Visit to Lake Shastina to see my Mother.

Well I took a few days last week to go say good- bye to my Mom and Sister in northern CA. before my wife Pat and I take off on another 6 month service mission. It can be very nice up there and that was how it was this time. Mom is 89 years old and has good and bad days but it was good to see her. She is at the point that in order to have a conversation you have to ask something that requires an answer that is not yes or no. She had a good day on Wednesday and Friday but Thursday was a sleep nearly all day-day. I had an opportunity to catch up a bit with my sister and brother-in-law however. And I was reminded what life without DSL is like. I would have to move or get satellite because dial-up is painful after being spoiled with DSL. I did have a chance to help Mary Ellen download a picture program (Picasa 3) to help her organize her pictures. It only took 2 tries and something over 2 hours to accomplish. It was also hard to keep in touch with other family members and friends from New York to Washington state. The picture that I am adding was taken some other time from my sisters home.

Foggy day in Salt Lake City

One thing that we won't need this year! THANK YOU CHARLIE!!!

Well there is one thing that we will not need this year. That is to have one of our good friends send his ATV 750 miles to us and then pick it up after camp was over. We did not have a required ATV so Charlie and Wendy sent theirs on a mission with us. We purchased a used one at the end of camp and it is stored at camp in one of the pavillions waiting for us. Here are some pictures of part of our support staff.

ALMOST TIME TO HIT THE ROAD

Well the time is getting short and it is nearly time to hit the road again. That means trailer packing time and figuring out what to take with us this year. The only difference between this year and last is that at least we have a clue as to what we will need. We know what the weather can be like and what is available in the area when we go to shop. Of course we never know what the weather across the mountains will be like that early in the spring.

Another Day

Well it was another exciting day in the life of an old retired guy. Slept late today and then checked my e-mail etc. I finally went outside in the afternoon and did a little work out there for a change and it was a nice day. Cut the lawn and trimmed some of the low hanging redwood limbs so that I won't have to duck the next time that I mow.
This evening I watched a little TV and talked with my niece Janea in Iowa for nearly an hour and a half. Discussed a little family history fact and fiction . It is nice to be able to keep in touch with family and friends. I don't know what we would do without our computers.

A hike in the mountains of HVC.

Last fall colors surround us at the Temple on the mountain

Heber Valley Camp

Here are some of the trails that we will soon be returning to.

Sunday

Sunday, one of my favorite days of the week. Except for the fact that it started an hour earlier today(spring ahead) it was pretty nice. Our normal routine is to be in church for 3 hours on Sunday morning. I guess that some people would call that obsessive but we normally find it relaxing and uplifting. Beside the spiritual benefit we have a chance each week to see our friends and their families and that is an extra blessing of the day. We get to worship our Creator AND we get to associate with our friends. If that isn't a win win I guess that I don't understand the concept. Maybe we need to campaign to have at least 2 Sundays in each week. That might make the average person less stressed!

Now what?

Well I guess that this is where I am supposed to start writing something very profound. I could write that the Country is in trouble. But that would be an understatement, and so obvious that everyone already knows it. I could say that we need a change but didn't we just get that ? Just goes to show you that we sometime get exactly what we ask for and still don't like the results. Go figure. I guess that we will have to start planning what we will do NEXT time, if we are fortunate enough to get a next time. I suppose that you can already tell how I voted.

What am I doing???

Well I suppose if one is going to keep up with the technology you must try something new from time to time. We thought that this might be a way for some of our friends to keep up with us if we are away. I don't know what direction it might take but it might be fun. So buckle up and enjoy the ride. Jim