GINNIE, WE'LL MISS YOU!

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 06, 2010 Wow. Judy and I went to see the movie, When In Rome, a very cute funny movie. When we got out and turned our phones back on, Judy had six missed calls from Jim. She called him back. He said that Stacey’s mother passed away at about 9:15 p.m., about the time we were going into the show. Almost immediately Corey called me and told me the same thing. He is the one who said what time she died. He was calling to ask if I would go to their house at around 7:00 in the morning and let buddy out. He thought Stacey and possibly he and Jayden and Bailey might stay with Wayne, Stacey’s dad tonight. Stacey was so upset that while Corey was talking to me, she was out of their car throwing up. They were near the Maverick Station on Redwood Road near Bangerter Highway. Stacey, we love you. It is ironic that we were talking about her mother and her cancer over dinner last night at Café El Lago. I think we were all thinking she might live for up to another year.

- NEW GIRL in The PICTURE -

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 05, 2010 Today Jayden and Bailey’s school had parent and teacher conference so there were no classes. I had them much of the day at our house. We played Monopoly for a while and then went swimming for a little over an hour. Most of the time in the pool they wanted to wrestle with and play catch with Grandpa. I have only been to the pool once in many months and I could tell I didn’t have the stamina I had, had. Best I get back on it. We are going on our cruise next week and there will be a bit of walking in Rome, Athens, Ephesus, Cairo and Valletta, Malta, as well as Barcelona before the cruise. We may also spend some time in Paris. At least I have my new tennies broken in. Corey announced that Jayden has a new girlfriend. Her name is Nicole. But when I mentioned it to Jayden he said, “I am just helping out a friend.” I guess she broke a leg or something while back. I told Corey that, in front of Jayden and Jayden said, “I didn’t say that!” meaning there is more to it than just a “helping” friendship. Jayden says in so many words that he and Issie are not totally broken up but he is now riding his razor (scooter) to and from school and she walks with her friends.(Bailey is riding her's razor also.) At parent and teacher conference, Jayden’s teacher expressed some concern over how close Jayden and Issie are, though admitted that it is just teasing and playing etc. Corey and Stacey agreed with her but expressed they weren’t sure how best to handle it. Throwing a third party into the mix should make for an interesting love triangle. They’re only forth graders; I’m not too worried about it. I guess I think it is just cute and funny. After we got back from the pool the kids were hungry. Bailey ate two hotdogs. Jayden ate the better part of two hotdogs then announce he wanted an egg sandwich. He fried an egg over easy and put it between two slices of bread. When he bit into it, the yolk came out onto his plate. He thought that was an extra treat and sopped it up with the excess bread. He liked it so much he made another one though this time when he broke the shell to put the egg in the frying pan the yolk broke too and cooked at least semi hard. He didn’t seem too disappointed. In all this, he ate nearly five slices of bread, two eggs and nearly two full hotdogs. That boy has capacity. He is too skinny according to his doctor, but Corey was that way too at his age and is now over weight. I hope Jayden doesn’t have the same situation. Tonight, Corey and his family and Judy and I met at Café El Lago for dinner. It was there that much of the details on Jayden and his love life came out. Stacey’s mother is in the hospital with complications from her cancer. She refuses to allow even her children to visit her. She and Wayne keep saying they are “strong” and everything is going to be ok. I wonder if they are in a state of denial or what. Stacey thinks her mother will be gone in a year or so and believes her father will die of a broken heart/loneliness not long after that. Niki and Alexa are in Phoenix for a couple of days visiting Brittany and her family. It was Maya’s fifth birthday a couple of days ago. She and I got to be good friends when I was down there visiting once upon a time.

NUTTIN MUCH

Tuesday, February 02, 2010 Yesterday I didn’t feel so bad, but I woke up today feeling worse again. In fact I may feel the worse since the first day; a week ago last Friday. I went to the Saratoga Springs Intermountain Instacare and a doctor whose name I did not get, poked and prodded and asked a bunch of questions including, have you been out of the country, have you been around sick family member etc, then said “Well you don’t appear to have anything exotic. (My word no his) It appears to be the same as what’s going around though it has lasted longer than usual. Take Imodium, stay hydrated and lay off the caffeine. It sometime makes diarrhea worse.” He then said that since we are going on a cruise next week, I should see my regular doctor and see if she has any special instructions in consequence of that. Later, I was driving out of our circle to get me a bite of lunch. I saw Raleigh Huntsman on his front porch hanging onto a small white dresser. I pulled over, rolled down my window and asked if I could help. He said, “No I have a pretty, young helper.” I asked, “Your daughter? She’s a cutie.” He said, “Yes she is.” At that point she came out the door, saw me and walked up and asked if I had access to a truck. I said no but I have a van with the back seat out.” She said, “Will a couch fit in it, a small couch, a futon actually?” I said I thought it would. She said “Good, I’ll text your son (Jim) and see if he will help me. That should be fun!” I told her Jim knew where the key was and I drove away. She has recently moved out of her parent's house and up to Park City.

STILL NOT BETTER

01 FEBRUARY, 2010 Here it is Monday. I have been fighting this, whatever-it-is since a week ago last Friday. I think maybe I am starting to get better but then who knows. I often don't feel the worse until later in the day and not until sometime after I have eaten. It is only 8:30 a.m. right now. We'll see.

MORE is MORE - MORE IS MORE THAN ENOUGH

WEDNESDAY, 27 JANUARY, 2010 It happened again. And again like the other times it was after talking to Corey; this time like Friday it was over lunch. This time it was at Sugarhouse Barbeque. Judy and Jim were there too. Barely made it home.

Loo, Loo, run to the Loo

TUESDAY, JANUARY 26, 2010 I have been fighting a bug since last Friday noon; needing to stay near the loo etc. Yesterday morning I thought I was getting over it but bam it hit again. Again this morning after feeling pretty well when I got up, it hit at about 10:40 a.m. I am getting tired of it. Interestingly enough, both yesterday and today, it hit me as I was talking to, or immediately after talking to Corey on the phone. Come to think of it, the original bout was at lunch with Corey on Friday. Hmm, I wonder if I am allergic to Corey!

YA SURE YOU BETCHA

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 20, 2010 At 3:30 this morning I woke up laughing from the following dream. One needs to read it with a Scandinavian accent. It was in the early stages of the “church” in Utah (Deseret). The Scandinavians were settling in Sanpete County. I was a Dane named Sven. There was a Swede named Oly who was not too bright who lived in the next settlement; virtually next door. Our communities were on the upper side of a hill or small mountain. Oly, in addition to not being too “with it,” thought the only Scandinavians worthy of any consideration were the Swedes. I got a big kick out of teasing or maybe a better word for it is tormenting my “friend” Oly, jokingly putting down the Swedes. One day I went too far and he lost it and came after me. He chased me through the trees and across small streams and finally down the mountainside to where the Swedes and Danes were holding a reunion or community party. All the time he was chasing me I was having a good laugh and was running just fast enough that he couldn’t quite catch me. All this time we were carrying on a taunting (in my case) conversation with a heavy Scandinavian accent. I don’t remember the exact words. I started poking my friend Oly with a long brown slender stick that was not too strong which finally broke off about one third the way from the receiving end when I jabbed him. Oly got into a conversation with an aunt who mentioned that Oly's grandmother was a Norwegian. He was devastated and threw himself down onto an olive-green couch next to me and lamented, “What am I going to do? What am I going to do? My grandmother was one of those no good Norwegians!” and went on and on… “I think I am going to commit suicide!” He got up and paced back and forth then threw himself back down next to me, “No, I’m not going to commit suicide!” He paused a moment then said, “Ya, I tink I am going to have to commit suicide!” At this point I woke up laughing. Fyi: The whole dream was outdoors. The couch was not far from a clump of trees.