Sweet 16!

Normally I am not one who is at a loss for words but today I am. I guess it is not so much a loss of words as just not having the adequate words for the moment. I am unable to fully express the feelings that I have but I will do my best. Today is Lisa and I's 16th wedding anniversary. I look back and say wow! It has been 16 years since we were married. When I was 16 years old it seemed to me like a very long time and now, after 16 years of marriage I am saying where did all those years go. I do not really remember not being married. I get a taste each year when Lisa goes to Arizona of what it would be like without her but I truly do not know what I would do without her. I have to say I am happier with every year that goes by. I do not know how it happens but it just gets better and better each year. At this rate I can not wait till we have been married for 25!





In the last 16 years I have had 20 jobs, some of them were very brief or part time but 20 none the less. I have had 5 children, moved 9 times, served in many callings at church, and done a great deal of fishing. But I will have to say that our marriage is the greatest thing I have ever done and Lisa is my greatest source of joy. She is the star that my whole world revolves around.

Some things are just funny.

I am a bad person. at least I think I am for laughing at someone when I should not have. But come on it was awfully funny. Here is how it went down.

My friend Aaron Ball and I have a good time teasing each other with different things. We sit across from each other at work and workout in the morning together. If he is not bugging or teasing me I am bugging or teasing him. Many times in the morning we swim. Aaron is a very accomplished swimmer and is much better then me. The other morning we were standing by the side of the pool and he was starting to put his goggles on. I could not resist and gave him a shove launching him prematurely into the pool. The lap pool is kind of cold in the morning and it takes a few laps to warm up. I thought it was terribly funny and began to laugh. He launched himself out of the pool to come after me and in about 2 steps his feet went out from under him and he landed square on his back. I just about died laughing. It was something strait out of a Buggs Bunny cartoon. He even landed with his head right on the no running tile on the pool decking. Once I knew he was OK I jumped into the pool and started my laps. I know he wanted to drown me but thankfully he did not.

It was next to impossible to get a good swim. Every time I thought about it I started laughing and would completely loose my rhythm. I would have to stop swimming and catch my breath. So the question is am I really a jerk or what. Laughing at one of your best friends when he slips and falls on the pool deck. With friends like me who needs enemies!

Memories

My Cousin Kim posted a cool post on her blog and suggested others do the same. I think it is a great idea so here it is.

1. As a comment on my blog, leave one memory that you and I had together. It doesn't matter if you knew me a little or a lot, anything you remember!

2. Next, re-post these instructions on your blog and see how many people leave a memory about you. If you leave a memory about me, I'll assume you're playing the game and I'll come to your blog and leave one about you. If you don't want to play on your blog, or if you don't have a blog, I'll leave my memory of you in my comments.

The older I get the more valuable memories seem to be.

The good life starts with a good wife.

As many of you know Lisa leaves me every year for about a month. She says it is to go visit her family but I think she just wants me to appreciate here more. Indeed when she is gone I miss her a lot. First and foremost I miss her companionship. Sleeping alone was no big deal until I had been married for a while. After sleeping next to someone for 16 years it is hard to go to sleep with out them there. If Lisa were to die I think I would never get used to not having her there. Night would be my greatest dread. Eating dinner alone is also interesting. I have everything in front of me and nobody asking me to pass them something. When I want something that is not on the table I can not say to one of my kids "Hey go get me the whatever." I can see how the south got so used to slavery. It is really quiet so I find myself talking out loud now and again about random things. It is a good thing there are no cameras.

While the loneliness is the worst the lack of her services is almost as bad. I have to do the laundry and iron my white shirt. (I choose to not wear anything but a T-shirt any other day of the week so I do not have to iron) I have to clean up my dishes every few days as well. Can you imagine the pain! :) I only make the bed once a week on Sunday. I figure the sabbath is a day that the bed should be made on.

The funniest thing that has happened though was with the vacuum. Lisa asked me to clean the carpets with a carpet cleaner before she got back so, last night I started in on the project. I got out the vacuum and attempted to turn it on. I could not find the power button. It took me some time to figure it out. The funniest part of all that is about a year and a half ago I had the same problem when Lisa asked me to do some vacuuming. In my defense the vacuums power button is kind of hidden down by the bottom under the hose. What can I say, I fix the thing when it breaks why should I have to know how to use it.

I am indeed a lucky man with a great life.

Things I have done.

A good friend of mine posted these same 200 things on his blog and it was a lot of fun seeing how many of them I had done. I went through the list and made all of the ones that I have done bold. I have done 129 things out of 200. Some of them I hesitated to admit but what the heck. how many have you done?

1. Touched an iceberg
2. Slept under the stars
3. Been a part of a hockey fight
4. Changed a baby's diaper
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Swam with wild dolphins
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a tarantula
10. Said "I love you" and meant it
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Stayed up all night long and watched the sun rise
15. Seen the Northern Lights
16. Gone to a huge sports game
17. Walked the stairs to the top of the Statue of Liberty (as high as they would let me)
18. Grown and eaten your own vegetables
19. Looked up at the night sky through a telescope
20. Had an uncontrollable giggling fit at the worst possible moment
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Bet on a winning horse
23. Taken a sick day when you're not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Taken an ice cold bath
28. Had a meaningful conversation with a beggar
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Ridden a roller coaster
31. Hit a home run
32. Danced like a fool and not cared who was looking
33. Adopted an accent for fun
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Felt very happy about your life, even for just a moment
36. Loved your job 90% of the time
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Watched wild whales
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Gone on a midnight walk on the beach
41. Gone sky diving
42. Visited Ireland
43. Ever bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited India
45. Bench-pressed your own weight
46. Milked a cow
47. Alphabetized your personal files
48. Ever worn a superhero costume
49. Sung karaoke
50. Lounged around in bed all day
51. Gone scuba diving
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Done something you should regret, but don't
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Been in a movie
60. Gone without food for 3 days
61. Made cookies from scratch
62. Won first prize in a costume contest
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Been in a combat zone
65. Spoken more than one language fluently
66. Gotten into a fight while attempting to defend someone
67. Bounced a check
68. Read - and understood - your credit report
69. Recently bought and played with a favorite childhood toy
70. Found out something significant that your ancestors did
71. Called or written your Congress person
72. Picked up and moved to another city to just start over
73. Walked the Golden Gate Bridge
74. Helped an animal give birth
75. Been fired or laid off from a job
76. Won money
77. Broken a bone
78. Ridden a motorcycle
79. Driven any land vehicle at a speed of greater than 100 mph
80. Hiked to the bottom of the Grand Canyon
81. Slept through an entire flight: takeoff, flight, and landing
82. Taken a canoe trip that lasted more than 2 days
83. Eaten sushi
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read The Bible cover to cover
86. Changed someone's mind about something you care deeply about
87. Gotten someone fired for their actions
88. Gone back to school
89. Changed your name
90. Caught a fly in the air with your bare hands
91. Eaten fried green tomatoes
92. Read The Iliad
93. Taught yourself an art from scratch
94. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
95. Apologized to someone years after inflicting the hurt
96. Communicated with someone without sharing a common spoken language
97. Been elected to public office
98. Thought to yourself that you're living your dream
99. Had to put someone you love into hospice care
100. Sold your own artwork to someone who didn't know you
101. Had a booth at a street fair
102. Dyed your hair
103. Been a DJ
104. Rocked a baby to sleep
105. Ever dropped a cat from a high place to see if it really lands on all four
106. Raked your carpet
107. Brought out the best in people
108. Brought out the worst in people
109. Worn a mood ring
110. Ridden a horse
111. Carved an animal from a piece of wood or bar of soap
112. Cooked a dish where four people asked for the recipe
113. Buried a child
114. Gone to a Broadway (or equivalent to your country) play
115. Been inside the pyramids
116. Shot a basketball into a basket
117. Danced at a disco
118. Played in a band
119. Shot a bird
120. Gone to an arboretum
121. Tutored someone
122. Ridden a train
123. Brought an old fad back into style
124. Eaten caviar
125. Let a salesman talk you into something you didn’t need
126. Ridden a giraffe or elephant
127. Published a book
128. Pieced a quilt
129. Lived in an historic place
130. Acted in a play or performed on a stage
131. Asked for a raise
132. Made a hole-in-one (if miniature golf counts)
133. Gone deep sea fishing
134. Gone roller skating
135. Run a marathon
136. Learned to surf
137. Invented something
138. Flown first class
139. Spent the night in a 5-star luxury suite
140. Flown in a helicopter
141. Visited Africa
142. Sang a solo
143. Gone spelunking
144. Learned how to take a compliment
145. Written a love-story
146. Seen Michelangelo’s David
147. Had your portrait painted
148. Written a fan letter
149. Spent the night in something haunted
150. Owned a St. Bernard or Great Dane
151. Ran away
152. Learned to juggle
153. Been a boss
154. Sat on a jury
155. Lied about your weight
156. Gone on a diet
157. Found an arrowhead or a gold nugget
158. Written a poem
159. Carried your lunch in a lunchbox
160. Gotten food poisoning
161. Gone on a service, humanitarian or religious mission
162. Hiked the Grand Canyon
163. Sat on a park bench and fed the ducks
164. Gone to the opera
165. Gotten a letter from someone famous
166. Worn knickers
167. Ridden in a limousine
168. Attended the Olympics
169. Can hula or waltz
170. Read a half dozen Nancy Drew or Hardy Boys books
171. Been stuck in an elevator
172. Had a revelatory dream
173. Thought you might crash in an airplane
174. Had a song dedicated to you on the radio or at a concert
175. Saved someone’s life
176. Eaten raw whale
177. Know how to tat, smock or do needlepoint
178. Laughed till your side hurt
179. Straddled the equator
180. Taken a photograph of something other than people that is worth framing
181. Gone to a Shakespeare Festival
182. Sent a message in a bottle
183. Spent the night in a hostel
184. Been a cashier
185. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
186. Joined a union
187. Donated blood or plasma
188. Built a camp fire
189. Kept a blog
190. Had hives
191. Worn custom made shoes or boots
192. Made a PowerPoint presentation
193. Taken a Hunter’s Safety Course
194. Served at a soup kitchen
195. Conquered the Rubik’s cube
196. Know CPR
197. Ridden in or owned a convertible
198. Found a long lost friend
199. Helped solve a crime
200. Responded to a NJP newsletter

Another Fish story.

I just wanted to pat myself on the back again and since it is my blog I will go ahead and do it. Today I swam a mile. Yes to some that is nothing but for this old fat man that was quite a feet. It took me 55 minutes but I was able to do it. I decided that next year I am going to do a mini triathlon. I think it is a half mile swim , a 25 mile bike ride and a 5K run.

After so many years of being out of shape it is nice to be able to do some of these things. Maybe I can get the mile swim patch from the scout office now.

60 Fish in 2 days!!

Over the 4^th of July I had the coolest vacation. I went backpacking into a place called Brown Duck Basin. Any one who knows me knows that I love to go fishing and this was probably the greatest fishing trip I have been on in a long time if not ever. I fished 4 lakes and 3 rivers and caught 60 fish! They ranged from as small as 4 inches to as much as 18 inches. I was in heaven! There was nothing like it. The only draw back was that I was all alone and I don’t have anyone to sit around and swap stories with when I am to old to do this sort of thing one day.

This fish was so fat I could hardly get my hand around it to pull the hook out. The other one I was pulling in and my glasses fell off from the fight. It was awesome!

I set out on the trail head on Thursday July 3^rd at 5:45pm. It was a 7.5 mile hike to the first lake and I thought I could do that by dark pretty easy, boy was I wrong. It was a 2000 foot climb total but it kept going up and then down. I swear when it was all said and done I climbed 3000 feet. There was a diversion in the trail and when I got there I realized that it was to dark to follow it very well so I stopped where I was and made camp. I woke up the next morning and broke camp only to find that I was 100 yards from the lake.

That had to be one the most physically challenging things I have ever done. When I laid down to sleep every muscle in my body was shaking. Not knowing I was at the top I said to myself "What the heck have you got yourself into?" I was sure I was going to die. Keep in mind I have been working out every day since January 3 of this year. I can run 3 miles without any problem.

When I got to brown duck lake I knew the hike was worth every step. Within an hour I had caught 10 fish. I decided that I wanted to see as many of the lakes and rivers as I could so I moved on and set up camp between the next two lakes. It was the most beautiful meadow you can imagine. I fished and fished and never had a dull moment. I fly fished the streams, used all kinds of bait and just lived for two days in fisherman heaven.


The area was loaded with beauty and I thanked God for all the beauty he had built into this world for us. There were all kinds of streams ponds and wildlife. I even had lunch with a chipmunk. I had laid down to take a nap and pulled my hat down over my eyes. Just as I was about to go to sleep I saw a patch of fur next to me. I jumped up not knowing what kind of animal was about to eat me. turns out it was a chipmunk. We sat and ate lunch together.


In fishing there is something we call a grand slam. It is when you catch 4 kinds of trout, rainbow, german brown, cut throat and brook. I caught all 4 and scored my grand slam. To the novice that is like hitting a home run in baseball that goes down in the history books.



In the end it was the time of my life and I would recommend it to anyone who wants a great experience in the great outdoors.


PS: I really was smiling on the inside.

4th of July

Since I was alone on the 4th of July I decided to go hiking into the wilderness. I will blog about that when I get the pictures developed. While I was up there I was thinking about our freedoms. In the movie "The hunt for Red October" there is a scene where Captain Ramius (Sean Connery) is talking with Vasili Borodin (Sam Neil) about what they are going to do when they get to America. The exchange goes as follows:

Capt. Vasili Borodin: I will live in Montana. And I will marry a round American woman and raise rabbits, and she will cook them for me. And I will have a pickup truck... maybe even a "recreational vehicle." And drive from state to state. Do they let you do that?
Captain Ramius: I suppose.
Capt. Vasili Borodin: No papers?
Captain Ramius: No papers, state to state.
Capt. Vasili Borodin: Well then, in winter I will live in... Arizona. Actually, I think I will need two wives.
Captain Ramius: Oh, at least.

With the exception of the 2 wives things they were seeing a great truth. In America we are free to go and do as we please. I was off traipsing through the wilderness with a back pack and fishing pole. I did not have to get a pass of a permit to do what I wanted to do. Others were grilling burgers or going swimming. Each person free to do as he or she pleased. As I sat out there and pondered on this I realized that often times we do not realize how free we are in this country. Within reason we are free to pursue happiness any way we want. It is true many paths we take do not lead to happiness but we are free to pursue it none the less. When I hear people talking about how bad America is for getting involved in other countries affairs I think about this freedom we love so much. We do not make people be like us we actually give them the ability to choose to be what makes them happy.

Anyway that is what I was thinking this 4th of July weekend. Hope you all found some happiness this weekend wherever you were.

7 minutes 55 seconds!

Last fall I had a mid life revelation. My blood sugar was taken and it was really really high. I tried dieting and not eating sugar but it did not help. On January 3rd of this year I began a daily exercise routine. Since then I have dropped 45 pounds, 2 pant sizes and lowered my blood sugar to normal levels. Today I weighed in at 236 pounds. I know that to most of you if you were 236 pounds you would flip out but I am ecstatic!

But that is not the best part. I usually run and walk 3 miles 3 to 4 days a week. I do about 3 laps of running to one lap of walking. So this morning I walked 2 laps ran a mile, walked 2 laps and then ran a mile. (One lap on my track is a 10th of a mile.) The last one I walked 2 laps and then timed the last mile. I did it in 7 minutes and 55 seconds! Once again all you young athletes out there probably get a chuckle out of that but I am very proud of the fact that a 37 year old large man can run his 3rd mile that fast.

Anyway I have been so happy about that and the other changes since the first of the year I had to post something about it.