this.  Hopefully some good sleep will help me through it.  There's a few things I just didn't get done as a result and I don't think I am going to hammer them out tonight.  We will live.  Well, enough of being suddenly ill, time to go be suddenly asleep. 

In The Temple

I love to be in the Temple.  It is an escape from the world, a place of peace, a place where the Spirit dwells and where we draw closer to God.  I am grateful to live in close proximity to the Temple and certainly look forward to the Cedar City Temple and being even closer. 

My drive to St. George started  little later then I originally planned and my trip included a stop at Costco for work.  I was afraid I would not have time sufficient to get the needed supplies from Costco and still make it to the Temple.  Well, traffic moved well and I was able to hit Costco quickly, grab the things that we needed at work and then got over to the Temple with time to spare.  I needed to be there and I am grateful that everything worked out so that I could.

   

My Summer Fail

As summer approached this year and I prepared for the kids to be gone for two months I determined that I should be involved more with the singles and should do some dating.  That is not an easy thing for me to do, the dating that is.  Being involved more with the singles was not a big challenge.  I attended the ward meetings every week.  I did miss sacrament meeting twice because I was teaching Elders Quorum in my ward but went to Gospel Doctrine and Priesthood afterwards.  I attended a number of family home evenings and other get gatherings.  I certainly tried to enjoy myself, socialize a bit and meet new people.  I guess in that aspect I succeeded.  Where I had my great summer fail was in the dating category.  Here I did not fair so well.  I had one lunch date which really just consisted of the lovely lady coming to have lunch at The Brick House.  Does that even count?  In fairness, I had a date scheduled with said lady and she had to cancel because of a work conflict so the lunch thing was a way of saving that one.  It was good.  I tried for additional dates only to have them cancelled because of work conflicts again.  It just didn't work out and I am not so sure that she is really interested in going out.  I don't know what to do there.  Tried to encourage her to go on the hike on Saturday hoping we could hang out but alas, I didn't get a reply and she did not come.  Another girl I had wanted to ask out started dating another guy and that seems to be going quite well.  I am certainly happy for her.  I don't do a great job with dating.  I think that is what I have learned about myself over the last few years.  Granted, getting back into the dating scene is not the easiest thing for this shy 40 year old especially when I never thought I would have to work on establishing a dating pool once again.  It is not fun.  Anyhow, I am heading to pick up the kids on Thursday.  I pretty well bombed out on that dating goal.  Yep, dating, my summer fail for sure. 

Personal Parables

I taught the lesson in Elders Quorum today.  I received a message from Gary Scholes yesterday that he needed me to teach the lesson today as he was away for a funeral.  I agreed to do it and so last night and this morning I studied the lesson material.  It was actually a very good lesson on the ordinance of Baptism and was the instruction found in the Teachings of President Joseph Fielding Smith manual.  Great lesson, great insight.  I enjoy learning from the prophets and this lesson certainly spoke clearly on the topic of Baptism and the important role it plays in our lives. 

Personal parables, I believe our lives are filled with experiences that teach us lessons on who we are and how we should act.  I shared one such personal parable that I had a couple years ago when I hiked Orderville Canyon into Zion National Park.  The day looked like it was going to be threatened by a storm and at first I wasn't sure we were going but then it was reported that it was fine and we were in the clear.  So we went.  This particular canyon starts outside of Zion National Park and so we made our way to a parking area at the trail head or a couple miles back from the trail head and we began our journey.  At the trail head we signed in our group and then we dropped in to the canyon.  The hike was dry and it was hot.  We didn't get started quite as early in the morning as we had planned and so the heat of the day was upon us.  I was expecting water and thought we would be hiking through a creek that flowed through the canyon.  Such was not the case and for quite a few miles we hiked in the hot, dry sand.  When we finally came on some water it was stagnate and pretty nasty actually.  Not too long after that we came upon running water.  It came from the base of the cliffs and though it was little at first it built up quickly.  Soon we were at a point where we had to get in.  There as no other way to go. Either we immersed ourselves in the water or our journey ended and we would not reach our destination.  Entering that water was energizing.  I was hot and tired before and when that water came it awakened me to a level of energy I had not had before.  For the rest of the hike I was excited and I made it a point to be in the water as much as possible.  For me it was a source of strength and it made the rest of the journey pure joy for me. 

As I thought about the topic of the lesson today, that of baptism, this experience came to my mind.  Baptism is required for us to return to our Heavenly Father.  I had to enter the water in order to reach my desired destination.  Keeping our baptismal covenants and renewing those covenants each week by partaking of the sacrament helps us to be clean, worthy of the spirit and energized on our journey back to our Heavenly Father.  We are strengthened by the spirit and find courage to choose the right as we participate in this sacred ordinance.  After I entered the water on this hike I stayed in the water as much as possible and I found strength there sufficient to overcome the other obstacles that were before me on the hike until I reached my destination. 

I am not trying to overkill this comparison.  For me this hike was a real and tangible experience.  As simple a thing as getting into the water was I find in it a lesson, a personal parable to be sure.  I am grateful for these experiences of life that stand to teach us if and when we look to be taught. 

Hiking K-Falls

Joined the singles in Cedar City for a hike up Kanarraville Falls this morning.  I have no idea if I spelled Kanarraville correctly.  You would think that as many times as I have seen it on the sign on the highway whilst driving by I would know it but alas, I do not.  We'll just call it K-Falls and not worry about the spelling.  So, hiking K-Falls with the singles.  It was a good trip.  Actually I happen to quite enjoy that hike and the beauty of that slot canyon.  I also love that it is so close to Cedar.  Had a good time and enjoyed good company with Ron Cardon, Clair Finch and many more.  I felt good and was solid all the way up then leaned my leg against a plant when we were taking a group picture and apparently my leg and that plant did not get along.  I have some nasty reaction thing going on that is irritated and swollen. Then I tweaked my ankle really good at one spot during the hike down.  The water is so cold there that I really didn't feel it at the time but it is messed up a skosh.  I'm feeling it now anyway.  No matter, it will work itself out soon enough.  Well, fabulous hike with some great folks.  Sure had fun. 

The Journal

As some of you who read this here blog know this is my journal.  In a conversation with one of our employees today it occurred to me that this year in November I will have gone 20 years of daily writing in my journal.  That is a long time.  Some of you who read this here blog know that some of those entries have been pretty bad.  Some are all I can do to keep my eyes open long enough to write one or two sentences that are completely incoherent.  No matter, the effort is made and the commitment I made to write in my journal daily just under 20 years ago is a commitment I have kept and will continue to keep. 

I guess I could ask myself or you might ask what is the point?  I don't know that I have some profound reasoning for keeping this record.  I do know that when watching the church video Mountain of the Lord, I was moved by the journaling of President Wilford Woodruff.  He was invited by the Prophet Joseph Smith to keep a daily record of his life.  When I thought about that I determined that I would do the same.  I don't know what stories or experiences I share will touch or impact anyone.  I hope that they do and I hope they will provide a sense of who I am to my posterity.  Certainly I hope that my testimony will be found by those who read these thoughts. 

I am grateful for keeping a journal and for the positive impact it has had on my life. 

Late Night Pies

It was one of those days when I got informed that we needed pies and so I had to strap on a late night and get them pies done.  The late night may not have occurred if I had not made a temple trip.  It was a good visit and I am glad I made the trip.  I came out to text messages about the ice machine being broke at the Brick House.  I had to make pies anyway so I stopped in and played round with the ice machine and got it working again.  Anyways, I was going for 16 pies but had to settle on 14.  It was a good run, it is a late night good run and that's about as good as I can do.  I am completely beat and heading for bed. 

DWOCD

DWOCD - I have it!  What is it you ask?  Well, that is simple, it is Dish Washer Obsessive Compulsive Disorder of course.   I have a way that I like to wash dishes and a way that I like to load dishes and yes I am a bit obsessive compulsive about it.  I know there are others out there who suffer from... wait just a minute there.  I said suffer, um, NO!  We do not suffer, we freely chose to enjoy a higher level of dish washing excellence.  The disorder reference seems an injustice.  At least I will tell myself these things as a boost to my self esteem and to my dish washing confidence.  I have done a bit of dish washing at work lately and I like to think that I have the perfect system for washing dishes dialed in.  I have mentioned previously that when I load the dish washer at home I am very particular about a few things including silverware being separated and loaded only with like kind silverware.  Forks only go with forks of the same size, knives with knives etc.  This may seem like a great waste of time but on the back end when one has to unload the dishwasher it makes the unloading of silverware the easiest of tasks and that makes all the difference.  DWOCD - try it, you'll like it... maybe. 

Dinner Crowd

With the Utah Shakespeare Festival in full swing we have seen a rather nice dinner crowd at the Brick House Café.  It is great.  We are certainly pleased with the increased business over last year and have concluded that the move from Providence Center to Main St. was, in fact, the right move.  It was a lot of work and it was not cheap and we put a lot at risk but it was the right move for our business, no question.  At Providence we were dying on the vine and on Main St. we are thriving.  It is fabulous.  Oh there are still plenty of challenges and things that we need to improve on but this year was the first that I didn't have to put a significant chunk of money into the business.  I am actually getting paid right now as well which is fabulous.  That pay is not very much but it is happening and for that I am grateful.  I recognize that we don't need a lot but we do need to be wise with what we have.  We will keep pushing for that dinner crowd to come in and we will keep putting out the best possible product that we can.  Anyhow, good times.

Counting Down

It is the 14th of April.  That means that the kids will be home in 11 days.  Yes, we are counting the days.  Back on the 5th when I was talking to the kids Jack told me that the countdown has begun, 20 days.  It will be nice to have them home.  Life tends to get a little lonely when they are gone and the house is a little quiet.  Certainly there is less to clean up an less laundry to do and very little cooking to perform.  It seems like such a long time when I drop them off and then it seems to go by quickly.  I am okay with that.  I haven't quite completed all the projects I thought I would work on while they are away.  There are still a couple that I can try to knock out before next week.  We will see.  In the meantime the countdown continues. 

Citizenship

The new High Priest Group leadership in the Cedar 8th Ward spoke in our sacrament meeting this morning.  It was a good meeting and I felt much gratitude for the wisdom of these men.  3 of them are a little older then I am, like 30 years give or take.  They have experienced much and they love this wonderful country in which we live.  Each shared the need we have as citizens of our country to know of it's founding, to understand the constitution and the inalienable rights that we have guaranteed by the constitution.  We have a responsibility as citizens to be involved and to help make our country great.  We cannot sit back and wait on others to do it for us.  As we strengthen our families we strengthen our communities and our country.  I have work to do in my family to help my children know and understand our countries founding, the great blessing it is to live in this land.  We need to stand for truth and right and to protect the freedoms that we enjoy.  I am grateful again for these men who spoke today - Gary Dunford, Gary Taylor, Brother Carlisle and Tex Asay.  Good men, good messages, grateful heart. 

Yard Relaxation

I love to work in the yard.  I don't know that I love everything about working in the yard.  Pulling weeds is not my favorite thing.  Edging and trimming the lawn along with a nice clean mowing is the height of yard relaxation for me.  I love it.  I love to put on my head phones, crank some tunes and fire up the power tools.  I love to shake it a bit when a good song comes on.  I try to remember not to sing along out loud.  That could be embarrassing but I have not problem getting a little boogie in my walk.  Good times for sure. 

The week has been a long one and today carried on with another early and busy morning at the shop.  Per the norm this week I had a headache in the early afternoon.  Today I did not take any ibuprofen but came home and took a nap around 3.  I slept until 5 and my goodness, it was needed.  The headache was gone and that was a relief.  I had an idea that my exhaustion was the cause of the headache, seems to be the case.  Anyway, it was wonderful to simply rest for a while.  When I got up I went to work in the yard.  That was a fabulous afternoon and evening combination.  Much needed and much enjoyed. 

A Refurb

This is quite exciting.  I am typing on an actual keyboard tonight.  It has been a while and I am so very happy to be sitting at a real life computer in the comfort of my own home and typing away on this here blog.  It has been months since we have had a functioning computer in the home, this is wonderful.  It's a refurbished HP and it is quite impressive this far.  Well, it is quite late and I am completely worn out.  If I don't get to be shortly I am going to need to be refurbished.  That may not be a bad idea...

The Bowl

Tonight I joined some friends for some fun at the bowling alley.   I am not a good bowler.  My game pretty much circles the drain in the toilet bowl of bowling.  The thing is I don't really care.  I try to have some fun.  I like to try some fun shots like between the legs and such.  It has been too long! 

Out of the bowl and back to life.  Pops was released from the hospital today. 

The Scope

So things for pops at the hospital didn't go as smoothly as we had hoped. His blood counts went up after the transfusions  and then they found his counts down.   So a scope was ordered.   They found a massive ulcer.   That means no surgery for a while. Well,  I'm really worn out.  Signing out!  Wait,  moms birthday!   We had a birthday party of sorts.  Good times.  Now I'm out!

Left My Phone

Wow,  I just lost my entry when I replied to a text message.  That kind of stinks.  So, where was I?   That's right,  I changed my routine this morning when I let my phone upstairs while I went downstairs to work out.  Turns out this morning was the morning I was needed at the folks.  Way to go with that one. Pops ended up at the emergency  room this morning.  That is not the best as it will likely push back his open heart surgery.  Hopefully that Will be fine.  We will know tomorrow... assuming of course I have my cellular device.

Shoes

I killed my feet on that 10 mile hike with the scouts a couple weeks ago.  My walking shoes were in good shape but were small.  subsequently my toes were hurting.  I haven't worn the shoes since.  Today I splurged when I found $120 pair on clearance and essentially got them for $20.  It was great.  Wore them on a walk already and they did great!

The Temple

I was asked last Tuesday to teach the lesson in Elders Quorum today.  The topic was Temple Attendance.  The invitation to do so came as I pulled into the parking lot of the Temple.   It was good to be with my quorum today and to feel of that brotherhood.   I hadn't been there for a while because I sit with Jack in sharing time most Sundays and then I've been going over to the Cedar City Mid-Singles Ward for the last month since the kids have been gone.  The lesson went well, lots of participation.  

After church I ran over to the other ward.  I caught the closing hymn and then went to the last two hours.  5 hours of church ain't bad!  Anyway,  the singles ward didn't have an instructor or a lesson so I volunteered to teach.  It went well and was an enjoyable experience.   Happy to serve.

Out

Entry for 7/5/2014

I have been so tired the last couple nights that when I finally sit down to write I barely get started and I am out.  I put up a good fight or try to.  I actually had a nice report going for the 4th and then, right when I was wrapping it up my finger tapped the home button on my phone and I lost it all.  That has happened all to often with this phone.  I had nothing left at that point and so my entry was weak.  Well, I made a computer purchase a couple days ago and it will be arriving soon so my losing everything should stop but that doesn't mean I will not sit and attempt to write in complete exhaustion.  That just seems to be a part of my life.

I had a nice conversation with the kids today.  They are all doing really well.  Apparently Natty got to test her driving skills and said she got the car up to 25.  Wonderful!   Andy continues to build in the electronic world of minecraft and the like but has also gotten into star wars.  Sounds like a star wars cake is the plan for his birthday.  Not certain what to do there.  Maybe a giant ball death star cake.  Jack is still planning his G scale railroad and is a master of sound effects.   He was talking about a train moving forward and had this chugging sounds that he kept throwing in.  Then he talked about needing to reverse and had another sound for that, still chugging but in a unique pitch to differentiate It from the forward effect.  Then there was the need to hit the brakes and so a braking effect was introduced.   It was an entertaining conversation.  Jack then officially started the countdown to there return home.  20 days!  It is always good to talk with the kiddos! 

Happy 4th!

Entry for 7/4/2014

Well my pinkie just tapped the home button on the phone right when I had finished my blog and I lost everything .  I am passing out . Happy 4th of July!

Late Movie

Entry for 7/3/14

We rolled out to a late movie tonight.   The 2nd installment in this movie series.  It was well done, lots of humor and action and a little love story as well.  An entertaining movie for sure. 

Sunday morning now and I decided to look at this post to see if it even made sense.  I was a little tired Thursday night when I wrote it.  Not that failing to mention the name of the movie is a big deal,  it just makes it mysterious.   Of course second movie in the series should narrow it down some though there are a few that could qualify.  If I said it was amazing that might just give it away.  Yes,  The Amazing Spiderman 2 opened at the cheap theater so with family coming to town some of us got together for the late show.  Jim, Clayton, Katherine, Nigel, Dave and myself.  I think we all had a good time and enjoyed the show. 

Dang

I was just sitting here and realized I have wet laundry in the washer that has been there all day.  Dang!  High probability that I will be re-washing that load.

I had a date scheduled for this evening.   It w as just going to be a casual thing and then she had to cancel.  Her work got a little crazy.  I can understand that.  Well dang, that's a bit of bummer.

Tis the way life rolls sometimes.   It's okay.  Truly we have so much to be grateful for.

Tired and Nearly Dead

Oh my goodness I am tired tonight.   It has been extremely hot today in Cedar and to add to that I made a St George trip and nearly died when I got out of the car.  Not real comfortable.   I'm not the only one with a near death experience today.  That's right, my phone is fixin to kill over and with that, i'm out.