Who Really Likes It?

Blind Dating... who really likes it anyway?  I don't but maybe it's that I just struggle with dating period.  I was approached by my sister in law Sara the other day.  She shared a text she received somewhat randomly from an acquittance.  The subject - her brother in law that is almost 40 and single and how he feels about blind dates.  My response to that was more of a look like death was upon me.  Anxiety.  That is what blind dates mean to me.  Anxiety.  I am not a fan of it.  Anxiety.  I would rather not subject myself to it.  Anxiety.  I will probably end up being single for the rest of my life.  Anxiety.  I wonder how online dating compares? 

Truthfully, I can do it.  I can go on a blind date but if the seeing eye dog is a drool-er I am in trouble because I am really allergic to dog saliva.  I will end up a sneezing mess and that just doesn't go over well on a first date or any date for that matter.

So hey, in other news.   I just ate a delicious strawberry treat.  I put frozen strawberries in a bowl, added my favorite calorie free sweetener and let them sit.  After a while I put a bit of milk on them and again let them sit.  when the berries began to soften a bit I poured in a bit of milk and then mixed it up for a time.  It kind of made a personal bowl of ice cream.  I liked it.  I liked it a lot more than questions about how I feel about blind dating.   

Adding Light

Working away slicing tomatoes at the LBH this morning when suddenly the kitchen got quite a bit darker.  It really felt weird and I was missing the light.  We didn't have any bulbs or a ladder of sufficient height for us to reach the light fixtures so we spent the day working in a much darker kitchen.  I asked Dan if he would get some bulbs for us and then get my ladder from the house.  He was happy to do it.  Grateful for Dan's willingness to serve and help out when needed.  You're a good man my brother Dan. 

After things slowed down I went about changing the bulbs only to find out the ballast was toast.  I checked the next light fixture and found it was bad in that one as well.  So it was off to Home Depot in search of a couple of ballasts.  Fortunately they had what I needed so I went about changing ballasts.  The great news is that it worked.  Light was restored to the kitchen and it was wonderful.  I then went through and changed the bulbs in other fixtures that were burned out.  It really looks great, bright and uplifting. 

Funny it is kind of like the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  We learn that Jesus Christ is the light of the world and yet it is so easy to avoid him.  Our lives, our spirits suffer and grow dim.  We distance ourselves from the Savior.  That is not a good place to be in.  Fortunately we have the ability to buy and install lights and ballasts, we can repent of our wrong ways and be reconciled to God.  We can be forgiven and our bodies filled with light, even the light of Christ. 

I much prefer to work in the light. 

Seconds and Thirds

A couple of months ago Jack was given his Pinewood Derby kit at the Cub Scout Pack Meeting.  He was very excited and started looking at designs and online videos about the derby.  He came up with a design he calls the Shark Tooth and was all about it.  I tried to persuade him to do a locomotive theme but got nowhere.  So we opened the kit and I gave him his block of wood.  He drew Shark Tooth.  I suggested one or two alterations and he agreed, then we cut it out.  The Pinewood Derby was tonight.  I was concerned that if he didn't win he was going to have a very difficult time.  We reveiewed good sportsmanship as we left for the races.  I was confident he would do fine. 

Jack never won a race.  His first won he came in third.  His next two races he came in second followed by a third place finish and then another second place to wrap up his races.  With every race he was very excited.  It didn't matter to him that he didn't win, he was just having a ball and he was cheering on the others.  He really did a fantastic job and I was proud of him. 

Seconds and Thirds don't really have to be hard things.  It's okay not to win.  Big Jack, you handled yourself very well.  You are a wonderful young man.  Thank you for your excelelnt example. 

Here are a few pics.   

Brick House Love Story

One of my favorite couples came in today and had lunch at The Little Brick House.  This is a great couple.  I remember the first time they came in shortly after we opened.  They were impressed with the food and so I wasn't too surprised when they came back again, and again.  I went to a singles fireside a year ago and they were there.  I figured they served in a calling to work with the singles.  As we talked that night they told me that this would be their last singles activity because they were getting married.  I had no idea.  Anyway, turns out that their first date was at The Little Brick House.  Pretty dang fantastic if you ask me.  I don't know their names but that doesn't matter, they are good people and I love them. 

The last two times they have come in he has gotten choked up and emotional when talking about the business.  He was wishing us great success today and was extremely sincere.  He told me that he really means that and then, while fighting back tears told me he doesn't say that to anyone.  It is a special place for them.  I am grateful for that.  Grateful that I know these people, only by face but I know them and I love that they have a Brick House Love Story. 

Hospital Visit

This evening I was going to head to the hospital to visit with pops for a few minutes and see how he is doing.  Jack really wanted to come with me so we headed out.  In saying that I am not saying that Natty and Andy didn't also want to go - they did.  I just didn't know what visiting hours were or if they would let kids go back and visit.  They opted to stay home and would come tomorrow night when we knew more.  We actually arrived after visiting hours but the nurse didn't have a problem with us going in to visit. Thank you nurse. 

When we entered the room pops was asleep.  I almost said to Jack that we would go and come back tomorrow but decided we could sit for a few minutes in case he woke up.  As we started towards the little couch in the room he woke up and we were able to visit.  Jack did all the talking.  Jack also told pops one of his new favorite jokes about a blind man that went bungee jumping.  Did you hear about that guy?  Yeah, it scared the heck our of his dog.  Grandpa started laughing at that one to the point where he was wheezing and coughing.  Jack promptly told him to settle down.  I think he was a little nervous when the coughing started.  Anyhow, all is well.  The visit was good and pops is feeling better than he did on Friday.  Looking at a couple more days in the hospital. 

The Old Building

This morning I went to help on an assignment to clean out some of the remaining items from the old 2nd 8th ward building.  A lot has happened since we vacated the building.  It has gone through a little asbestos removal, had sheet rock torn out, most of the pews removed, stain glass removed, the pipe organ removed, doors removed and a number of other things removed as well.  I went downstairs to look for any additional chairs that we were moving today and discovered a room I didn't know existed there behind the primary room.  I knew there was a room because the discovery of foundation issues came to light when people were looking at that room to expand the primary room.  At least I think that was it.  I thought that room was just to the side and not very big.  I was wrong.  It was actually to the back and the room appeared to be the same size as the primary room and then some.  I know this is really exciting for anyone reading this post.  I guess that's what happens when I put my journal on a blog.  I was excited about it, fascinated by it anyway.  I like buildings and so being able to see the original building, to see where additions were made with different materials and to explore for just a couple of minutes was fun.  I snapped a couple of shots on my phone to try and capture a bit of a feel for what was there. 

 

 

Anyhow, we moved tables and chairs to a few different buildings in Cedar.  We also loaded up a bunch of stuff to go to DI.  There were some long tables that we walked out to a shed in the lower parking lot.  That was a workout.  I teamed up with Ron Cardon for two loads and then Jake Whetman for two more.  My forearms are dead right now and have been since about halfway through that first load.  I should do that more often.  I'd have Popeye-ish forearms in no time.  Brutal.  It was good to get out and do, to help, to answer the call.  It was good to associate with others there serving.  It was good to see the building one last time before it gets demolished.  It is the oldest Church building in Cedar.  There have been so many wonderful things that have taken place in that building that have blessed the lives of the saints and others.  It is hard to believe that it is going to be gone in the near future. 

 

So we bid farewell to the old building.  Grateful for the experiences I had there.   

Emergency Surgery

When I got home from walking the boys to school Jay was walking down the front walk.  He said mom was trying to reach me and that Dave ended up calling him trying to reach me as well.  Jay informed me that pops was having some challenges.  Lets just say that pops has had a rough day.  Apparently he found himself in a tremendous amount of pain this morning.  There was pain in his stomach as well as in his shoulders.  It was not minor pain.  It was severe.  To the point that he was rocking back and forth on the bed, unable to bear it, unable to be rid of it.  They took him into the hospital after receiving a Priesthood blessing.  Apparently after receiving the blessing he fell asleep for a while but when he awoke he was still in pain.  That is when they took him in. 

That is all I knew all day as Dave and I worked and Mom and Amy were at the hospital.  I had to run home to take care of a couple things in the afternoon and when I got back to The Little Brick House they were there.  Mom filled me in on some details and let me know that pops was in emergency surgery, surgery that was exploratory in nature as the doctors could not find out what was wrong through cat scans.  They had to go inside.  Well, that was going to take a couple hours.  That time passed and what they found was a hole in his intestine.  They sewed it up and said he should be just fine.  Pretty amazing. 

Mom had blessing at the same time dad got one.  She managed to make it through the day with a certain amount of peace and comfort.  I think about that situation and I am grateful for those priesthood brothers who answered the call to serve and to bless.  It is a comforting thing for me.  I went through the day with a certain amount of peace as well.  After I visited with Jay I came in the house and I prayed, I pondered, I was accepting of whatever would take place and I felt that everything would be fine.  Very grateful tonight that it was.