On the Home Front

Monday the spray foam people were scheduled to come. When it got to be noon, I contacted them. Opps, we should have called you; our supplier is out of the material needed and it will be at least 10-14 days before we get any more. Major modification of plans for completing the kitchen project! There is plenty to do, such as: taping and mudding the pantry walls and part of the ceiling. Those walls could be painted and maybe shelving installed in the pantry. Then there is the exterior: installing vinyl siding. So this set back didn't extinguish the light, it just redirected it.

Tuesday after seminary I stopped by the countertop business with a rough sketch of what the new kitchen should look like. They were able to draft up a diagram of how much material would be needed and then I headed off to Miranda's. By the time I left she texted a photo of snow covering the ground! Then an hour west of here I drove through blowing snow as the storm proceeded east. By the time I arrived at her house, most of the snow was gone.

Wednesday I taught seminary from Rachel's room. Then Miranda, Rachel and I drove to the countertop warehouse and were joined by Deborah and Hailey. While the two girls enjoyed hiding amongst the 10x6 slaps of granite we three narrowed down our choice of granite. I came back to the same one we had looked at two months ago. Then to make sure it was color coordinated with the oak cabinets, we sought Kera's expertise. I notified the nice lady there of my selection and she will coordinate with my guy locally to get what I need shipped to Mountain Home. We had a few minutes before my doctor's appointment, so we found a park nearby for the two girls to play at. Then to the urologist office. I had previously confirmed that Miranda could join me, but they explained their offices were too small for more. And the doctor is running an hour behind, so if you want to leave, we can call you when he is ready. Since it was lunch time, we took advantage of the situation and visited the nearby Denney's that looked like it was from the 60's. They even played oldies music! We were almost finished eating when the office called, so we finished and Deborah headed back home while Miranda and I returned to the urologists office. These are some of Miranda's comments about this visit: 

     "So I went with Dad to his appointment with Dr Child here in Bentonville.  I was impressed with this doctor.  He explained Dad's choices regarding treatment, reiterating this is a more aggressive cancer (8 on the Gleason scale). Dr Child says whatever national body of smart people suggests both radiation and surgery as equally good options. And proton and electron radiation are perceived to have equivalent outcomes.  As a surgeon, he prefers to do surgery on healthy guys with a good life expectancy ahead of them.  He sees many patients who have gone each way and ten years down the road, patients who chose surgery seem better off.  Also, the main adverse effects from surgery can be corrected or fixed later (either by surgery or drugs) but not so with radiation because that is from tissue damage.  Also, another plus for surgery is he can take a part of the lymph nodes at the same time to check for additional cancer and get ahead of detecting cancer outside the prostate.  With this type of cancer, it is possible to have cancer come back even after radiation, several years down the road. He feels totally confident that Dad is a great candidate for surgery.  Dr Child says there is flexibility in the approach and after viewing Dad's laparoscopic scars,  he's sure he can do the surgery."

Deborah had recommended this doctor; he attends her ward and they were able to discuss my situation and in conversations with Deborah, he expressed confidence that he could surgically remove my prostate. I was comfortable meeting with him knowing that if I decide to have him cut me, I will have a support group to nurse me back to health that is close to home. I now have a date for an MRI in a week and will see a physical therapist after that to learn some technics I can practice at home. Hopefully surgery will be in the next month. I drove home after all this excitement!

Thursday I needed a sheet of drywall to finish an area not affected by the insulation. Home Depot was sold out of half inch 4x8 sheets. But they sold me the green board ($2.50 a sheet more) for the same price. Fearing they might not have any in stock when I need another 10 sheets, I bought 11. Then I had to haul them up to the deck onto saw horses and cover them due to rain. I also put a deposit on the countertop material. Granite isn't cheap! 

Friday and Saturday were spent mostly working in the kitchen. I installed a motion sensing light in the pantry, took the former faucet from the upstairs kitchen and installed it in the downstairs kitchen. So progress is being made, just not as fast as I would like.

End of the Great Fox Adventure

 I was up early Monday morning, like 4 am, to be ready to teach seminary at 445. While I had arranged substitutes for two weeks of seminary, I was reluctant to ask them to do more; and if I had stuck to my original schedule, this would not have been an issue. But the extra two days with Rebecca's family were so worth it! Of course, after teaching, I went back to bed for an hour.

Rebecca had bread ministry on Monday, and stayed long enough to help her get things set up. There is so much good food available and it is heart warming to see that it doesn't have to go to waste. After saying my good byes, I was on the road again; destination: just east of Mesa, AR. Enjoyed some beautiful scenery from tree covered foothills, to the wide expanse of the Arizona desert with its variety of cactus and sage. I arrived in time for dinner with the Clites, a family we knew in Okinawa and later when they lived in Little Rock. Had not seen them in over 20 years, so we did a lot of visiting and talking. They own a large Spanish style home and have two horses.

Tuesday I repeated my previous day's routine:  up at 4 to teach seminary, and then back to bed for another hour of rest.  Bill gave me a windshield  tour of the area. He had just purchased a Dodge Ram 3500 diesel powered pickup truck. I measured it; the floor sill is 28 inches off the ground; I could lift my leg that high and was appreciative of the hand hold appropriately placed so I could barely haul myself up into the cab!  We drove by the Gilbert and Mesa Temples and then to Denney's for breakfast. Then out to Tortilla Flats where we enjoyed some delicious ice cream. Cindy returned home that evening from work and we went out to dinner for some excellent enchiladas. 

Wednesday, after teaching seminary and grabbing a short nap, I was on the road, again. Destination: Cyrus and Kendra's home in New Mexico. Again, drove through some pretty desert areas; lots of saguaro cactus. Was able to arrive at Cyrus's to enjoy delicious hamburgers and hot dogs cooked on the outside grill. Kendra was out of town with her mother, probably on a well earned vacation. Cyrus did a good job of caring for the children; but they were good at self entertaining all by themselves. After eating, we walked to a nearby park and the four children had a great time running amuck and playing on the equipment. They had no trouble falling asleep. Cyrus got me hooked up with his internet and also added more memory to my laptop.

Due to the time change, I was able to sleep in until 5 am to teach seminary. Afterwards, I interacted with the Fox children until time for the oldest two to attend school. Atlas provided a 20-20 minute concert on the cello; he is quite accomplished! I stayed home with Max while Cyrus took the youngest with him to drop the oldest two off at school. And then I was on the road again. One thing I noted about New Mexico:  it is windy.

Wasn't sure exactly where my resting place for the night would be, but I knew I didn't want to get stuck out in the middle of Oklahoma and not find a decent motel. Stopped before dark in Elk City, OK to allow time to prep for my morning seminary class and was able to get a good nights rest. This time there was no need to get up early; OK is in the same time zone as AR and I was able to sleep in until almost 6 am. Was able to teach my lesson in my hotel room without incident. Then it was time to be back on the road. This was my last day of driving. It rained on me most of the way and was cool and windy. There was the mandatory shopping stop at Aldi's in Harrison for milk and such. Was home by 5 pm. House was still standing, although the grass was in need of cutting.

Here are the stats for my trip:  gone a total of 33 days; traveled 5418 miles without any vehicle problems; 26 mpg; was able to connect with three children's families and three additional grandchildren out west as well as other family members and friends. Also listened to five different books on tape; love the collection at the local library.

Friday evening was spent in unpacking and getting organized (at least trying to).

Saturday I hooked up the trailer and drove out the lawnmower service place to pick up the lawnmower. But before I could mower, there were five wheel barrow loads of twigs and small branches to clean up. We must of had some really strong winds to blow that much debris down from the trees. And there was 10-15 feet of the roof cap shingles that blew off. Probably not good that the flap end points into the direction of the prevailing wind. On the bright side, the flocks are beautiful in their various colors, the tulips are starting to bloom, the dogwood is magnificent in bright white. The daffodils are past their prime though. I also got the hole drilled and the wire strung so that the new kitchen island will have electricity.

That evening, one of my seminary students was participating the school play: Thorough Modern Milley, so I went and found it most enjoyable.

Today we had normal church; sacrament meeting and then Sunday School and Primary. Less than 10% of attendees wore masks. Was good to see so many faces that have been in hiding for so long.

California Dreaming

 This week's letter is brought to you live from Southern California, where I have spent the past week visiting with Rebecca's amazing family. And the fun will continue as I hit the road again in the morning and begin my trip back home.

Monday I assisted Rebecca in her 'bread ministry' community service. We drove a short distance to a local Von's market to collect about three cart loads of assorted breads, prepackaged salads, some fruits, milk and eggs. Enroute to this location, I noticed the spires to the San Diego Temple on the horizon; turns out this market is about 1/2 mile from the temple. We returned home and set up the tables and put out the food; then Rebecca texted people that they were welcome to come by and collect what items were available. There is also some paperwork required by the organization that set up this service. I am impressed with the good that this project does and how it gets leftover food into the hands of people, rather than just throwing it away. In the afternoon Rebecca, Marian and I went running; me for under two miles, them for 8 miles. Neat to have three generations running together.

The three of us went running again on Wednesday and Friday; my goal was to increase my distance, not impede their progress and still be alive at the end. I think I succeeded in all areas, mostly. 

During the week Rebecca took me shopping for a variety of items. We went to the running store clearance section (where you can buy last years shoes for half price) to replace my current running shoes which were long over due to be retired. And at that price, why not buy two? So I did. We also got to the commissary and exchange at MCAS Miramar, places I have not visited in at least 15 years. It is always fun for me to do some price comparisons; most items I checked are comparable or slightly more expensive than Arkansas prices where I shop. We also visited a couple of thrift stores as Rebecca looked for clothes for her children. And of course we had to stop at Trader Joes and See's Candy since they were in the area.

Saturday was family hiking day and we drove out to Angie's Canyon in the morning. It was a beautiful day, the hike was not too arduous and some fun was had by the girls. I have included photos as evidence.

If it can be climbed, it will be!

In the afternoon I helped Callie upgrade a used rabbit hutch that she had obtained; she has hopes of buying, and possibly breeding rabbits in the future. Some lumber was required to make this transition and we had to be creative in this area. A neighbor was moving and discarded a piece of furniture that we repurposed to cut to stabilized the hutch. A trip to a Habitat for Humanity Restore netted a cabinet door we cut to use as a ramp. Of course that meant a trip to Harbor Freight to purchase a circular saw so the wood could be cut to size. While not the Taj Mahal of rabbit hutches, it is serviceable for Callie's needs.

After finishing this project, it was time to move onto the next one. Bread Ministry is more than just about recycling useable food; it is also time to catch up on the neighborhood news as you visit with those picking up food. On Friday Rebecca learned that a neighbor had to part with their trampoline; after checking with Dan, she agreed to buy it. So we walked to their house, removed the safety net and legs and then lifted the frame with pad up over the six foot fence and carried it up the street to it's new home. That also required lifting it up over the fence and into the yard. We then proceeded to reattached the legs and safety net. Took just under 40 minutes from start to end and the girls have already enjoyed  their new acquisition. 

 

While Rebecca went off to run with Callie, Dan fixed dinner. Rebecca returned in time to shower and then the three of us adults went to the base theater (haven't been to one of those since Okinawa) to view the spy film "The Courier" based on a true story of the 1960s during the time Russia was basing nuclear weapons on Cuba. A bit of a thriller, there were some tense moments of anxiety; well worth watching.

Today is Fast Sunday. While the Arkansas Governor has declared masks not mandatory and my home ward is now starting all meetings in the two hour block, Church here is still limited to sacrament meeting only; but we learned today that is to change next week. 

I have enjoyed my time here with Rebecca's family. The weather has been beautiful; I have been able to walk Levi; I have learned when sitting at the dining room table to look before stretching out my feet (Levi likes to hang out there); it is fun to watch these girls giggle over episodes of their favorite TV shows they have watched before; and they have fed me all to well. Families are the Best!

Easter Sunday

 It is Easter morning and I am sitting at a table in San Diego writing this weekly update prior to four young ladies excitedly descending the stairs from their bedrooms to enjoy their Easter baskets of  yumminess. And me? I am looking forward to day two of the Church's General Conference talks, building on yesterday's great council and spiritual insights. But, I am getting ahead of myself...

Last Monday and Tuesday I was still at Adam's in Oregon. He had taken those two days off from work so we were able to work together in accomplishing some of the many tasks on Savannah's to do list. We did a little bit of everything:  realign an exterior gate to close properly; install a ceiling fan in the pool room; reattach the decorative stones to the stone wall around the pool; clean up leaves and needles from the back yard; replace some outdated ceiling lights; install self closing hinges on a couple of exterior doors; and more. There were no deadlines to meet, so I was able to work at a leisure pace. 

Most mornings while at Adam's, I would get up and spend about 20 minutes on the treadmill; Miley and Piper were always ready to join me in my morning runs and provided me company. The last two days Carter joined me as well; only he was trying to run 3 miles in under 22 minutes, so he was running twice my speed. He did beat that time, too. I was able to drive Denali to her school two mornings. It was fun to sit on the couch and invite the younger girls to bring me their favorite books to read; there was never an end to the books they would want read. I am happy to share with you why dragons don't like spicy taco sauce or details about the 'pout pout' fish if you are interested. The children would  quietly get up in the mornings and park themselves in front of the fireplace to read, which seems to be one of their favorite things to do. One of the highlights for me was to participate in their 'Come Follow Me' lessons as a family as they prepared for Easter weekend. Those children know their scriptures!

Wednesday, after dropping Denali off at school, I continued my drive south. Saw some beautiful snow covered mountains on the way. 

Ben and Hannah welcomed me into their home for a few hours. Ben gave me a tour of their homestead; they have carved out a nice home for their family. Because it is tradition, we had to play a few games of checkers; but that gave Hannah time to bake peanut butter cookies.  All too soon it was time for me to get back on the road. Ended up in Fresno for the night for a much deserved rest.

Thursday saw me on the road again. Since I was driving right by where I had grown up, I thought it would be interesting to see the house I grew up in. I even drove by where 14277 Van Nuys Blvd used to be; sadly it is not the same inviting open space it used to be. Wall to wall apartments with the occasional mini-mart. All the street frontage from there down to Parthenia (as far as I drove on Van Nuys Blvd) was crammed with buildings, mostly apartments. Driving Rayen, Tyrone, and Wakefield Streets was somewhat discomforting. Except for the drive ways, there was a solid line of cars parked on both sides of the street, in addition to the ones parked in the drive ways. Many homes had ornamental fences in front. Several homes had built additions to their homes. All of this combined gave an air of confinement; there was no open space, no where to play outside in the yards or street; it was an unwelcoming atmosphere. Then I got to the house I grew up in for 20 years and was equally disappointed for the same reasons. It was not recognizable at first glance.

Since I was in the area, I drove down to Panorama Presbyterian Church on Roscoe Blvd. My parents were charter members of this church when they moved to Panorama City in 1949; I attended church here for years, was active in their youth group programs; worked there  part time as a janitor; was married there. The buildings looked the same but it appears the church is supporting some homeless people from the picture I took.

Next on my drive was to Downey to visit with Sally and Steve. They have been busy preparing their house for sale and have done an amazing job of painting replacing flooring and redoing their kitchen; it really looks great. It was fun to visit with them and get caught up on the challenges they are facing as they prepare their house and business for sale and prepare to move. 

After spending the night there, I drove down to visit with Cynthia and Jim. In keeping with their routine, we drove to Laguna Beach and spent time sitting on a bench watching the volley ball game, talking, and enjoying some delicious pumpkin raisin bread they had made. It was a little too breezy, so we drove back to the Village and enjoyed the view from another bench at the edge of the golf course. 

Because of the siblings afternoon zoom call, I departed Laguna Woods at noon for what should have been about a 75 minute drive. But wait a minute, what was I thinking! This is a SoCal freeway - so it took two hours, and I was late for the call. After arriving at Rebecca's house and giving welcoming hugs, I jumped on the zoom call. 60 minutes later I was able to give proper greetings to the family.

Saturday I was up and went running with Callie; I am out of shape. Then we enjoyed the sessions of General Conference. Rebecca was also busy cooking up tasty delights for us to enjoy. Today, after devouring delicious homemade cinnamon rolls, we listened to the first session of conference and received some great counsel (again!)