New heating-cooling register in dining area.

I dusted off my handyman skills a few days ago, and did a job that Wendy and I have been talking about for several years.  This was to turn a vent around that sent hot and cold air into the laundry room to supply instead a good vent in the dining area of our kitchen.  We experienced the heating and cooling in the kitchen as not being adequate with only a single vent under the sink while the living room and master bedroom have two vents and seem to get almost too much air.  Also, Wendy did not think that the laundry room vent was of any value.  So, we cut a hole in the sheet rock to access the duct work, disconnected the existing register, drilled a hole in the kitchen floor right by the left side of the sliding glass, and put in a replacement register that directs a great blast of air up into the dining area of our kitchen.  Wendy can stand over this register and get quite comfortable on very hot days.

Also, before I did this work we got two bids from HC contractors--$400, not counting the sheet rock work.

VOA manual publication

To try to get more support for continuing and enlarging on our work with Venturer Officers Associations, I recently pulled together materials we have used over the last several years with the VOA in our stake, and published it into a 46 page pamphlet or manual.  It looks quite good, I think.  I used Lulu.com, the same on-line on-demand publisher that printed the several family history books for me over the last few years.

Impressive animal intelligence and cooperation

Along our walk thre were three horses, standing parallel, with the two outside animals facing the opposite way from the middle horse, whose tail was swishing and whipping around in a major way.  We guessed this was a cooperative effort to keep flies away on a hot summer morning.

Eagle project idea

Along the walk, we saw a dozen or so new birdhouses fairly high in trees along the river.  They looked home-made and we wondered who had constructed them and place them along the river walk.  We thought this might be an eagle project idea that could be replicated.

How many rock-chucks can you spot?

Walking along the SF river trail a couple of days ago, we spotted a large colony of rock chucks (yellow-bellied marmot) in big rocks along the river that had been placed there in spots to protect the banks from erosion.  They were shy but came out in droves when we stayed still.

There is a prize for the winner.

We cannot tolerate gluten any more

We have embarked on a new adventure.  Wendy has just been diagnosed with a gluten intolerance or celiac disease.  We have learned that gluten is a substance that is a part of wheat, rye and barley.  The basic problem is that for some persons the substance irritates and scars the lining of the small intestine, which results in poor nutrition, pain, and other unpleasant effects.

We are privileged now to join an exclusive little group with two other couples who sit in our own bench right behind the deacons who are passing the sacrament.  Someone in this group must bring gluten-free bread in little individualized plastic bags and in a separate tray.

We are hoping that her condition is of the less severe variety.  In the most severe form, besides the problem of ingesting gluten, even touching or perhaps breathing in microscopic particles of some substance containing gluten sets off a reaction.  One lady in our ward breaks out in a sort of hives with any kind of exposure.

And there is a new vocabulary to learn, a person having become “glutenated” or “glutenized.”  This refers to an acute reaction due to having either ingested or been exposed to gluten.

Isn't the brain wonderful?

Wendy and I have been comparing notes about our respective brains.  Each of us thinks that the other's mental capability has some special features (apps?).

I am convinced that Wendy has a thermometer in her head.  She routinely can come within a degree or two of the current temperature.  And there also is clock there somewhere so that she can sense the exact time at any moment.  She always knows the date and the day of the week without consulting anything other than querying her mental calendar.

Most remarkable is the spreadsheet in her brain which contains vital data about acquaintances.  I can picture it in my mind.  The first column contains persons’ names.  Then comes a series of columns for date of birth (probably separate entries for day, month, and year) and perhaps some miscellaneous information about that date, such as the day of the week and the time of the day or night when it occurred, perhaps also including something about odd or interesting facts associated with the birth.  Next I think is an age calculator column.  Telephone number would probably would be next.  And so forth.

This mental spreadsheet has some advanced features, like the ability to sort the entire data base by specific columns.  For example, it can provide listing of birthdays occurring during a given month or by day of the month.  I can picture Wendy mentally clicking on a column header, such as month of birth, there being a brief whirring sound, and in a  moment all of the rows are relocated, with January first, February second, etc.

In return, Wendy accuses me of having some tools in my head also.  The first is a compass.  I almost always know where true north is (no magnetic north adjustment needed) and the direction we are taking.  As a matter of fact, it is quite disconcerting to lose true north temporarily and I exhibit significant anxiety symptoms.

This compass also comes with an atlas with a full compliment of broad and detailed maps which emphasize roads, but also may be the layout for complex buildings, such as the interior of a temple.  The atlas also comes with a route calculator, like that of a GPS, that calculates the shortest distance to travel to another place, but also may take into consideration freeways vs. slower roads to suggets the best way to travel.

Finally, she thinks I have calculator in my brain which can crunch numbers to give at least close estimates of basic math problems.

Isn’t the brain a wonderful thing?

The Bell Tolls

I feel a little gloomy this morning, a sort of abstract gloom. The fuss over and by Ordain Women’s leader and the bad choices of others closer to home seem to create for a me a sort of dark cloud, a sense of grief.  No matter that they deliberately have chosen a lower road.  I still feel personally diminished in some real sense.

I think about the famous poem by the English poet John Donne, as he reflected on someone’s death:

No man is an island,
Entire of itself.
Each is a piece of the continent,
A part of the main.
If a clod be washed away by the sea,
Europe is the less.
As well as if a promontory were.
As well as if a manor of thine own
Or of thine friend's were.
Each man's death diminishes me,
For I am involved in mankind.
Therefore, send not to know
For whom the bell tolls,
It tolls for thee.

Might not we grieve even more over someone’s spiritual death?

June snow--saving girl's camp

We had the cabin the week starting the Monday after Father's Day, which was on June 16th.  We invited the family to the cabin on Monday night to celebrate this occasion and had quite a few people there and some staying over until the next morning.  Lots of fun!!!

A very cold storm front came through on Tuesday.  We had a good rain at the cabin and at just a little higher elevation there was snow.  Lots of youth groups were camping at higher elevations that got really wet and cold.  We got a phone call from Shannon, Wendy's sister, mid-afternoon.  She was one of the stake ladies help with their stake girls camp.  The were camped somewhere in the vicinity of the Heber Valley Camp in tents.  There had had snow, and their girls were wet and miserable. She asked if they could come down to the cabin.  We agreed and when they arrived several hours later, they sure were a sad-looking bunch.  We came home and left them the use of the cabin. with the hope that something of the camp could be salvaged.

Our mountains around Utah Valley got a fresh blanket of snow from about the 8000 foot level on up.  The pictures are of Spanish Fork  Peak (Maple Mt.) and Mt. Loafer when the sun started to come out again Wednesday evening and of Timp from the Provo temple on Thursday.

We noted that this quick deep storm raised lots of havoc in the midwest and south as it continued across the continent--many destructive tornados, etc.  We are grateful that we only got some snow on our campers.

Heber Valley Sunset

11 Year Old Scout Summar Camp

 Randy R, my Asst, and I took our little 11 year old scout patrol to summer camp, Friday and Saturday June 12-14, at Adventure Park.  This camp is designed especially for this age group is a lot of fun.  It is at the top of the Lefty Fork of Hobble Creek.  It is wooded and fairly primitive.  The weather comfortable.  Every thing worked out well.  We all had a good time.  Scouts are Ryan C, Gavin H., and Matt L.  Pictured are game time, an evening devotional, and Matt having successfully built a camp gadget with poles and lashings.

Amy at the Temple

It was special for us to be able  accompany Amy when she received her endowments at the Bountiful Temple on June 12th.  The night was breezy as you can see.

Jaron is a hard worker

Jaron came to help me work in the yard on Monday, June 9th.  He mowed the lawn and used the weed-whacker on the edges.  He then did a trim job on the hedge on the west side of our property.  He sure worked hard in the hot sun.

I have been having some back troubles, so this was really helpful.

How Green was my Valley

We couldn't help but notice how bright green Heber Valley was.  (Picture taken June 6th.)  We wondered if this is a a little like Ireland looks.

Memorial Day

On Saturday, Wendy and I drove to Ogden and visited my parents' graves.  On our way back we went to Wendy's parents' graves.  We walked right to her mother's grave without any trouble.  A year ago it was different.  Afer several minutes of pacing back and forth, Wendy called (in a not so quiet voice), "Mother, where are you?"  There were a lot of incredulous stares.  Fortunately, right at that moment I found the grave.

On Monday quite a few of the Lewis' met at the SF cemetery and put up the little wooden flowers.  Then we went to Emilie's for grilled hamburgers.  The two pics allowed for two different photographers to be in a picture.

Anniversary Trip

Here is what Wendy and I did to celebrate our wedding anniversary.  We did it on Tuesday May 13th, one day late.  We got on Frontrunner at about 9 am at the Provo terminal and rode to Salt Lake Central, then took Trax Blue Line to Temple Square.  We then went to the Temple.  We had lunch in the cafeteria, then did two temple sessions.  Then we backtracked our morning route back to Provo.

Sunday April 26 journaling

1. I attended Steven's and Heidi's campus ward and participated in Derek's blessing.  Nice job, Steven.  And also Heidi.  

One of 4 babies being blessed. And it wasn't even Fast Sunday. 

Attending were Blakes, M Lewises, Soderquists, Steven's parents and Grandpa, Grandpa and Grandma Soderquist and Aunt Greta.  It was fun to see our 6 grandson (visitors) pass the sacrament.

2.  All the way from NC, Danny and Shari Henderson came to dinner this evening, with their daughter Bailie who is here going to school.  We had a great visit and got updates on all our friends in Mt. Zion.

Birthday

We managed to stretch my birthday celebration out over several days.  On Thursday the 24th,we were in the temple all day until after 5 pm.  We then met Alison and Quin for dinner at P F Changs at the University Mall.  On Saturday we had a sort of Open House with home-made ice cream with quite a few visitors, including Nathan & Gloria, the Blakes, Matthew and family, Steven and Heidi with Derek, and Paul and Daniel.  Thanks for all of your calls, best wishes, and gifts.

I received a maze for my birthday developed by Ben.  I wrote him back: 
To Ben:

Thank you for the maze.  I tried it.  First I went straight in but after circling around I ran into a dead end.  So I backed out and when on a diffferent route that was next to the edge.  After  a while I came to a split and went back into the interior but, after several turns, that too ended up blocked.  So I went back to the second split and then continued around the maze next to the edge.  Finally I came to a real skinny place, so I turned sidewise and slipped through and there was the exit.     

Love, Grandpa
Ben thought this was funny, especially about having to turn sidewise.

Hilary and kids move

Wendy’s daughter Hilary and her kids left us last week for a place in Salt Lake.  She has progressed in her life and work with a promotion and getting on top of her obligations where she felt she could start to maintain a place of her own.  The new place is twin home in the Holladay area, quiet, partially wooded, with a view of the city, new carpet and paint, quite an attractive place.  

They were here Thursday evening through Sunday.  They have been here 17 months, but it didn’t seem that long.  They sort of made their space in our downstairs area and weren’t a bit of trouble or concern.   In fact, we will miss having them here.

My Adventures of the Back and Spine

 

#1. While on our mission in North Carolina, I did too much lifting of missionary furniture and developed an awful pain in my back.  I remember a session in the Raleigh temple where I could not even rise to a standing position without feeling an intense stabbing sensation in my lower back.  We heard of an LDS chiropractor in the Raleigh 1st ward, Dr. Hahn, got an appointment, and soon he had me feeling better.  Of course, it wasn’t that easy to quit going to him.  I didn’t know then whether it was peculiar to the way these Drs. operate their practices or that he just liked us a lot.

He was a big, jolly,  man-boy, maybe 6' 3" and 300 lbs, and could sure do a neck adjustment with authority.  And I enjoyed the Irish music always playing over the intercom.

Here is his bio from his website: “Dr. Eric Hahn is a magna cum laude graduate of Palmer College of Chiropractic. When he was offered his first chiropractic adjustment his immediate reply was “No thank you, I don’t believe in it”. Later that same day he allowed chiropractic to fundamentally change his life and his perception of healthcare.  After graduating from Eastern Michigan University with a bachelor's degree in chemistry Dr. Eric worked for the world’s largest pharmaceutical company, but now chooses to change the world one life at a time through the chiropractic adjustment. His primary adjusting technique is Tone Chiropractic, which he supplements with Diversified, Thompson, Lumbar Flexion Distraction, Activator, and Sacral Occipital Techniques.  When not practicing Chiropractic Dr. Eric is an accomplished Irish musician and loving husband.”

 
 
#2. While visiting Valerie and Greg, I tweaked my back, trying to make a fix on their trampoline.  When we got home I found, although I was able to function OK during the days, I couldn’t sleep at night–there was a low-grade pain in my left hip, leg and even my foot that didn’t allow me to get comfortable while lying down.  After several weeks, I was driven to find Dr.Hahn’s successor in my life.  (I am discovering that getting a chiropractor in your life is about the next thing in permanence of relationship to getting married.)  Anyway, after a quick internet search, I liked the bio best for Dr. Cook, and it was a good choice I think.  Almost immediately after he started treatment I was able to sleep lying down again and and symptoms of back distress seem to now be gone.   A couple of unanticipated side benefits: I can turn my head to the sides better.  I notice this improvement when I am driving and need to check left or right, or to back up.  Also, someone in the family remarked recently that they thought I was standing up straighter.

I have finished the initial phase of 3-a-weeks and am now tapered off to 2-a-weeks for 2 months, then ???

Here is Dr. Lavoy Cook’s bio: “I was studying sports medicine at BYU and working with the football team. Rehab was my passion and I worked a lot with the athletes to overcome injury, stay healthy and improve performance. Then BYU brought in some sports chiropractors. I was amazed to see the improvement in the athletes that received chiropractic adjustments. So, I started shadowing the doctor. With a grand total of 1 adjustment under my belt I headed off to chiropractic school and have never looked back.”

Dr. Cook studied sports medicine at BYU where he studied the basic sciences such as chemistry, anatomy, and physiology, along with sports medicine courses like injury assessment and rehabilitation. He was able to work with the BYU football team, as well as with a local high school, Springville High, providing medical care and helping with rehabilitation.

After completing his study there, he was accepted at Parker College of Chiropractic in Dallas, Texas. During his four years at Parker, courses included biochemistry, a major emphasis on anatomy and human physiology, X-ray, diagnosis, chiropractic adjusting techniques and patient care in the Parker College Public Clinic. After graduating in 2002, Dr. Cook returned to Utah county to establish his practice.
 
“We love skeptics,” smiles Dr. Cook. “I understand that chiropractic is new to a lot of people. I remember how different it seemed to me when I was adjusted for the first time. So we make it a point to explain everything in advance, answer all of your questions. Patients appreciate that.”
 
He was also able to obtain an advanced chiropractic degree, Certified Chiropractic Sports Physician (CCSP). “I love the idea of combining chiropractic with sports medicine. We treat the entire body from the nerves and spine to muscles and ligaments. This is the best approach not only for top competing athletes, but for everyone!”

A little Easter tender mercy

I had an unusual experience in our ward sacrament meeting yesterday.  For Easter, the hymns had all been selected from among the Easter or sacramental hymns from our current hymnal.  The intermediate hymn sung just before the main speaker, was the George Careless setting of an old Eliza R. Snow poem from the sacrament section, “Behold the Great Redeemer Die.”

Our Bishop West has this preference for singing all of the verses of hymns, and he announced that we would sing the full six verses.  He has said that he doesn’t know anything about music, but he thinks we should get the full spiritual benefits of the words of the hymns. 

I was singing away, in my usual manner, doing different parts, and had just finished delivering the bass part on verse four, when we came to verse five:

          He died, and at the awful sight
          The sun in shame withdrew its light!
          Earth trembled, and all nature sighed
          In dread response, “A God had died!”

Suddenly I got a clog in my throat, tears welled up in my eyes, and I could not sing a note.  I just had to sit there dumb and overwhelmed, pondering the enormity of the sacrifice made by our Savior.

When verse six started, I could sing again.
 

Its tree-shearing time

With some help and direction from Alison, our fruit trees are now again in shape to produce wonderful peaches and apricots this summer.  For peaches remove all suckers, keep the middle open and cut off 2/3s of the new wood on bearing branches.  Thanks to Heidi for calling her mother down to Utah County, just at the right time for pruning.

Our big apricot tree is full of blossoms and we got it under control for another year.  On our little, new apricot tree, we left one 15 foot limb at Wendy's insistence, to see what might come of all the blossoms it is carrying.

Family overnighter at a yurt at East Canyon reservoir

Thanks to Quin for arranging to rent a Yurt (pus a small cabin) that State Parks has at East Canyon Reservoir for last Friday night.  We had 14 there--Quin and 6 of his boys, Paul, Daniel, Eric, Jonathan, Aaron, Chris, plus Steven, plus a neighbor boy named Anthony.  I brought with me Nathan, plus Ethan and Adam, and also Jack.

The facilities included electricity, a propane grill, enough beds for all, and heat for the two places, not requiring too much "roughing it".   We had barbecued chicken and rice for dinner, and eggs, sausage, oatmeal and more for breakfast.

We tried fishing in open water along the shore without much success.