SUSHI AGAIN...TWICE...Eee GADS!

Friday, June 04, 2010 Stacey worked today at Fedex Office…she opened so had to be there early. Corey dropped Jayden and Bailey off at our house on his way to work. As they walked in the door, both of them announced that they were going to stay home and “not spend any of your money!” Apparently Corey read the blog entry about them getting me to buy them something when we are out. Jayden opted to stay in the house and play his PSP and video games on my computer. Bailey and I went to the pool from about 11:00 ‘til a little before 1:00. Bailey of course made some friends and played with them. As for me, I did the Jepson for well over an hour; (walking and jogging in the pool) I am tired but it was well worth the effort. Finally I told Bailey we had to get out. We needed something to eat and we needed to go to their house and let Buddy out to do his business. She hated to leave her new friends but was nice about obeying me. I thought that as long as we had to get in the car anyway we should eat out. Bailey got some chicken rings (not wings) at Arctic Circle. She stayed in the car and ate them while Jayden and I ate two California rolls each at Won Won Wok. Jayden had to stuff the last two pieces down, but he proved he could do it. After Won Won Wok, we went back through the drive thru at Arctic Circle and got Bailey a chocolate shake with Oreo Cookie bits in it. Yum! When we got to their house, we let Buddy out into the back yard and Jayden felt a rumbly in his tumbly and ran to the bathroom. It proved to be mostly gas, but after the second burp, or probably along with it, he hucked up a bit of the sushi. He proudly gave me an “I told you so!” whatever that meant. Bailey didn’t want to be left out and she went into the bathroom and tried her hardest to throw up but she just couldn’t pull it off. Poor baby! Stacey got home a little before 5:00 and I drove home. As I was walking in the door, Judy called and asked if I wanted to go to dinner and a movie. I said sure. She said she was at 90th and the freeway and for me to meet her at Jordan Commons. When I got there she was seated at a Teppanyaki table in The Last Samari and sitting next to my place setting was the sushi menu. As much to prove something and also to be “silly” I ordered two smoked salmon rolls or rather the ones where a slab of fish sits on top of a lump of rice. It was a very generous portion and very tasty. Now remember, I had all you can eat sushi last night with the boys, sushi with Jayden today for lunch and now this…but it was goooood! The movie was Letters to Juliet a chick flick filmed mostly in Verona, Italy and the surrounding area and showed much of it. It was a fun show.

RUBIO'S

THURSDAY, JUNE 03, 2010 Today I got a haircut at Dollar Cuts in American Fork then went to Rubio’s for lunch. I ordered two fish tacos from Ruis, a very friendly, not too old Hispanic gentleman. We were joking and were immediately on a first name basis. He gave me a card with a website name on it to get a coupon for a free fish taco good tomorrow only; a promotional they are doing. A little later he came to my table and gave me two cards good for one free taco each. They are good any time and good for any taco on their menu. He said it was for me and my wife. We had each said something about our wives. (ALL GOOD JUDY!) I think his was about her not getting to see him with his working full time and going to school. Now he is working part time and she is much happier, like most wives.

SIMPLY SUSHI

THURSDAY, JUNE 03, 2010 This evening, Jim and Corey and I met Greg and his father Dave, and Michael and his father Dennis at Simply Sushi for all you can eat. We met at just past 7:30 and ate for almost exactly an hour. Contrary to Niki’s belief, Dave likes sushi and ate his share although he was the first to quit. We ordered way-plenty, then Ray made us at least twice as many upside down shrimp than we ordered. After that Corey ordered three or four more rolls which was all we could do to stuff down. As we were getting ready to leave, Apple, a lady who used to waitress and is now rolling, told us we couldn’t leave, she was making us three rolls she has been inventing. At least Corey was able to talk her into making one of them only half size. I was afraid they were going to have to haul us out to our cars in wheelbarrows. As we were leaving I told Dave and Dennis that we were all meeting “here” next Thursday at the same time. I got some dirty looks and audible groans!

DAYS COME AND DAYS GO

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 02, 2010 There have been a lot of little things go on in our lives. A couple of days ago, Jim, Molly and I met Judy at Mimi’s at Southtowne for dinner. I had the asparagus quiche. Last night Corey and his four, Judy and I all met at Won Won Wok-Chinese-Japanese in Saratoga Springs for dinner. Jayden had his usual two orders of California Roll Sushi as did Corey; Bailey got her usual sesame chicken. Stacey got her usual order of pot stickers and one order of California Roll. Judy and I got our often ordered Japanese bento boxes with shrimp and vegetable tempura. I also go a salmon sushi roll. Stacy worked yesterday so I had Jayden and Bailey for the day. We opted on going to the LLAC; Lehi Legacy Aquatic Center to swim. We were there for plus or minus three hours. I had a good work-out just walking back and for, plus walking the Lazy River area, plus once I climbed all those stairs and came down the tube slide. It is pitch black until the very end and makes some contorted twists and turns. I was spewed out the bottom in a weird position. The kids went down the slide twenty or thirty times or so. We all had a good time. They are such good, albeit rambunctious kids. On another note: they have me pegged at Wal-Mart. They both; especially Bailey pick out a $15.00 (approximately) items they like. I tell them it’s too much so they go to the $10.00 bracket and I always break down and give them what they want. They know how to “use” me. Good thing I think it’s funny!

- THIS, THAT AND THE OTHER -

MONDAY, MAY 17, 2010 Yesterday, after I was feeling a little better, I decided to go for a ride. I headed west past the turnoff to Corey’s house. I hadn’t gotten far when Corey called and asked where I was. I told him. He said, “Oh, I need a few things from your house to make a Cassoulet recipe I found on the Food Network website.” He told me what he needed; an onion, two carrots, some thyme and some bacon. Instead of driving all the way back to my house, I went to Smith’s and got them and a few more things I knew they could use. As I was driving up near his house, I called and asked if I could get some help carrying stuff into the house. As I pulled into their driveway, Corey and Jayden and Bailey came piling out of the house. Corey and Bailey grabbed stuff and took it into the house. Bailey came back out for the last gallon of milk. Jayden had a sheet of paper in his hand. It turned out to be the music and words to Scripture Power, one of the Primary songs. Judy told me later that it is one of the kids’ favorites. It is a long one and took up both sides of the paper. There are two verses so you have to turn it over twice; twice on each side. Jayden proceeded to sing to me, reading the words as he sang. He sang it over and over and over again and every so often he would look up and make sure I was looking at him. He is a good singer. We went through the same thing before Christmas when he was learning a Christmas carol when he was in the school choir, though that time it was in his head. He wasn’t reading it. Today after I picked him and Bailey up from school he sang it for me again. After school today, the three of up went to the park and shoot hoops for a while before we went back to their house and Jayden went to Zak and Cameron’s to play. Earlier, at Niki’s request, I took our hose and attachment to her house. I stopped at two Wal-Marts and between the two of them I got four pink geraniums and some yellow cascade petunias. When I got to her house she squirted down her back deck for Alexa’s birthday party tomorrow; this one is for her friends, eleven of them; twelve including herself. Alexa and I planted the plants in the two planters on their front porch. After that we swept up the mess we had made and the rest of the porch and step then we squirted it down to finish the job off right. Niki came out to help and before long she and Alexa were squirting each other and giggling like crazy. What a couple of goofs. Of course I was my usual stoic self. As I was getting ready to leave for home, Alexa went in to take a shower. If I heard correctly she was going to shower with her cloths on. Niki went to see as I was leaving. I picked Judy up at the airport at a little after seven this evening. She has been in Minneapolis visiting her mother and attending a memorial for her old harp teacher, Frances Aspnes. We went from the airport to Z’ Tejas at the Gateway for dinner.

KATRINA KROPUSHEK

SUNDAY, MAY 16, 2010 A few weeks ago, Katrina Kropushek, a young lady in our ward called Judy. She said she was running for Miss Saratoga Springs. She was playing a piano piece in the talent portion and asked if she could come over and play for Judy and have her critique it for her. She and her mother Moana came over and she went through it several times. She played from memory while Judy had the music and read along as she played. She played well but without a lot of dynamics. Judy helped her with that portion. I sat, mostly in the other room and just enjoyed the beautiful music. Yesterday Katrina came over with a thank you note and $50.00 change for the $100.00 bill I gave at the fund raiser for the youth the other night. I asked Katrina how she did in the pageant. She said she made first attendant. I thought that was very good and told her so. Following is the contents of the thank you note: Judy, You are so talented! And you are so awesome! Thanks so much for helping me with my piano piece for the Pageant! It really helped! It made a huge difference. (I even got in my comments from the judges that I had great Dynamics!) You are such a loving person! And I am so grateful that you let me play on your beautiful piano! Thanks for everything! Love, Katrina Kropushek.

POTTED PLANTS

SATURDAY, MAY 15, 2010 I went out this morning and hit all the usual “garden” spots; Home Depot, Lowes and two different Wal-Marts. I got potting soil, some geraniums and a couple of six-packs of white petunias for the pots I have at home. As I was driving in to our house, the “little voice” told me to do the potting on the patio in back. So, I lugged two heavy bags of soil, the two heave (big) geraniums and the smaller ones and petunias around the house. Ug! I hadn’t gotten far into the project when Jolayne (sp) Call, our next-door neighbor came over and said her hose bib on her patio was broken and she couldn’t use that hose. She said they were throwing a wedding party on their patio this afternoon and asked if I wouldn’t mind washing down their patio, which I did and did some sweeping also. I thought I should clean up our patio too to make it more presentable since it is right there close and visible. I also decided to place my plants close to their patio so they would make their party nicer. I ended up going back to our Wal-Mart and getting more plants and potting soil. I intentionally didn’t get enough the first time out so as to gage how much I needed. Everything turned out nice and it appeared the party went off well. Later this evening, David came over with a cherry pie as a thank offering. Monday, they are going to Lower, Alberta, Canada, where Jolayne is from and won’t be back until the last day of the month. They asked if I would take care of their potted plants while they are gone. Jenn and Sierra were in an auto accident today. All are ok. I am sure Jenn will tell about it on her Blog. This evening, Corey, Stacey, Jayden and Bailey and I had sushi at Won Won Wok. Yum!