NEW ‘PUTER

I finally got Microsoft Office installed on this computer and now I need to figure out how to transfer files from my old one.

This is just a test to see if I got this part right so bear with me.

Fred

NUTTEN’ MUCH

Jim is at a party.

Judy is getting a haircut so I am on my own for dinner.

I fried up some old-leftover mushrooms then poured some leftover pizza sauce on them.

Uh; no big deal, so I decided to go to Burger King for a Wopper Jr. with extra onion and extra pickles.

As I was driving by it, I saw the Arctic Circle and decided to drop in there instead.

I ordered a pastrami burger, drink and tatter tots and sat down to eat.

There were three teenage girls at the next table. With a big grin, one of them put one fist on her other hand indicating she wanted to play paper rock scissors.

She first tried to engage the girls behind the counter in a game to no avail. Finally she turned to me. I took the hint and played a game with her.

I won.

She said, "I want a rematch."

I said "OK!" She won this time.

As they got up to leave, she said to me, "You're my new best friend."

I told her she is my best friend too.

WEEKEND IN REVUE

Friday, Corey, Stacey, Jayden and Bailey met Mom (Judy) and me at RC Willey in Murray where they bought a new dishwasher. Their old one has had switch problems from the beginning and finally won't start. They had a similar problem earlier and put in a new switch (the latch for opening and closing the door) and it worked ok for a little while but then it went for good.

From RC Willey we drove to Buca di Peppo for dinner.

Saturday, Judy and Jim and I saw the movie, The Kings Speech about the man who helped King George VI deal with his stuttering problem. It was very good in spite of one scene where there was a lot of swearing. For once I was not offended by the swearing. It was necessary in this case.

After the show we ate at the Japanese restaurant there at Jordan Commons.

Stacey picked up the dishwasher in her van on her lunch break and later Corey took out the old one and installed the new one.

Sunday I was not feeling well and stayed drugged up in bed most of the day.

NO KISSING PARTY

I picked Bailey and Jayden up after school. As usual they came out late giggling and chasing each other, smacking each other with their backpacks etc.

When she got in the car, Bailey giggled and said, "Grandpa, I told Desmond that you tease me about kissing Isaac and Cameron and how I hit you in the arm and make it black and blue, he, he, he"

"So tell me about Desmond. Is he a good kisser?"

"NO, he's a Mexican!" (Whatever difference that makes. He looked like a nice kid.)

I knew I was in for an arm beating for asking if he was a good kisser and I got.

We were driving now.

"Grandpa, there he is, roll down your window."

"Hi Desmond!"

I followed with a hi Desmond of my own and I added, "Bailey loves you"!

I didn't say it loud enough for him to hear me but she shrieked and of course I got another arm beating.

I deserved it.

KISSING PARTY

My four year old granddaughter Alexa called me this afternoon to tell me that for her birthday she wants to have a kissing party with cute boys.

Of course she giggled.

Niki, her mother told her to call and tell me. She knew I would want to put it in my "Alexa" journal.

NEW YEARS EVE Together

Saturday, January 01, 2011 5:50 a.m.

Happy New Years 2011 everyone.

Judy is in Minneapolis visiting with her Mother Bev. This is an annual event; going on for at least ten years.

I am thinking the weather there is not much different than it is here in Utah; zero-ish at night and not a lot warmer in the daytime.

I celebrated New Years by watching a little TV after dinner then going to bed 11ish.

Jim left at nineish for a singles dance then a party afterwards. He just walked in the door; 5:55 a.m. He didn't bring a girl home with him. Darn!

Last night Corey, Stacey, Jayden, Bailey and I went out to dinner. We had decided on Texas Roadhouse. Corey drove to the one at South Towne since it is near his work and put his name on the waiting list. The place was packed; New Years Eve. What should we expect?

They said it would be an hour and a half or so. He picked up Stacey from her work at FED-EX Kinko's at six; actually closer to a quarter after. She couldn't get out on time.

I was at their house with the kids since both Corey and Stacey were working. Jayden and Bailey and I piled in my 98 Town and Country minivan and we headed in that direction. When we got there, there was a line out the door as well as their large waiting area being crammed though Jayden and Bailey went and squeezed into "the crevices" Jayden speaking.

We waited in the car.

After a little while, Corey and Stacey showed up. They got in with us and Corey called them on the phone. They said it would be another half hour. (If I remember correctly.)

By this time Jayden was putting up a stink and wanted to go to Pai Wei; "I want some Chinese."

I don't think of Pai Wei as Chinese but I guess it is Asian fusion and we do like it.

Corey suggested we drive over to Penney's since it was right there in the mall and get Stacey a pair of house slippers and a replacement pair for Bailey. Hers are defective. They ended up not having any Bailey's size.

While Stacey and Corey were in Penney's, Jayden talked me into driving across State Street to see how busy Pai Wei was.

It wasn't busy. I got an "I told you so" from Jayden.

After Corey and Stacey got back in the car, we drove back to Texas Roadhouse to Jayden's chagrin. Corey went in to check on our progress. They said it would be another thirty to forty minutes.

Jayden started wailing.

We drove to T. G. I. Fridays which is nearby. They could get us right in.

Jayden was mad that we went there instead of Pai Wei but after tasting his food he was placated. Their Jack Daniel's barbecue sauce was really good.

Corey mentioned to Jayden that the man who "invented" Jack Daniels Whiskey was a distant relative of ours. (He sold the recipe to Jack Daniels.)

After dinner, I took them back to their car and we went home.

I woke up this morning from two dreams. In the first, Jesus was Justifying his followers at a swing set on a playground. After he had justified the rest, he told another man and me that he would take care of ours in a meeting on the 24th.

In the other dream, Wally Smith, my neighbor was helping me look for my car in a parking garage after general conference.

Marty and Kathy

I wasn't smart enough to think of it but Judy arranged to have our son Chris who spends much of his time in Houston to get and deliver a bottle of wine to our good friends, Marty and Kathy who also live in Houston.

We first met over dinner on a cruise ship and hit it off. Since then we have gone on another cruise together and keep in touch regularly.

Both Marty and recently Kathy are retired; he from the benefits business and Kathy from Toyota. I never did get my free Avalon from her. Oh well.

It is always good to hear from them as when they called this evening thanking us for the wine. Always the comedian, Marty said that their cat and his/her neighbor friend drank it before they got home from diner at their neighbors.

Judy is in Minneapolis visiting her mother; an annual New Year's tradition.

Happy New Year's everyone!