But we always tell the truth . . .

I haven't been able to type very well because . . . well because I had a torn tendon in my finger (ring - right hand). I did it taking off a sweatshirt! In my defense, I was taking off the sweatshirt and it caught on my glasses and I didn't want them to break and then it got too tight around my neck and I started to choke and I started seeing stars and I panicked and then I pulled really hard and then it felt like something bit my finger. So I have had a plastic splint on my finger. It has been an interesting adventure. Think of how many times you wash your hands in a day. Yeah, and the tape needs to be changed every time. I started wearing plastic gloves to do the dishes which is something I've never liked to do. And I wore a plastic glove in the shower so the splint wouldn't fall off when I washed my hair. When I told my neighbor friend (who by the way is age 7) how I did it, he looked at me so incredulously that I almost fell over laughing. Then he ran home to tell his Mom. They came over because they couldn't believe it. When I said that I'd have to make up a better story, my little friend looked at me in all seriousness and said, "But we always tell the truth." So every time someone asks, my little friend's voice runs through my head and I tell the truth (to be honest, I couldn't have made up a crazier story). The worst that has happened is the splint got caught in my brake handle when I was barreling down a hill on my mountain bike. The funniest is when my niece's daughter was afraid of "The Finger." The doctor ordered 6 weeks to wear it day and night, and thereafter an additional 6 weeks at night. If the finger got bent, the six weeks started over again. So I've actually been wearing it for about 7 weeks. I think I have only 1 more week to go. Yeah!

I was sort of feeling sorry for myself -- especially on the aforementioned day when it got stuck in the brake handle. Then at the top of the hill I saw a fellow who was riding his mountain bike with a prosthetic leg. He was amazing and I instantly realized that there are those who have it tougher and keep on going.

We've had L & R here along with their friends S & T for the weekend. It was a lot of fun. We went on an amazing flower hike. The desert provided a beautiful garden for us. The hill was pretty steep. L is 8 months along and S was toting her 8 month son, but they were like mountain sheep and scaled it without a problem. I was very proud of both of them as I huffed and puffed my way behind them. When we got back to the truck, we lost track of Buster for a minute or two. Then R said he had him. As I approached I couldn't see Buster. R told me to look down. There was Buster smiling at me underneath the storm drain. Thankfully, the grate came up easily (Thank you, R, for your bicep) and apparently it looked like so much fun, Buddy and Prana wanted to climb inside too. Needless to say Buster enjoyed a bath when we got home. Buddy, too, because he had rolled in something. Not sure what but he was happy. I am going to take B on the hike so he can take pictures. We will need to identify the wildflowers.

I have been reading The Autobiography of Parley P. Pratt. It is amazing; he is amazing. I knew he was an important figure in early Church history but . . . wow, it is well worth the read. The next book I am looking forward to is The Last Stand by Nathaniel Philbrick. He is the authro of Mayflower and In The Heart of The Sea, both very very good books. I think I've read In the Heart of the Sea a half dozen times and loved it every time. I've read several books about the battle of Little Bighorn so I'm familiar with the story. I am excited to read this one also.

Old Photos

I finished scanning some old photos. Here are a few of my favorites:

Dad

Mom

wedding 1947

Florentino and Ramoncita

Maximiano

Juanita

Abel & Bernardita

Rumaldo & Dolores

MMM

B&C

The countdown is on

I'm trying to not get overexcited or start some kind of countdown, but . . . we have received official word that Elder D.O. is coming home 25 May 2010 at 11:08 AM! Okay, I'm overexcited and am really looking forward to seeing him. I'll try not to cry but prolly (to borrow one of D's words) will. I'll probably hug him until he's blue in the face. The time has really flown by and there is a flood of wonderful memories.

one year

sixth grade choir

D, Mom, and Grandma

Sacking the Quarterback

Dunking the Ball

Going on a mission!

The past two years have been full of joy, of sorrow, of fun, and full of life. So many things will be coming in the next few months: D coming home and L & R having their first baby -- our first grandbaby.

L & R (photo borrowed from L's blog)

There is a lot of excitement coming. Truly my cup runneth over. . .

Books. As far as books go, it is a bit of dry spell. I've read all of the Book Club (both of them) books, and I've re-read most of my favorites. Nothing new in way of summer reading. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Just finished working out in the yard -- seeding, weeding, feeding, trimming, and planting. Six new tomato plants have joined the family. We'll see how they do. My neighbor gave them to me. He said that was his good deed for the day. I'm so lucky to have a wonderful neighbor.

Buddy is doing better since Saturday night. We're not completely sure, but we think he got bit by a scorpion. When he came in from outside, he sort of fell over and acted like something was biting his leg. Then his back leg went stiff and he couldn't climb the stairs. We looked at him but couldn't see anything unusual except that he couldn't really walk. Easter morning, our vet (thank you Dr. B) put him on a steroid and an anti-inflammatory. Slowly the leg is coming back, but it is difficult to watch Buddy dragging his back leg. He wagged his tail for the first time last night. So, it must have affected his back side up into his tail. He was pretty sick Sunday and Monday, but now wants to get outside and check out the action. We're not going to walk him until next week when we hope he is running on all fours again. Buster is missing his big brother. Today Princeton (a mini-shnauzer) joined him as we walked up the Hill. It was fun but not the same as his Buddy!

Today is Book Club. We read Ivan Doig's The Whistling Season. I really have enjoyed Doig's books. If I haven't said this already, they are somewhat similar to Stegner. I hope Doig considers that a compliment because it is. The Whistling Season tackles a lot of concepts from the perception of a young boy, who tells it like it is. The descriptions of a wild Montana were fantastic. I imagine teaching school in a one-room schoolhouse would be an incredible adventure. My other Book Club is reading Murder at Astor Place, a good murder mystery.

One of my friends taught in a one-room schoolhouse here in southern Utah-northern Arizona. I keep nagging her to get her story finished because I consider it history, delightful commentary, and a look at life that passed too quickly in our days of technology. I'll keep you posted in that one!

Finished Wolf Willow by Wallace Stegner last night. It is mostly non-fiction about the area where he grew up in Saskatchewan. My favorite books by Stegner is Angle of Repose, Beyond the Hundreth Meridian, and Mormon Country. I enjoyed Wolf Willow because it is social history about the West. Although it concerns a specific part of Canada, it could easily translate to most of the settlement of the West -- irrigation, rainfall, buffalo, cattle, wolves, coyotes, and most importantly, the blue sky. All of those "Western problems" were part of this country long before Anglos came and will always be something we have to deal with by living here. All of those words are held in both good and bad esteem. As for me, I try to conserve when and where I can, I planted globemallow and red yucca because they don't need much water, and I enjoy eating red meat. I'd love to see the buffalo roam, I consider spotting a coyote an omen of good luck, and I would be thrilled to see a wolf in the wild as long as I wasn't considered dinner. I have some friends who are cattlemen and they have the right to protect their property so they see coyotes and wolves in a different light. But it's okay because we both live here, and we have to figure out how to get along for us to continue living here.

If there are any spelling errors, please forgive. I broke a tendon on my right ring finger and am wearing a lovely finger splint for the next 6 weeks day/night and then another 6 weeks at night. The finger just keeps jumping out wanting to press additional keys so although I am trying hard to keep track of additional letters in words, it might happen without my control.

B and I just got home from a 3 hour tour. Yep, a three hour tour (thanks Gilligan)! We rode our bikes from home up Snow Canyon. I had a hard time making it up the Canyon, but B followed along and gave encouraging words to my weary soul. We ride together to the base of the Canyon, then he takes off to ride to the top, and then comes back for me. My goal today was to make it off the bike path and in to the road before he came back -- that is about half way. I was just getting started up the road when he met me. I was so hot -- not smokin' like making it up the hill fast -- I was burning up with heat! Our room was cold when we got ready so I put on one of my warmer jerseys, along with an undee-shirt and a vest. After we passed through the gate, I took off my jersey and just wore my undee-shirt and vest. I had to stop a few times to rest. I was a lot cooler, but boy was my head on fire. I was so glad a breeze kicked up and by the time I got to the top, was feeling a lot better. I put my shirt back on and had a great down hill on the bike path. We rode through town and made it home in one piece.

Next stop is la chicken tostada pollo con frijoles negros y arroz con salsa mediana, no crema, and Diet Coke with a lime.

I read two books this week that essentially address the same subject: what does our faith mean and how do we show our faith? Both books agree action in and of itself isn't always a demonstration of faith but our hearts and thoughts can lead us to position faithful action. For example, a person can attend church, teach Sunday School lessons, and even donate large amounts of money to charitable organizations but not treat his neighbors very kindly. After reading both of the books, there are questions about my own faith and action. For example, instead of reading books about faith, I should be reading the books of my faith. I realize faith is personal and is based on free will; our God will not force us to be faithful. I liked both books and would recommend them. I'd also recommend The Book of Mormon. In the spirit of my son's serving a Spanish-speaking mission, I am reading it in Spanish. Surprisingly enough, I can also understand it. But I'm slow. Reading aloud helps. Many of the passages bring me to tears -- especially in realizing when Nephi writes that the book will be saved and prepared for us to read now and I am reading now in Spanish. This somehow connects me to something greater . . . I can't quite put into words.

The first book is Have A Little Faith by Mitch Albom, the same author who wrote Tuesday with Morrie, The Five People You Meet in Heaven, and For One More Day. The other book is The Holy Secret, by James L. Ferrell, who also wrote The Peacegiver.

We are also watching our neighbors' dog. Since he is named Buddy, the two Buddys get a little confused when I call either one of them, or both of them. All of the dogs are getting along very well. Right now, little Buddy is sleeping on the couch while the other Buddy and Buster are outside. We walked up The Hill and everyone, including the humans, are enjoying the calming effect of exercise. When I feed little Buddy, I give big Buddy a kibble, then Buster, then I put down a handful to little Buddy, who gobbles it up while the other two wait somewhat patiently for their pieces. I repeat a bunch of times until little Buddy has had enough to eat. I tried putting the other two dogs outside while little Buddy ate his food but they seemed hurt. And little Buddy doesn't seem to eat when I leave him in his own backyard. This way, I know he is eating and the other two dogs get some "candy." B gave me a pretty good compliment. He said, "You are almost as good a Dog Mom as my Mom." Everyone who knew her agrees she was the Greatest of All Dog Moms so I took this compliment with a huge smile on my face! Thank you, GTO, for showing me how to do it right!

We went with L & R to Hardware Ranch. It is a winter elk sanctuary. There were about 350 elk in the meadow. The sun was shining and everything was so bright and warm. A good day and a good visit.

We walked all the dogs (Buddy, Buster, and Prana) up the canyon three different times.

I also got to feel the baby kick!

I'm in the process of reading The People of the Book by Geraldine Brooks. She is also the author of March, which won a Pulitzer Prize, and Year of Wonders. The one drawback to the books is there is usually come sexual aspect that I don't care for and I think is unnecessary for the story to progress. It sounds somewhat prudish but I'm a firm believer in "if there is anything virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy" and I like my books to fall into that category.