Sunday, October 29, 2006

Nada en particular

It was a fun weekend. I didn't do anything life threatening but it did pick up the heart beat.
Friday, I was asked to work the sound for my friend while he was doing a singles dance in town. I was hesitant because I really don't know anything about that thing. There has to be over 100 dials on that board and I don't even know which one controls the dang volume. Anyway as the time gets closer, he gets the dreaded stomach flu. It has been making the rounds down here. I don't know why but I know a lot of people that have come down with it.
Since he wasn't able to show up, the rest of the band was there and trying to figure out who was going to do what. I just went about plugging everything in. I even made a comment that I didn't realize how bad it was till after it came out of my mouth. I won't mention it here but if you want to know, email me.
Anyway it was the mid singles LDS dance. That in itself is a train wreck and the band didn't help. At one point they were doing the "Bunny Hop". Frightful stuff.
After that we cleaned everything up and I went home to detox from that.
Saturday, my Mom called. She was coming up to pick some stuff up for my stepfather who was running a concession stand in Mesquite. I went around with her to pick the stuff up. It is always a good day when I can spend time with my Mom. We just chatted and did errands. I had a blast. We went out to my Grandparents place and got them flowers. It was their 62ND wedding anniversary. My Grandpa was cracking jokes that some people didn't even live that long. He has a great sense of humor.
Today, my friend was feeling a little bit better so we went for a drive. We went up Browse Creek. There is a Redwood tree up there and it a nice place for a warm Sunday afternoon. We made it up part way but came to a quick end. The road had been washed out by a flash flood. It looked like it was a powerful flood because of where the culvert ended up below. We hiked around trying to figure out an alternate trail. We found a small road cut into the mountain but it wasn't suited for anything larger than a Jeep. Most likely a 4 wheeler would be the best. It never ceases to amaze me how nature can come up and just change everything.
Anyway it is a slow night tonight so I think I will read a book then hit the sack.

Thursday, October 19, 2006

And speaking of traffic...

I figure since I started my rant yesterday about roads, I would just continue. Just not with politics. I have said my piece for now and leave it at that.
My frustrations are aimed at some of the idiot drivers that infect St. George. Since this is a going town we get a mix of almost all driving styles and it doesn't come out pretty. You have everything from Hispanics that are trying to learn or at the very best, trying to survive to the retirees that the city works so hard to bring into town.
Let me give you some of the most frustrating examples.
First a couple of months ago, I get the urge to go fishing. I take off up hwy 18 to Enterprise to fish at the reservoir above the town. It is about a 45 minute drive but it takes over 1.5 hours because some idiot feels that he can't travel over 45 MPH on a road that varies from 55 to 65 MPH. You get frustrated and I am one that I get to the point of making bad decision in desperation to get around slow drivers. Yet this idiot can't see that there is a line of over 20 plus cars behind him? It astounds me. In the Northwest, they at least have the courtesy to pull over if there are to many cars stacked up. We don't get that. Not in the slightest.
Another example in town is with all the retirees. I call them "Blue Hairs" and don't feel bad in the slightest to do that. We had one get that apparently wanted to get on I-15 southbound but did it by getting on the on ramp that is for the northbound traffic and this is in the middle of the day. People stopped at the light just couldn't believe what they were seeing and she did get on the freeway. Scary.
There are times when you see the blue hair going 15 MPH on 30 MPH roads then you have teenagers that fly with reckless abandon. Not a good combination to have.
Anyway now I have to go shopping. Pray for me.

Tuesday, October 17, 2006

Please excuse me while I get politcal.

OK. This is a rarity. I don't usually post something about politics. I don't feel that it makes much difference but today I have to rant. Now you ask, "What has got you wound up?" "It is the federal government?" Nope. I believe that the whole bunch ought to be flushed out for being more beholden to big business and political special interest rather that the people in their districts. It is the state government?" Nope. They are just a smaller version of the feds and still bug me. "Well then, what has you so bugged?" Let me tell you.
It is the city government here in St. George and the decisions on the roadways. They have been trying to redo the boulevard here and finally got the state and feds to pony up a lot of funds. I honestly don't know how much but they spent a pretty penny. Did they increase traffic and help ease the flow? Nope. That would have made sense. They did make it pretty looking with quaint traffic lights. We should all feel a little bit of pride there. Heaven forbid they actually do something to help the flow of the traffic. Granted we are a small town in some eyes but we are growing at an believable pace and any relief would help. Instead we have nice lights.
They still haven't completed the project but went ahead with a ceremony marking the ending of the project. That makes sense to me.
On top of that, they take another major route, shut it down to two lanes to repave the road. It wasn't a road that had many chuck holes if any at all. Why would I complain about that? Well here will be my prediction. Within two to three weeks of repaving the road. It will be shut down again to put in a drain that will require that they repave the road. If the city has so much money to burn. They can certainly float some my way.
I realize that we need to work on the road in this city and county. As I said before, the rate of growth is just amazing but the city SHOULD be working on belt routes and major road to help the flow of traffic. We just can't keep up with that now but no one seems to really care about that.
Anyway...that is my rant for now.

Saturday, October 14, 2006

Yogurt and Propel

That has been how I spent my last two days. I get up on Friday and head off to work. I get there and I start not feeling right. Come to find out, I have a nasty stomach flu working. I spend about an hour there but I realize there was no way in hell I was staying the rest of the day.
I head home and I only get sicker. It gets downright ugly. I can't keep anything down. I get a friend to get me the yogurt and propel since I can't keep solid foods down and I was getting really dehydrated. I started to feel a little better last night and I sleep off an on through the night.
Today I am feeling a little bit better and a tad bit stronger. I am still keeping myself on softer foods but the bright side I am keeping it down.
I guess it is good timing cause I was able to rest today and I will rest tomorrow and then deal with the rest of the week as it comes. I am just thankful for friends that were willing to help me out even though they didn't want to come in the house and catch whatever I had.

Monday, October 09, 2006

Given half a chance, cats will try to neuter you.


OK. That is a good start for an incident that happened about a week ago.
I was over at a friend's house watching a video. He has a pet cat that we let in to hang with us. Let's just say that this is a laid back cat but that is has TONS of personality.
Anyway the cat bounced between my friend and I getting some good kitty lovin'. Anyway the cat has it's paws down in the most tender spot on guys. My friends pushes the cat off of him saying "Get off my nuts!" The cats wasn't to be commanded that way and gathered himself on the floor and jobs and according to my friend, he got ALL for paws concentrated on that one spot. I hear this huge "OOOOWWWW" and I look over and he is doubled over and the cat is slowly jumping off like he didn't have a care in the world.
I burst out laughing while my friend was still doubled over and we were both laughing so hard that tears came out. He kept claiming that the cat did it on purpose. I had to go over and congratulate the cat for his efforts and let him out.
There has been no other incident after that little fiasco but my appreciation for that cat has doubled.

Sunday, October 08, 2006

Weekend fun.

Well it is interesting how things are planned and how they work out. There was a camp out planned for Friday and Saturday that was put together. Friday we had a rainstorm come in about noon. It rained HARD around noon and again in the evening. Funny thing about planning activities down here, 90% of the time the weather cooperates. Oh well we had that 10% Friday. Anyway Saturday we we able to go out to Sand Hollow and enjoy the lake. This was the first time that I have even been on a jet ski. I was given the one that they said was a "little tipsy". That will grab your attention really quick. Anyway I had a blast on that thing. There was a couple of times that I opened that thing up and went flying across the lake. Those machines are something else. We ate Dutch oven dinner later that night. It was excellent and the company of friends was a blast. I am thankful for good friends. I wussed out and didn't stay overnight but it was still more fun than I had thought I could have had. Now back to the real world of work.

Thursday, October 05, 2006

The Dash

"The Dash"

"The Dash between the dates, the gift we've been given
That little line that takes us from the cradle to heaven
You're born and then you die
Life goes by so fast and it's all riding on the Dash."

I borrow these lyrics from my friend. It is a song that I have dwelt on. Let me tell why I hold these lyrics so dear.
Last winter we went up to an old ghost town called Grafton. We went through the town and looked at the old buildings then we to the cemetery. They are just names and dates now. Some aren't even that. They are just mounds of dirt. I hope that somewhere their stories are written and that their families are able to read them and be able to celebrate the lives of those souls and to learn more about their lives and how they survived. I am thankful we have this time to learn and to make the time time more meaningful. I know I have a lot to improve on but I am happy that I have the time to improve. To have the knowledge that we will continue on after that final date after the dash is a blessing at we all should think about.

This is the first

Ok...After some discussion, a little thought and banging my head against a wall to try this out, here I am. I am hoping like crazy this will work out. Let me know.