Thursday, April 26, 2012
Checking in.
Hi, how are you? Haven't seen you for a while. I have to make this short and sweet. I'm off to yet another social engagement this evening. This one is a choir recital for the girls. Yesterday night was scouts, and Tuesday night was the dance recital for Lexi. Oh, and tomorrow Stacey teaches pre-school in the morning, so I'm not even sure I'm going to get a run in, unless it's later on in the heat of the day.
Anyhow, I just wanted to check in, let you know I'm alive and kickin. Nothing really to report. Just been working hard at the new gig, trying to fit in with the new staff I'm working with. Other than that, things are going along hunky-dory. I've been trying to clean up my posts on facebook lately and bring a more positive message, on my page as well as on other's. Sometimes I do really well, and other times I get sucked in, but I'm a work in progress as we're all aware. I think tomorrow, if I get time, I'm going to do that little exercise where you pen your own eulogy? You ever heard of that? Anyhow, it's supposed to focus you on what kind of things you want people to remember you by as well as remind you about what direction you're currently heading. It seems a tad presumptuous, so I'm not sure I'm going to post it, but I think I'll go through the exercise anyhow to see if that wont help me a little in my current plateau of personal expansion of light and learning. Anyhow, that sounded nice but a tad cheesey.
So, I guess I better get going, I'm going to go play with the girls in the front yard while Stacey teaches her single piano lesson. You know I miss each and everyone of you and wish we could have this conversation face to face over a couple of mushroom n' swiss' but, it is what it is. Life is what happens while you're busy makin' plans.
Anyhow, all the best to you and yours.
J
Saturday, April 14, 2012
Pink Milk and Pinkalicious...
Hey there. Yeah, I know, it's been a while. I just got back into town a couple of hours ago from a campout with Josh. Oh, you probably didnt know this, but I got called to be an 11 year old Primary teacher, as well as the 11 Scout leader along with Chad, my co-hort in crime. Anyhow, we went out to Five Mile Pass out near Cedar Fort, Utah and had a pretty good over-nighter with Josh and his partner in crime, Carter. So, forgive me, I'm a little tired, my punctuation and grammar may not be up to par.
So, yeah, listen, Friday was Josh's birthday. He turned twelve, so tomorrow he's going to graduate out of my class and be ordained a Deacon. I'll be doing the ordaining, so that's pretty cool. I've never given anyone else the Priesthood before, so it should be an emotional day for all involved. Josh and I had an interview together last Wednesday with the Bishop and I was actually very impressed with Josh's answers to some of the interview questions. It's not a requirement that a parent be involved in the interview, but when I was invited in, I figure what the heck you know?
So, tomorrow we got that going on. It should be fun. Then in the afternoon we'll have inlaws and outlaws over for brownies and ice cream for Josh's family birthday. Which, I'm not sure why, but apparently kids these days need multiple birthday parties. One for friends, one for family, one at school, and I guess one at church. Yeah, he took donuts on Friday to get the other kids in the public school system wired so that they can't learn and the Japanese keep on kickin' our trash. Whatever. I'm happy for the little man and all that he's growing up to be. It's quite a contrast between Sam and Josh. Josh, I realized will be driving in four short years, and Sam hasnt even realized that it's an option for him.
You know, that reminds me. Those two boys. Vastly different in ways, and so similar in others. Sam is so easy-going. Josh was an incredibly difficult baby and I'm pretty sure we didnt sleep for three years straight. In fact I know it, because Lexi came along quite unexpectedly 18 months after his arrival and spoiled the whole idea of ever sleeping again. We started planning babies after that point, and gave ourselves a bit of a reprieve before adding Olivia. Whom, as it turns out, is absolutely out of control. She's insane I tell you. Has these dark brown burning little eyes and this blonde hair and an angelic face but a demonic demeanor. Oh yeah, I know, she's a child of God alright, but she's Hell on Wheels I tell ya. She wakes up pissed off and goes to bed quite against her dominant and agressive will. She screams out in the middle of the night, "MY BA! MY BAHHHHHH! OH NO MY BAH!!!" which really is a signal to your's truly that I've way over-slept since putting her down at 11:19 and now, at 3:38, it's apparently time for, "Pink Milk" which really is code for Strawberry Nesquick. Yeah, I know, I'm a horrible parent. I could give two shits right about now. I just want to sleep again through a solid night some day.
Oh, yeah, so about that milk, yeah, I realize I'm coating her perfect little teeth with sugar, yep, you go right ahead and judge me. I dare ya. You've never had five kids before. You dont know your arse from a hole in the ground. So she rots her teeth out? It's not like she doesnt stand to inherit a brand spankin' new set already. Oh, and you and your dentist (you know who you are) can also try to convince me it weakens the bones in the jaw and blah blah blah blah. Yeah, dude, seriously, after 12 years of not sleeping, you learn to make sacrifices ok? Dont you judge me. It's not like the other four wont have perfect teeth. This is Olivia's penance for climbing on anything vertical, horizontal, or otherwise the moment you turn around. This is her payback for willfullly walking over to the fridge, filling up a cup with water, and then walking over and proudly dumping it all over the floor, couch, heat register, carpet or whatever, MOMENTS after you just spanked her and set her on the stairs for the same exact reason. The one way I can get her to sleep is to lay down beside her and her pink milk and read her, "Pinkalicious" which, to be honest, paints and entirely different vision in my head. But you know how I am about that sort of thing. I'm not even a work in progress anymore, I'm just bad news.
OK, so I lost my train of thought, I got on a rant and forgot. Where were we? So, oh yeah, so Josh is going to get the Priesthood, I'm stoked, mom's in shock, yada yada yada. It's a bit of a paradym shift (is that spelled right???) to know that he's going to be wearing a white shirt and tie and passing sacrament, instead of getting thumped with my fist while my arm is around my wife sitting in the pew.
So, what else? Yeah, things are going along well. I'm keeping up with all my personal goals with the exception of piano. It's not that I dont want to, it's that life conspires to keep me in the house for only about 2 hours a night, and 4/5 of that is spent mopping up pink milk, or picking up socks, stirring the goulash or whatever before the next requirement for the evening kicks in. Dont get me wrong, I'm quite accepting of it. Plus, the busier I am, the less I get into trouble. But you all knew that about me anyhow.
Anyhow, I better go. Olivia is going on and on and she's probably starving for mac and cheese or something. I gave her some oreo substitutes (the cheap ones) to break open, suck the frosting out and discard the soggy cookies) on the stairs before I came up to pen this, and I'm sure the house is in a total disarray because we left everyone in charge of everyone else for twelve minutes.
Anyhow, I gotta run. All the best to you and yours. Wiggle wiggle wiggle and all that.
Jon Out.
So, yeah, listen, Friday was Josh's birthday. He turned twelve, so tomorrow he's going to graduate out of my class and be ordained a Deacon. I'll be doing the ordaining, so that's pretty cool. I've never given anyone else the Priesthood before, so it should be an emotional day for all involved. Josh and I had an interview together last Wednesday with the Bishop and I was actually very impressed with Josh's answers to some of the interview questions. It's not a requirement that a parent be involved in the interview, but when I was invited in, I figure what the heck you know?
So, tomorrow we got that going on. It should be fun. Then in the afternoon we'll have inlaws and outlaws over for brownies and ice cream for Josh's family birthday. Which, I'm not sure why, but apparently kids these days need multiple birthday parties. One for friends, one for family, one at school, and I guess one at church. Yeah, he took donuts on Friday to get the other kids in the public school system wired so that they can't learn and the Japanese keep on kickin' our trash. Whatever. I'm happy for the little man and all that he's growing up to be. It's quite a contrast between Sam and Josh. Josh, I realized will be driving in four short years, and Sam hasnt even realized that it's an option for him.
You know, that reminds me. Those two boys. Vastly different in ways, and so similar in others. Sam is so easy-going. Josh was an incredibly difficult baby and I'm pretty sure we didnt sleep for three years straight. In fact I know it, because Lexi came along quite unexpectedly 18 months after his arrival and spoiled the whole idea of ever sleeping again. We started planning babies after that point, and gave ourselves a bit of a reprieve before adding Olivia. Whom, as it turns out, is absolutely out of control. She's insane I tell you. Has these dark brown burning little eyes and this blonde hair and an angelic face but a demonic demeanor. Oh yeah, I know, she's a child of God alright, but she's Hell on Wheels I tell ya. She wakes up pissed off and goes to bed quite against her dominant and agressive will. She screams out in the middle of the night, "MY BA! MY BAHHHHHH! OH NO MY BAH!!!" which really is a signal to your's truly that I've way over-slept since putting her down at 11:19 and now, at 3:38, it's apparently time for, "Pink Milk" which really is code for Strawberry Nesquick. Yeah, I know, I'm a horrible parent. I could give two shits right about now. I just want to sleep again through a solid night some day.
Oh, yeah, so about that milk, yeah, I realize I'm coating her perfect little teeth with sugar, yep, you go right ahead and judge me. I dare ya. You've never had five kids before. You dont know your arse from a hole in the ground. So she rots her teeth out? It's not like she doesnt stand to inherit a brand spankin' new set already. Oh, and you and your dentist (you know who you are) can also try to convince me it weakens the bones in the jaw and blah blah blah blah. Yeah, dude, seriously, after 12 years of not sleeping, you learn to make sacrifices ok? Dont you judge me. It's not like the other four wont have perfect teeth. This is Olivia's penance for climbing on anything vertical, horizontal, or otherwise the moment you turn around. This is her payback for willfullly walking over to the fridge, filling up a cup with water, and then walking over and proudly dumping it all over the floor, couch, heat register, carpet or whatever, MOMENTS after you just spanked her and set her on the stairs for the same exact reason. The one way I can get her to sleep is to lay down beside her and her pink milk and read her, "Pinkalicious" which, to be honest, paints and entirely different vision in my head. But you know how I am about that sort of thing. I'm not even a work in progress anymore, I'm just bad news.
OK, so I lost my train of thought, I got on a rant and forgot. Where were we? So, oh yeah, so Josh is going to get the Priesthood, I'm stoked, mom's in shock, yada yada yada. It's a bit of a paradym shift (is that spelled right???) to know that he's going to be wearing a white shirt and tie and passing sacrament, instead of getting thumped with my fist while my arm is around my wife sitting in the pew.
So, what else? Yeah, things are going along well. I'm keeping up with all my personal goals with the exception of piano. It's not that I dont want to, it's that life conspires to keep me in the house for only about 2 hours a night, and 4/5 of that is spent mopping up pink milk, or picking up socks, stirring the goulash or whatever before the next requirement for the evening kicks in. Dont get me wrong, I'm quite accepting of it. Plus, the busier I am, the less I get into trouble. But you all knew that about me anyhow.
Anyhow, I better go. Olivia is going on and on and she's probably starving for mac and cheese or something. I gave her some oreo substitutes (the cheap ones) to break open, suck the frosting out and discard the soggy cookies) on the stairs before I came up to pen this, and I'm sure the house is in a total disarray because we left everyone in charge of everyone else for twelve minutes.
Anyhow, I gotta run. All the best to you and yours. Wiggle wiggle wiggle and all that.
Jon Out.
Sunday, April 1, 2012
Yup-date.
Yup. It's me again. Ya, I know you'd all thought you were rid of me. Guess what, I'm like a bad penny that way. I keep coming back around. Anyhow, I guess here's your update. Well you've most likely surmised that I've been absent the last week and a half or so. Well for good reason. I finally took some leave from work and decided to head up to the lot and get some stuff done. I took off the 26th through the 29th which effectively gave me from the Thursday before, to, well today, the 1st of April off. So let's get you all up to speed shall we?
OK, so you knew I had the trailer in the driveway for a few weeks. Yeah, I was working on my solar power experiment. I bought all those batteries and a couple of solar panel kits and did all sorts of anectdotal research on the, "Inter-Net" to as to why forta-see how some other guys/gals had done it. Well anyhow, during the trials I discovered that really, to make solar a viable option, I only need about ten solar panel kits at 189 per each to power stuff as long as the sun shines on a fairly regular basis. Anyhow, so jumping ahead, the neighbors I'm sure were getting a bit anxious of my white-trash experiment in the driveway so I pulled it up to the lot to hide it from the casual lookers-on. So, anyhow, I'm not entirely sure but I think dad and I took it up two weeks ago, and then we commenced work on putting some concrete around the fence posts that I started around our parking area. So, to paint you a vivid Miramax picture of what we've got here, imagine a five acre lot, 330' x 660' covered in mostly sagebrush and grass and what-not. Then put a big pile of rocks, whith the median size of a single car garage at the top end of it. Then imagine a crappy version of one of those "Backyards of South-America" play houses and you've got a good start. Additionally, those of you playing along with the, "Life of Riley Home Game" know that last year we put down about 1200 bucks worth of road base on our burgeoning 80'x80' parking area. You'll also recall the drama and intrigue, and near broken-heartedness of our Protagonist at finding that the cost of septic and water had exceeded all available cash fund sources and was post-poned.
OK, so now you're up to par with the rest of our more avid followers. So anyhow, after pulling the trailer up, dad and I worked on painting one section of the two-rail fence and installing some 2x4" rails (not necessarily in that order). Additionally, we also installed a sweet-arse setup (if I do say so my darn-self) that will be the envy of Harbor Freight Solar Kid Afficianados the world over. Yeah, imagine a clothes line T right? Got me? Like but instead of putting some wire betwixt them, put a third T-post in the middler and then put three 2x6" (16 footers) on the top of them for whence to receive the mounting brackets of the aforementioned solar panels (2 each). So, then, paint it sparkling white, with some of Lowe's Valspar (2 in one primer and paint) ((this is not on the test, just backdrop info)), and you've got yourself the beginnings of a mounting platform that is the envy of the county.
OK well that's about where the happiness stops. See, at that point, I invited the whole Fam-Damnily (nuclear) up to take part in the next four or five days of enjoying trailer life the way that many of our Southern and Midwestern allies in the War on Terror/American Values do. Anyhow from there I'll be honest it's a complete blur. I remember burning a tire off of a giant tire rim with Josh one night. See, mainly because I couldnt get the tire off of it, and I had predetermined we needed a more suiting metal fire pit. So, I ....located...this here tire and wheel combo, and went to separating the two of them a few flourocarbons at a time with the aid of a few thousand degrees and some kindling. Anyhow, it's important to note you really shouldnt breath that stuff, and on average it takes about 2 and a half hours to burn a tire of the 16 1/2 inch variety. I'd appreciate any of you in environmental law enforcement to turn a blind-eye at the previous admission of conduct, but not admission of guilt. I have the right to remain silent, I know. I waived it.
Anyhow where were we? Oh, it's also semi-important that the REASON I apparently needed a fire pit, was because we had been having a camp fire smack in the middle of our parking area, and apparently coals and remnants and what-not have been making their way into Stacey's trailer with negative affect on the psyche. So, yeah, she axed me to clean it all up and build an actual fire pit outside of the parking area. Which, I considered a good idea considering the dormant winter grass is about ten inches deep and dry as a bone just outside our parking area. Anyhow, so there were a couple of days of incliment weather, and I hooked all seven of the batteries together and tested out the inverter. Oh, yeah, this is important, so it turns out ANY type of load starts the inverter's cooling fan, which I "cleverly" hid directly underneath our bed (Stacey's/Olivia's/Sam's and once in a while mine) and ran constantly once I attempted to plug the trailer in to run it on over-night as an experiment. Anyhow, realizing the irony that the batteries would be almost dead by morning, only to run the cooling fan inherent in the inverter, so as to cool it from the constant "draw" of two nightlights, was just too much for me to handle. It started my mind on figuring out another way to run this experiment on 12 volt most of the time, and then some sort of a switch (conveniently located somewheres) that one could trip in order to use a particular appliance on demand instead of as per usual like. I'm not sure you're getting the picture so I'll just sush-up about it.
Annnnnnnnnnnnnnyway. So we (the fam) camped out really from Sunday night (for them) and then left in a couple of shot groups on Thursday afternoon. Oh, it's important to note, that with the arrival of Samuel, we now are required to take two vehicles camping. We're THAT family now. One step away from a giant Econoline 15 passenger van I guess. Complete with seven little Disney Mickey Mouse characters in the back of the home-job tint window in the back. Over my dead body.
So, listen, that's about it. The weather was on and off, it was a tad on the cold side, but still enjoyable. I got a lot done and felt great about it. Friday, Saturday, and Sunday turned out to be welcome down-time as all I had to do yesterday was replace the garbage disposal (second time within the year). Also, it's not important to note, but I made the mistake of trying to convey male thoughts and concerns to a female partner and pretty much ruined most of Saturday afternoon. Women I tell you. You start out with a fairly logical line of reasoning, and you get sidetracked and confused with the mundane and trivial and inconsequencial. Oh, and that's just my side of the argument. That's before you bring Stacey into it. ;) Anyhow, all is well, turns out men and women think a little differently, but she's amazing and forgives me just the same for my constant passionate feelings on things like registering ATV's and other critical life-changing events.
Hey, listen I gotta go. I haven't practiced piano in almost three weeks because life sorta just took off at a gallop. Anyhow, all the best to you and youren. You know I think the world of ya. WAIT! Before you go, I forgot the best part! I got the water tank mounted on the stand and moved over next to the trailer and filled half-way full of water and a half-cup of bleach (4 ounces of "prevention" you see). Anyhow, turns out it should gravity feed into the trailer JUST like my schematics and yeller stickies said it would while I was planning it in the off-season.
OK, seriously, you have family stuff and I need a Diet Coke. All the best kids.
Jon
OK, so you knew I had the trailer in the driveway for a few weeks. Yeah, I was working on my solar power experiment. I bought all those batteries and a couple of solar panel kits and did all sorts of anectdotal research on the, "Inter-Net" to as to why forta-see how some other guys/gals had done it. Well anyhow, during the trials I discovered that really, to make solar a viable option, I only need about ten solar panel kits at 189 per each to power stuff as long as the sun shines on a fairly regular basis. Anyhow, so jumping ahead, the neighbors I'm sure were getting a bit anxious of my white-trash experiment in the driveway so I pulled it up to the lot to hide it from the casual lookers-on. So, anyhow, I'm not entirely sure but I think dad and I took it up two weeks ago, and then we commenced work on putting some concrete around the fence posts that I started around our parking area. So, to paint you a vivid Miramax picture of what we've got here, imagine a five acre lot, 330' x 660' covered in mostly sagebrush and grass and what-not. Then put a big pile of rocks, whith the median size of a single car garage at the top end of it. Then imagine a crappy version of one of those "Backyards of South-America" play houses and you've got a good start. Additionally, those of you playing along with the, "Life of Riley Home Game" know that last year we put down about 1200 bucks worth of road base on our burgeoning 80'x80' parking area. You'll also recall the drama and intrigue, and near broken-heartedness of our Protagonist at finding that the cost of septic and water had exceeded all available cash fund sources and was post-poned.
OK, so now you're up to par with the rest of our more avid followers. So anyhow, after pulling the trailer up, dad and I worked on painting one section of the two-rail fence and installing some 2x4" rails (not necessarily in that order). Additionally, we also installed a sweet-arse setup (if I do say so my darn-self) that will be the envy of Harbor Freight Solar Kid Afficianados the world over. Yeah, imagine a clothes line T right? Got me? Like but instead of putting some wire betwixt them, put a third T-post in the middler and then put three 2x6" (16 footers) on the top of them for whence to receive the mounting brackets of the aforementioned solar panels (2 each). So, then, paint it sparkling white, with some of Lowe's Valspar (2 in one primer and paint) ((this is not on the test, just backdrop info)), and you've got yourself the beginnings of a mounting platform that is the envy of the county.
OK well that's about where the happiness stops. See, at that point, I invited the whole Fam-Damnily (nuclear) up to take part in the next four or five days of enjoying trailer life the way that many of our Southern and Midwestern allies in the War on Terror/American Values do. Anyhow from there I'll be honest it's a complete blur. I remember burning a tire off of a giant tire rim with Josh one night. See, mainly because I couldnt get the tire off of it, and I had predetermined we needed a more suiting metal fire pit. So, I ....located...this here tire and wheel combo, and went to separating the two of them a few flourocarbons at a time with the aid of a few thousand degrees and some kindling. Anyhow, it's important to note you really shouldnt breath that stuff, and on average it takes about 2 and a half hours to burn a tire of the 16 1/2 inch variety. I'd appreciate any of you in environmental law enforcement to turn a blind-eye at the previous admission of conduct, but not admission of guilt. I have the right to remain silent, I know. I waived it.
Anyhow where were we? Oh, it's also semi-important that the REASON I apparently needed a fire pit, was because we had been having a camp fire smack in the middle of our parking area, and apparently coals and remnants and what-not have been making their way into Stacey's trailer with negative affect on the psyche. So, yeah, she axed me to clean it all up and build an actual fire pit outside of the parking area. Which, I considered a good idea considering the dormant winter grass is about ten inches deep and dry as a bone just outside our parking area. Anyhow, so there were a couple of days of incliment weather, and I hooked all seven of the batteries together and tested out the inverter. Oh, yeah, this is important, so it turns out ANY type of load starts the inverter's cooling fan, which I "cleverly" hid directly underneath our bed (Stacey's/Olivia's/Sam's and once in a while mine) and ran constantly once I attempted to plug the trailer in to run it on over-night as an experiment. Anyhow, realizing the irony that the batteries would be almost dead by morning, only to run the cooling fan inherent in the inverter, so as to cool it from the constant "draw" of two nightlights, was just too much for me to handle. It started my mind on figuring out another way to run this experiment on 12 volt most of the time, and then some sort of a switch (conveniently located somewheres) that one could trip in order to use a particular appliance on demand instead of as per usual like. I'm not sure you're getting the picture so I'll just sush-up about it.
Annnnnnnnnnnnnnyway. So we (the fam) camped out really from Sunday night (for them) and then left in a couple of shot groups on Thursday afternoon. Oh, it's important to note, that with the arrival of Samuel, we now are required to take two vehicles camping. We're THAT family now. One step away from a giant Econoline 15 passenger van I guess. Complete with seven little Disney Mickey Mouse characters in the back of the home-job tint window in the back. Over my dead body.
So, listen, that's about it. The weather was on and off, it was a tad on the cold side, but still enjoyable. I got a lot done and felt great about it. Friday, Saturday, and Sunday turned out to be welcome down-time as all I had to do yesterday was replace the garbage disposal (second time within the year). Also, it's not important to note, but I made the mistake of trying to convey male thoughts and concerns to a female partner and pretty much ruined most of Saturday afternoon. Women I tell you. You start out with a fairly logical line of reasoning, and you get sidetracked and confused with the mundane and trivial and inconsequencial. Oh, and that's just my side of the argument. That's before you bring Stacey into it. ;) Anyhow, all is well, turns out men and women think a little differently, but she's amazing and forgives me just the same for my constant passionate feelings on things like registering ATV's and other critical life-changing events.
Hey, listen I gotta go. I haven't practiced piano in almost three weeks because life sorta just took off at a gallop. Anyhow, all the best to you and youren. You know I think the world of ya. WAIT! Before you go, I forgot the best part! I got the water tank mounted on the stand and moved over next to the trailer and filled half-way full of water and a half-cup of bleach (4 ounces of "prevention" you see). Anyhow, turns out it should gravity feed into the trailer JUST like my schematics and yeller stickies said it would while I was planning it in the off-season.
OK, seriously, you have family stuff and I need a Diet Coke. All the best kids.
Jon
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