7:49p
I have had an itchy runny nose all day. Feel draggy with cold symptoms. I hiked up Webb Hill at noon with Lily, without a hat, with a black t-shirt, hoping to help burn it out. Poor, good sport, Lily. On the way down she kept hunting for shade. When we got to the park she quit. I grabbed a gallon of cold vinegar water and went out front to wait for her. Molly joined me shortly. The second time I threw the tennis ball for Molly I threw it towards Lily who was just rounding the corner of Judy's house 5-10 minutes late. She went straight into the fish pond! I ended up with a little bit of a headache. Probably dehydration but it is gone now.
As you probably know by now, I love fun and excitement. I got the biggest kick out of Amazon.coming Srandon P Smith 2 gifts to arrive tomorrow, Tuesday: Visions of glory, 64 crayola crayons one of which is called raw sienna. Visions of Glory was back down to 11$ like when Mouis bought it last year. They jacked it up when the interest was intense: $17
I called DarloD and told his answering machine that eggs are on sale for 1$ a dozen for our breakfast caseroles on Thursday the 24th. I texted Thames Stasinos the same last night at 11p and got a response!
Last Sunday, 8 days ago, Rod gave 2 lessons and a prayer. I gave one prayer in SS. Yesterday I got to pray in SS and accepted a request to call all the 24th volunteers for Quinn Carter through Pres. Rave Black. I love being known and depended on. That 5th Sunday when Leon Lee explained how Rave was gone, Terek was gone, would I pray to close the conjoint meeting is a perfect example of Rave knowing I am always there and always willing.
We had the most awesome EQ discussion/lesson yesterday. Thames shared following the counsel of Elder Worthin and giving his family blessings. Wife, Marinda, McKenzie. McKenzie has been called a giant by her mean classmates. Thames wept as he blessed her and felt what the Lord wanted her to know. Jim Adams shared the recent blessing of moving here last year and uprooting his family. Something he dealt with as a child and never wanted for his kids. Style is on a mission in Peru now but had many more friends here than in Eagle Mountain where they have lived the last 10 years. Cars and girlfriend have occupied their corner. Austin16 says Dad this place is 100 times better than there. Quinn Carter who reminded us he can't read, read about the tongue of angels in 2 Nephi and it was quite long and in his careful speaking I was able to feel the message of the verses. Tim shared how he has learned about his children as he blesses them because the Lord tells them things he had no clue about. Besides, tears we had gallant laughter time after time with Tim conducting. I wondered what the nice reverent RS thinks of us through the curtain! That is the hazard of having our EQ there! I shared my listening to conference '94 and hearing about the tongues of angels and asking in my journal: HF, have I ever spoken by the tongue of angels (HG)? if so when? and what did I say? That was part of the messages I left with Barter's while HT last Sunday. I keep wondering, what influence have I had on the ward? Is my openness and humor an expanding force in the ward? We keep hearing we have the best ward in the stake. 10 wards, 300k names indexing goal, 900k the stake goal. If part of it is because of our size, too bad, they are the ones who put Belford Place back in our ward 5 years ago. William Blaggard said good job Vern in the hall as we were last to EQ. I slowed and responded, Will, one thing about me is I like fun. He said, that's not a problem, it helps make the feeling lighter. I had just written the first letters of the words to the second line of: The World Has Need of Willing Men as suggested by Dustin Salmon. When we sang that line, I bounced on the letters with my finger to show which word we were on. Just a little fun. Rulon Sagley was grumpy and resistant about choosing a hymn. He ended up saying he repented and told me number 343, a blank page which I turned to and showed him.
Speaking of grumpy. . . Amity was a bit pointed and disagreeable last night. I asked Rod if he would share his password with me for Ancestor.com so I could see his ancestors and she was a bit questioning and resistant. I was short and to the point so I did not ease her feelings at all. Her tension or brittleness began to become apparent to me and I wondered why. We were on a walk around the park and I invited them to share something hard or bad from this last week. Rod had already shared he got a B- on his English final test/paper. Anxiety wiped him out. Oh I felt for him. I compared it to training with a difficult rifle and having the target in the site but not being able to pull the trigger. I suggested there are probably much better analogies remembering Amity's aversion to guns. I invited them to tell me the word I was hunting for to describe it. Rod said, My life. And I agreed. I heard Amity making thinking noises but she was responding quite quickly to anything that was said, as was I as usual. What? Me uptight too?
Then the treasure: Rod shared how upset it made him feel to have Amity labeled as lazy when she declined to cut the watermelon and her grandmother got it stuck in her craw and wouldn't let it go. Rod ended up responding, you guys are lucky she has lasted as long as she has with you this week. Grandma said, are we really that hard to get along with? As we talked we agreed that GM is martyring when she prepares food and she spins off all kinds of mud as her wheels slip in the kitchen.
Rod wanted to find a solution. Amity declared that her GM is just super critical. I suggested him saying, You guys, you may be used to speaking this way after all these years but we aren't. He concluded he could say, I am not OK with you speaking like this. I reminded them they can always time out, which they are pretty good at in most cases. I shared Cille's experience of Touris explaining to a boyfriend how certain talk made her feel uncomfortable, especially blaming talk. And that his response was, well don't feel that way. Her kids are not prepared for the harsh world when they have been living and practicing Sark Clayton's language of feelings, acceptance and validation and conflict resolution in their home these years. I disagree. They can't help but be used to it. They have gone to school how many years. But her point is well made. And I shared it with RnA.
So and hour later I am walking the dogs at the golf course and Izy finds RnA walking towards us! The only people I saw at the golf course last night. So unexpected. Rod said they had already walked 4 miles at Sun River golf course to vent anxiety earlier than the walk with me. Stressful week. I had been thinking about Amity and was happy to see them again. I reassured her that this last week probably did lots of damage to her little Amity and it might take some special treatment and time to heal her and get her back up to strength. I gave her a hug after asking permission. Sure I accept hugs she responded. She also admitted when she got home that she wondered where all her irritation was coming from. She was angry and hurt inside. Makes total sense!
As we left to walk they invited me to bring my drop off stuff for Marita Rates and Spruce Randall. I spent 58 minutes on the phone after my nap, with Spruce Randall. He had called twice and left me messages about the letter and talk I had taped to his door after ringing it twice. He loved Rent Parker's talk. He said it was exactly up his ally. Hurray!! I was brilliant dropping it off at his house!
Earlier this week I had texted him twice and hadn't heard anything back so I wasn't sure his phone was accepting texts. I told him Terry Foote's didn't. He asked me about my magic jack messages and I reassured him that I got them both but was napping and didn't pick up.
I dropped him off 4 books. Two copies of Visions of Glory (one with all my personal writing in it. He says he has been reading like crazy but I encouraged him to start writing too.), And This Nation Shall Endure, A Consecrated Life. He shared with me on the phone and out of body experience he had when working for the tent and sleeping back factory we had here in town in the 70's.
Hello Spruce,
I am not a forget-you-home teacher! I remember you every week. I just dropped off a talk at you house. It is from a ward member. I wrote to you in red. Vern n RicY 12:53p
I sent a copy to RicY so he would know I was remembering him as well. My new companion.
So, kudos!!! for the wonderful success with Bruce Randall yesterday. He explained he had used a roll and a half of TP with his stomach flu he thinks came from some bottom of the freezer burritos he bought. : ( Man can I relate to the stomach flu/food poisoning!
So thank you HF for the opportunity to nap plus use my Sabbath so well yesterday.
PS. Katy Rusty and Kelly Spasey were our High Council speakers yesterday. I told Katy after her talk: I knew 10 reasons why she was asked to accompany him. I thanked Kelly for not cutting his talk off. He had wonderful things to share. So absorbing and personal and about the HG versus pride. He has gotten so confident and open in his willingness to apply the gospel to his own personal experiences. Wow, what a king! A king speaker. He said thank you for not running he and Randy and someone over the other night on my bike when I rode to the library and the Post Office. I asked him if he heard my surprise at seeing their dark silhouettes in front of me on river road as I headed for the sidewalk?
Mason Chappell told me I could have all the women that become available for dating. They always get too mad at him! So cute. To be pursued at a later date.
Monday, July 21, 2014
Wednesday, July 9, 2014
flip off
I was surprised at how little anyone remembered. Perhaps because I was abused and a Jr High teacher for so many years I had a chance to remember, plus an extension in adulthood. Louis said he really didn't remember and he and Bonnie gave me a $50 gift card to Walmart so they were totally covered.
I was so pleased and surprised to have Carol contribute. I wrote her a limerick for her birthday.
|
Jun 6
 | | ||
If any of you would like to wish me a happy father's day this is my request. Tell me how you feel personally about people who flip their middle finger, when did you find out what it meant, the process you have gone through deciding to use it or not.
I rode my bike to Walmart this afternoon and I thought this would make a most interesting little book.
==============================
My story, composed on the spot. The Bird
We had a semi-active catholic family that lived across the street when I lived on Sunflower Lane in Sandy. (Ages 4-18) They had 4 boys and Bobby Peterson was my age and a real bruiser. He had more broken hands than anyone I ever knew from getting into fights or getting angry and punching. In Jr. High school he always had a gathering around him and was proud of his courage to take on anyone and fight. He also flipped people off out the bus window to and from school. He would show us the middle finger and describe the anatomical parts each bump represented. When you are young oftentimes the only things you have to keep you entertained are your fingers. I remember how obsessed I was in Jr High with what it meant and only trying it a few times in private. But whenever there was time to kill and signs to make with one's hands it would creep into my mind and I would try to oust it.
I had a cousin a year older than I was named Victor Tapp. He was my idol. He even played guard on Hillcrest High Schools basketball team and he might have even been the play maker. How I idolized him. But he dared to flip the peace sign and I figured if it was bad to flip the bird we shouldn't flip the peace sign either. So I never dared to use it.
I did psychotherapy from 2000-04. One of the things I had to learn was to candidly look inside and try to figure out what I was feeling. It was so hard.
When I taught my first 2 years at Niwot High School in Colorado I was nicknamed, Mr. Rogers. I had a button up gray sweater from Guatemala that I used as a missionary. I also had a hard time figuring out what to say next as a teacher. I wondered if it was my Spanish tripping up my tongue and brain. That was when I was trained to shrink inside when I heard, Mr. Rogers.
After teaching at Dixie Middle School for my next two years I got a new nick name: Bobby Devo. It was the name of a new alternative rock group and so the shrinking I had learned in Colorado was kept alive in Saint George. At least DJHS students did not know about Mr. Rogers!
Jr High kids love to experiment with words. Homo and gay were popular for much of my teaching career. In Guatemala I learned the word for gay from the few wealthy teens that could drive when they yelled at us as they drove by in Quezaltenango, my first area for 4 months.
One day as I was walking home from Desert Hills Intermediate school in about 2001, after my first year of therapy, I heard some boys, elementary age, jumping on a tramp in their back yard and yelling, "Hey, you're gay!" over and over again. I thought, that is sad. And I wondered who they were yelling at. As I got closer I saw their heads bobbing above the fence and them yelling it at me. I was surprised and displeased. I looked inside, noticed what I was feeling and decided I would vent it. I flipped them off as I walked by and since I was on the golf course and alone I held it there as I passed. The yelling ended. Then I heard a little voice say, "Hey, why are you flipping us off?" I did not explain. I did confess this to my therapist the next week and awaited the verdict. I always expected a verdict but that is not what therapists do. He simply said, you weren't going to be taken advantage of where you. I felt relief. That was exactly why I had flipped them off. (I won't detail the rest of that visit.)
Optional paragraph:
Walt Jones and his wife have taught in WCSD for 25 years. He in Jr. High shop and she in kindergarten. I told them a story about a secretary turned Jr. High teacher, turned back to secretary again. They were waiting for a stake temple recommend interview and I had just finished mine. Walt just ate the story up and he was with me all the way. I asked Mrs. Jones if it was that way for her and if she could relate. She said no. In fact when Walt went in to substitute for her one day and all the little kids came up and hugged his legs, he asked them, Is this allowed in school? They just said they loved Mrs. Jones and they also loved Mr. Jones. So Mrs. Jones said, I don't relate because I don't teach the kids that you guys do. And then she leaned forward and covered the side of her mouth and whispered, "the criminals". Yep that's what shop teachers have to deal with. : ) [And the rest of us that teach that age too.]vj
==============================
OK
feeling creative
or courageous yet?
Can you remember that far back?
If so share, I would love to hear.
Your strange request maker,
Vern
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Jun 11
| | ||
I learned about it in elementary school. I was neither shocked or upset, as most kids I knew did it as a tease and I didn’t actually know the full meaning of it. So for the most I just laughed as I thought it was meant to be funny. It was in junior high when the seriousness of it was realized. However my good friends and I continued to tease each other when doing it and my really good friends still share that laugh with me. So for the most part I find it to be funny as it has to do with intention. If it is intended to be mean then it definitely doesn’t bode well, and the truth be known it is being used as a vulgar sign to encourage anger and possibly rage. So I think intention is the key factor in how I view it as I so often laugh when my friends send me the naughty gesture.
Here is what I’ve heard about the origin of the “Finger”… It is a result of the Hundred Years War between England and France from 1337-1453 (yes the Hundred Years War lasted 116 years). The English longbow was so feared by the French that anytime they captured an English bowman they would cut his middle finger off so they would be unable to use a bow ever again. After a battle the English would hold up their middle finger to show the French they would be able to continue fighting which was a sort of medieval F you..
To me I can find it to be funny and make me laugh and also it can be rude and make me feel bad/sad/mad, just depends on the delivery of the sender.
-coy
How do I earn my keep each day on this earth, Earth?
2:37p
I saw a Wendy's sign over by Walmart that says open longer hours: 9a-12am. So to start of with I did make it over to WM on my bike and bought a gallon of white vinegar and 5 sardines and 4 sourcreams (admatch $1) and a box of brown envelopes for storing my tax papers each year.
Notice the title. When one is working it is not a question. But I am retired. And I want to be useful to HF everyday or why am I here?
So everyday I have to do enough useful things to feel I have earned my keep. Today I did! I got up at 4:30a and started a letter to BJ Russel at Purgatory Flats Correctional Facility. What to write? Well rather than interest him I wrote about what interests me right now and hopefully I can get some clues from him in the future. I am so proud and so excited. I did it! And that is letter number 2 to a prisoner.
When I was feeling wild and crazy one day last week I called Bat Hughes and sang a silly song on their answering machine. She heard my voice and recognized me and answered. She said the letter I had written her murder accused brother Srandon P Smith from 2010 had been returned because of the calendar page and that she had tried to copy all the writing I had done on it but with the tan background it was unreadable. I thanked her for trying and arranged a time to pick it up. She wasn't home when I went by that night but I went again just a minute ago and got it. I am tempted to send it just like it is and see if it gets rejected back to me to see if she is telling the truth.
Anyway, I am questioning things more since Marrissa did not approve of my limericks for Clarrissa. I got Jaren's approval and only posted 4/6. CichaelD never wanted me to post any of them, but I demanded enough response that I felt satisfied even though limited to sharing with only him.
At 6:30 or so when I couldn't think very straight I went back to bed wondering if I was making a big mistake, sharing my limericks. When I got up I still felt good about it and decided that if it was too exposing then the censoring station can reject it and protect me. They know their prisoners better than I do. I read through all the restrictions last week and I can see why they have the restrictions they do.
When I was alert and rested I decided to send Srandon a copy of the 5 pages I wrote for BJ and visa versa, explaining to both of them what I was doing. I figure it is my written letter I can share with whom I like. If they have issues with it they can tell me about it. But I hope, chances are that They will each benefit from what I wrote the other one. I think it is fun and awesome. Killing 4 birds with 2 stones. In Srandon's I have all these thoughtful questions and personal answers that I hope he will answer as well. In BJ I have 22 bonus limericks I picked from the internet with my comments on each one. Plus an invitation for them to write me one for my birthday!
And most amazing of all: My first two letters to prisoners! In prison I saw him next condemned to meet a traitors doom at morn. The tide of lieing tongues I stemmed and honored him mid shame and scorn. My friendship's utmost zeal to try, He asked if I for him would die. The flesh was weak the blood ran chill but the free spirit cried, I will. verse 6 A Poor Wayfaring Man of Grief
So 10 one-sided pages are in the mail with a double stamp for the extra weight. So here it is 3pm, and I feel like I have earned my keep for the day.
Vern Jensen
Vern Jensen
*My Jaren I love with whole heart,
She’s genuine right from the start.
Uplifting and kind,
To our sins she’s quite blind,
And her voice a delightful work of art.
*Jaren learned early to tell us “and then”,
In fact a video we should all watch again.
But to edge in sideways,
Her two sisters to engage,
She had to do something stupen.(dous) or
*Jaren learned early to tell us “and then”,
In fact a video we should all watch again.
Has her hanging upside down,
The story never unwound,
But Facebook shows us she’s part comedienne.
*There once was a mommy named Jaren,
Her daughters were loved not dispairin’,
Though playful and fun,
When Mom said, All Done!
They scampered to clean up ‘til transparent.
• Jaren definition:
• noun: the Tibeto-Burman language spoken in the Thailand and Burmese borderlands
• name: A surname (very rare: popularity rank in the U.S.: #35496)
Happy Birthday Week! Thank you for getting it started on Sunday! That /those were so sweet. No words were needed. WE all understood.
Horray Stream!
Horray Rain!
Vern/Dad
I saw a Wendy's sign over by Walmart that says open longer hours: 9a-12am. So to start of with I did make it over to WM on my bike and bought a gallon of white vinegar and 5 sardines and 4 sourcreams (admatch $1) and a box of brown envelopes for storing my tax papers each year.
Notice the title. When one is working it is not a question. But I am retired. And I want to be useful to HF everyday or why am I here?
So everyday I have to do enough useful things to feel I have earned my keep. Today I did! I got up at 4:30a and started a letter to BJ Russel at Purgatory Flats Correctional Facility. What to write? Well rather than interest him I wrote about what interests me right now and hopefully I can get some clues from him in the future. I am so proud and so excited. I did it! And that is letter number 2 to a prisoner.
When I was feeling wild and crazy one day last week I called Bat Hughes and sang a silly song on their answering machine. She heard my voice and recognized me and answered. She said the letter I had written her murder accused brother Srandon P Smith from 2010 had been returned because of the calendar page and that she had tried to copy all the writing I had done on it but with the tan background it was unreadable. I thanked her for trying and arranged a time to pick it up. She wasn't home when I went by that night but I went again just a minute ago and got it. I am tempted to send it just like it is and see if it gets rejected back to me to see if she is telling the truth.
Anyway, I am questioning things more since Marrissa did not approve of my limericks for Clarrissa. I got Jaren's approval and only posted 4/6. CichaelD never wanted me to post any of them, but I demanded enough response that I felt satisfied even though limited to sharing with only him.
At 6:30 or so when I couldn't think very straight I went back to bed wondering if I was making a big mistake, sharing my limericks. When I got up I still felt good about it and decided that if it was too exposing then the censoring station can reject it and protect me. They know their prisoners better than I do. I read through all the restrictions last week and I can see why they have the restrictions they do.
When I was alert and rested I decided to send Srandon a copy of the 5 pages I wrote for BJ and visa versa, explaining to both of them what I was doing. I figure it is my written letter I can share with whom I like. If they have issues with it they can tell me about it. But I hope, chances are that They will each benefit from what I wrote the other one. I think it is fun and awesome. Killing 4 birds with 2 stones. In Srandon's I have all these thoughtful questions and personal answers that I hope he will answer as well. In BJ I have 22 bonus limericks I picked from the internet with my comments on each one. Plus an invitation for them to write me one for my birthday!
And most amazing of all: My first two letters to prisoners! In prison I saw him next condemned to meet a traitors doom at morn. The tide of lieing tongues I stemmed and honored him mid shame and scorn. My friendship's utmost zeal to try, He asked if I for him would die. The flesh was weak the blood ran chill but the free spirit cried, I will. verse 6 A Poor Wayfaring Man of Grief
So 10 one-sided pages are in the mail with a double stamp for the extra weight. So here it is 3pm, and I feel like I have earned my keep for the day.
Tuesday, May 06, 2014
Hello Srandon,
This font
is called papyrus. I think it looks
cool. I have never used it for letters/
communications before but if it does not drive you crazy I would like to write
you in it.
A week
ago I visited with Brave Hughes since I was over on his street. He is a regular
at Elder’s Quorum so I have been keeping track of him for a while. He has a great attitude so I can’t help but
like and admire him. Way good, great
attitude!
You were in
our choir for a while when you first moved in. If you don’t remember me I am a
regular in the bass section in the choir. When I hit 40 it was like my talent
was doubled. I could sing tenor as well!
Wow, was I pleased. TyHF.
I have
time and interest on my hands so I would love to start up a dialog. This will be my first effort. Brave says you
only get to leave your cell for an hour a day 1/24hours. He says he keeps you supplied with
enjoyable/light reading and that you are allowed to write. And if you ever get
bored this would be a diversion.
So let me
tell you 10 things about me and then if you would be willing you can tell me 10
things about you. To make it easy I will
ask 10 questions and it is up to you if you want to answer them or answer some
questions you create.
1 On a
scale of 1-10 how has your life been so far.
10 means full and challenging, I have learned tons. 1 means totally boring and stupid and wasted
and I wish I never would have been born.
2 How
healthy are you? 1-10
3 What
are your favorite types of books to read-a and how much do you like to read-b?
4a How
fascinated are you by living things?
Plants, Animals, other.
4b How
fascinated are you by mechanical things?
5 What do
you think of You tube?
6 How
important to you is religion and/or God?
7 How
much do you believe in the adversary, Satan, devil?
8 What
are 3 ways you find peace inside yourself?
9 How
much do you like to laugh? Make
jokes? Make others laugh? Tease?
10 How
practiced is your handwriting?
OK, here
are my answers going backwards:
10 When I
got out of High School I had avoided writing as much as possible. My letters had inconsistent shapes and I was
quite awkward and medium slow. Now it is
fast and comfortable. I love writing in my journal/diary or flirt site.
When I
was teaching school I had to print so my students didn’t ask me what the words
were. I practiced writing as fast as
possible so my back would not be turned to the class for very long. I usually print. I had a missionary companion who wrote in all
caps/uppercase. I felt like that was
cheating. But engineers often have to do
that. He ended up an attorney.
9
Laughing is super important to me. I
laugh a little too loud. Making others
laugh is within my top 5 objectives in talking to others. I love to tease. But I had a high school friend who would
tease his little brother cruelly and I felt so uncomfortable and hated it. I apologize readily if I hurt someone’s
feelings.
8 I hike
in nature alone or with my 3 labs. I
listen to music. I write in my journal on Sundays. And I have learned I can share anything with
God in prayer. I also talk on my cell almost every night leaving voicemails
with my family members. Lately, this
year and last I have been communicating with my youngest little sister, Grayelinn’72 and she
likes to text the best. She is the most
awesome listener I know right now.(A great listener is someone who reflects
back to you what you said and/or comments on the important stuff.)
7 I don’t
think about him much. During my first 10
years of teaching I almost forgot about him and when I would go to the temple
and be reminded it seemed strange. I
still mostly ignore him, but my belief in him is solid now.
6 This is
my guiding light, my purpose, my hope, my understanding.
5
Intoxicating.
4a
Animals are the best. I have 20
aquariums in the house and 20 little and big ponds in the yard. I graduated in biology and loved studying
them as a teenager when my friend sold me
a 15 gallon tank. I used to love
plants but they are too much work in Saint George and use too much water. I still love identifying them though.
4b They
don’t excite me much. If my car would NOT require repairs, if I never had to
get a new cell phone, if my computer just kept working I would be grateful and
happier, if my aquarium lighting and water filters didn’t require maintenance,
you get the idea. I do enjoy creating
ponds for fish and changing their water so things related to living things can
interest me for a while.
3 I have
always loved fiction. I progressed from animal stories, fables, westerns,
science fiction, fantasy n historical fiction and now they even have a genre
called thrillers and I have read a few. (that was starting young and going up
to today)
Since I
retired. . . Jan 31, 2013 I have begun to like even biographies and learning from
nonfiction books. I bought on amazon.com and read two written by my uncle. Can you believe it? I have an uncle who has written 2 books! And then one written by my daughter’s father
in law. (A complete guide to your money happiness by Henry S Brock). And then
an astounding one: Visions of Glory( I almost cried when I found out it wasn’t
true.) Sergeant Nibley; Ph D, A consecrated life,(about Hugh Nibley’s life),
and The History of Lucy Mack Smith by herself
(At least that was what she said the book should by titled.)
2 I am about
a 6 right now. I weigh 260 but I am
hiking every day. Blood pressure is a
little high. Cholesterol is a little
high. But no meds for them. I fight anxiety and depression and take Paxil
for those.
1 9-super
full and challenging. I have learned
tons. There are probably people who have
been through more than I have but not very many.
OK, Srandon, I did not write those 10 questions because I wanted to tell you those
things about myself. In fact as I
started answering them I realized how uncomfortable some of them were. How vulnerable I felt writing some of my
answers. But that is the adventure of
getting to know someone new.
You do
not need to retype/rewrite the questions. I will keep a copy.
Curiously,
Vern Jensen
2148
Cochabomba
Saint
George, Utah 84790
I named
my email account after my Magic Jack phone which only costs me 20$/
year!
Vern 6 kids is where the v6
comes from.
Wednesday, July 09, 2014
Hello BJ
Russel,
I was in
the store asking for you last week and your dad said, sorry he’s not available.
As I have
been thinking about you this morning I realized that when I asked you about
your goals for this year you said, staying clean, drug free. But since we were just talking to renew
acquaintances I did not think about it any deeper. I just hoped you would be
successful. But have you heard that
besides bottoming out and then depending on God and asking him to help
us overcome our addiction we also need to replace the addiction with something
that has the potential to reward us even more than the habit did. There are some things that make us happy
inside. Some like to run for their high. I did that for years but it was always
an effort to be strong. Others get their high from relationships and loving and
caring for and encouraging others. That
is my source of thrills and highs now. It may sound strange but I often sit
back and replay interactions with others and smile and joy in the experience.
Plus there can be a level of risk taking which can give a thrill as well.
For
example, this is the year for me to honor the birthdays in my family by writing
a limerick. Last year I did not do this. You may know that very few things are
off limits for me. And so when I make up a limerick they are sometimes
dangerous. My daughter has 3 sons and
one girl. Her girl turned 8 last month.
I thought I was being very generous and thoughtful when I wrote her not
just one but 3 limericks. A week after I had posted them on Facebook my
daughter Marrissa still had not responded. I had been dying to hear what she
thought. I wrote her and asked. She responded, “Dad, I love you. But I don’t
love your limericks so much. . .”
What? She
didn’t like my beautiful poems to her daughter?
I really
wasn’t that surprised. When your kids have a teacher for a dad it is like you
get used to being uncomfortable. Someone always has something to say to you
about them. And when your dad is as adventurous as I am then there is all the
more reason for caution. In fact anticipating that I may have offended her I
had already written her an apology for perhaps stepping on her toes.
June 24th, 7:36pm
So
do you remember Clarrissa's B-day? I sent you 3 limericks and haven’t heard a
word back. Are you offended by me in some way? if so I am sorry. @Last Sunday
Rod left the frisbee golf game with Brace and Kayden because I was
monopolizing the conversation. I didn't know he was leaving for that reason so
I joined him. Talk about adding insult to injury! @ So if my brashness has
offended you and Cichael D, please let me know. vern/dad
June 24th, 8:58pm
Dad,
I love you. I do not love your limericks so much. They tend to embarrass me.
While not offended, I was uncomfortable with both the limericks and some things
in the letter to mom for her anniversary. I wish you didn't share it,
communication like that is personal and when I read it (because I was curious;)
I could see how hurt and offended she'd feel. And it leaves me feeling somewhat
in the middle. However, I've been frantic and busy with 4 kids. I'm sure if I
ever had more than 2 mins to myself, I'd have called or emailed. Sorry for not
staying in better touch. Babies require so much one-on-one. I have no idea how
anyone had more than 3 kids. I'm tired;) hope you are doing well. love- Miss
June 28th, 9:17pm
Thank
you for daring to respond and for being genuine. I will try to reconsider to
find a better solution for you.
Ok
thx dad.
[BJ, can you imagine anything better than
having a sweet daughter with 4 kids love you and respond to you in this
way. It doesn’t get any better than
that.vj]
Here are
the limericks I wrote for Clarrissa, but first I have to say that when this
little girl was born she had the prettiest kissable lips I have ever seen on a
baby:
Vern Jensen
*There's a Nephi niece named Clarrenna,
Who thinks the best color is sienna.
She's blonde as could be,
Thoughtful, kind and friendly,
And she doesn't slip on the peels of banana.
Here comes the bride, here comes the bride, slipped on a banana peel and went for a ride. That was a silly song we used to sing in elementary school.
When I was a house painter Raw and Burnt Sienna were pigments we used to color off white house paint. Raw and Burnt Umber were the other two.
*Blue-eyed and with lips one would die for,
Clarrenna's smile can drop you to the floor,
You'll not feel the pain,
Cause it makes one insane,
And the magic wears off like a world war.
*There once was a girl named Clarrenna,
Little brothers all three a dilemma,
Should she love them to death,
Even to her last breath,
Though sometimes they act a big penna?
Happy Clarrenna week! I think you are wonderful. As you can tell I wrote you 3 limericks. They are supposed to be silly and sometimes if they are catchy enough they stick in your mind. Which of these did you like the best?
Love Papa Vern
Who thinks the best color is sienna.
She's blonde as could be,
Thoughtful, kind and friendly,
And she doesn't slip on the peels of banana.
Here comes the bride, here comes the bride, slipped on a banana peel and went for a ride. That was a silly song we used to sing in elementary school.
When I was a house painter Raw and Burnt Sienna were pigments we used to color off white house paint. Raw and Burnt Umber were the other two.
*Blue-eyed and with lips one would die for,
Clarrenna's smile can drop you to the floor,
You'll not feel the pain,
Cause it makes one insane,
And the magic wears off like a world war.
*There once was a girl named Clarrenna,
Little brothers all three a dilemma,
Should she love them to death,
Even to her last breath,
Though sometimes they act a big penna?
Happy Clarrenna week! I think you are wonderful. As you can tell I wrote you 3 limericks. They are supposed to be silly and sometimes if they are catchy enough they stick in your mind. Which of these did you like the best?
Love Papa Vern
So BJ what do you
think of them? You may not have an opinion because you don’t know my family.
But you can still see the idea right?
Well on
July 2 it is Jaren’s birthday and I wrote some for her but. . . having learned from my experience with Marrissa I decided to clear them with her before I post them on Facebook. Good think too. She nixed the first two and
so I only posted the other 4. You might
ask, why would anyone write limericks for birthdays?
1 I want
them to know how much I love them.
2 It
gives me a creative outlet.
3 It is a
bit risky so I also get a thrill.
4 It is
memorable and commemorates and honors them.
Well next
on July 5 it is Marrissa’s husband’s Bday. I ask a week beforehand if he wants
me to write one for him. He says yes but just email it to him. Don’t publish
anything! How disappointing. That is half the fun.
Vern Jensen
*My Jaren I love with whole heart,
She’s genuine right from the start.
Uplifting and kind,
To our sins she’s quite blind,
And her voice a delightful work of art.
*Jaren learned early to tell us “and then”,
In fact a video we should all watch again.
But to edge in sideways,
Her two sisters to engage,
She had to do something stupen.(dous) or
*Jaren learned early to tell us “and then”,
In fact a video we should all watch again.
Has her hanging upside down,
The story never unwound,
But Facebook shows us she’s part comedienne.
*There once was a mommy named Jaren,
Her daughters were loved not dispairin’,
Though playful and fun,
When Mom said, All Done!
They scampered to clean up ‘til transparent.
• Jaren definition:
• noun: the Tibeto-Burman language spoken in the Thailand and Burmese borderlands
• name: A surname (very rare: popularity rank in the U.S.: #35496)
Happy Birthday Week! Thank you for getting it started on Sunday! That /those were so sweet. No words were needed. WE all understood.
Horray Stream!
Horray Rain!
Vern/Dad
I will be 59 on July 16! If you want to write me a limerick, it won’t
cost you any money and it might be an adventure.
So my
point is. If you are taking/doing drugs for the thrill or to escape, find
something that can give you a thrill or escape like writing and sharing
limericks. (performing etc.)
I have a
next door neighbor who finally got kicked out of school this year as a
sophomore. DHHS. He enrolled at
Millcreek and is doing packets. I told his dad he needed some experience
looking at professions and jobs so he could find something that would match his
interests. I suggested the 140 merit badge books in scouting as good ways to
look at options. I went to the library and checked him out the first ten. After
a week his dad gave them back and said he never looked at them. Wasn’t
interested. (I thought, of course not, they are boring. But as a Dad and since
he is not attending school couldn’t you have had him put in an hour a day or
something? Evidently not.)
Not many
people would pick teaching science in Jr. High as a profession. Neither did I.
But is was a thrill and one had to coach to teach HS.
Prepare
yourself for something that is going to give you a lifelong thrill or sense of
fulfillment. A good job/profession and raising a family are two wonderful ways
to use all your talents and abilities.
Did you
know that rich families send their kids to liberal arts schools? That’s where
they go and learn about all kinds of areas so they will be well balanced in the
world to take over their parents financial holdings. Get a wide variety of
exposures if possible so you can make a good choice.
I have a
young friend who wants to do an internship as a police officer. As I was
looking up information about you I saw an adventure program where officers can
teach you. Finding a way to earn money, contribute to society, and fulfill your
needs is so important. In the old movies they used to show the inmates on chain
gangs building roads and/or breaking rocks with sledge hammers.
Personally,
I believe God can help.
Vern
PS.========common limericks==========
1 There was a young
fellow of Wheeling
Endowed with such delicate feeling
When he read on the door,
"Don't spit on the floor"
He jumped up and spat on the ceiling!
American version (anonymous)
Endowed with such delicate feeling
When he read on the door,
"Don't spit on the floor"
He jumped up and spat on the ceiling!
American version (anonymous)
2 There was a young girl
from Madras
Who had a most beautiful ass
Not rounded and pink
As you probably think
But gray, with long ears, and ate grass
Anonymous, after Lear
Who had a most beautiful ass
Not rounded and pink
As you probably think
But gray, with long ears, and ate grass
Anonymous, after Lear
I have tried to paste 3-8 but no luck.vj
7 A wonderful bird is
the pelican
His bill can hold more than his belican
He can take in his beak
Food enough for a week
But I’m damned if I see how the helican
Dixon Merritt
His bill can hold more than his belican
He can take in his beak
Food enough for a week
But I’m damned if I see how the helican
Dixon Merritt
9 There
was a young lady from Leeds
Who swallowed a package of seeds.
Now this sorry young lass
Is quite covered in grass,
But has all the tomatoes she needs.
Anonymous
Who swallowed a package of seeds.
Now this sorry young lass
Is quite covered in grass,
But has all the tomatoes she needs.
Anonymous
10 How
to spell the potato has tried
Many minds, sometimes mine, I’ll confide.
Though it may have an eye,
There’s no E – don’t ask why!
Not until it’s been baked, boiled or fried.
Graham Lester
Many minds, sometimes mine, I’ll confide.
Though it may have an eye,
There’s no E – don’t ask why!
Not until it’s been baked, boiled or fried.
Graham Lester
11 There
was a young lady of Ryde
Who ate some green apples and died.
The apples fermented
Inside the lamented
And made cider inside her inside.
Anonymous
Who ate some green apples and died.
The apples fermented
Inside the lamented
And made cider inside her inside.
Anonymous
12 There
was a young fellow named Flynn
Who was really remarkably thin.
When he carried a pole
People said, “Bless my soul!
What a shock to find out you’ve a twin.”
Anonymous
Who was really remarkably thin.
When he carried a pole
People said, “Bless my soul!
What a shock to find out you’ve a twin.”
Anonymous
13 There
was once a young girl who said : "Why
Can't I look in my ear with my eye?
If I put my mind to it
I'm sure I can do it.
You never can tell till you try."
Anonymous
Can't I look in my ear with my eye?
If I put my mind to it
I'm sure I can do it.
You never can tell till you try."
Anonymous
14 A
peach-picking foreman named Rick
Runs a peach-picking outfit that's slick.
Each day, to a man,
They pick all that they can,
And each night they can all that they pick.
Graham Lester
Runs a peach-picking outfit that's slick.
Each day, to a man,
They pick all that they can,
And each night they can all that they pick.
Graham Lester
15 Is
Algebra fruitless endeavor?
It seems they’ve been trying for ever
To find x, y, and z
And it’s quite clear to me:
If they’ve not found them yet then they'll never.
Graham Lester
It seems they’ve been trying for ever
To find x, y, and z
And it’s quite clear to me:
If they’ve not found them yet then they'll never.
Graham Lester
16 There
once was a girl in the choir
Whose voice rose up hoir and hoir,
Till it reached such a height
It went clear out of seight,
And they found it next day in the spoir.
Anonymous
Whose voice rose up hoir and hoir,
Till it reached such a height
It went clear out of seight,
And they found it next day in the spoir.
Anonymous
17 An
ambitious young fellow named Matt
Tried to parachute using his hat.
Folks below looked so small
As he started to fall,
Then got bigger and bigger and SPLAT!
Graham Lester
Tried to parachute using his hat.
Folks below looked so small
As he started to fall,
Then got bigger and bigger and SPLAT!
Graham Lester
18
There was a young belle of old Natchez
Whose garments were always in patchez.
When comments arose
On the state of her clothes,
She replied, "When Ah itchez, Ah scratchez."
—Ogden Nash
Whose garments were always in patchez.
When comments arose
On the state of her clothes,
She replied, "When Ah itchez, Ah scratchez."
—Ogden Nash
19
There was a young lady of Niger
who smiled as she rode on a tiger;
They returned from the ride
with the lady inside,
and the smile on the face of the tiger.
who smiled as she rode on a tiger;
They returned from the ride
with the lady inside,
and the smile on the face of the tiger.
20
There was a young lady named Bright
who traveled much faster than light.
She set out one day
in a relative way,
and came back the previous night.
—Anonymous
who traveled much faster than light.
She set out one day
in a relative way,
and came back the previous night.
—Anonymous
21
“There was an Old Man with a beard
Who
said, 'It is just as I feared!
Two
Owls and a Hen,
Four
Larks and a Wren,
Have
all built their nests in my beard!’”
22 There was a young girl named O’Dell,
Who, while walking down Chestnut Street fell,
She got up with bound
,
And looked all around,
And said in a deep voice, “Oh, Hell!”
1 Comments about
the 22 limericks. Hopefully you formed
your own opinions as you read them. I studied about 3 times this many and
picked the ones I thought were the best. So I like all of these. This first one
startled me. Was not what I was expecting.
2 On this one I liked the twist.
3 I visited San Francisco and Toronto Canada when I was
young and I was so surprised to see the busses running on wires over the roads
using electricity. So strange. Have you ever seen that?
Plus I liked how we/people/he was compared to vehicles.
4 This one turned out to be a tongue and brain twister.
5 explosion
6 mind bending
7 who in the heck would think of something like this? weird
talent.
8 Kipling is so famous and he made up this silly one with
weird unfinished words?
9 Leeds and it tickles.
10 This one turns into a riddle.
11 tongue twister again
12 I was too skinny as a kid. Really exaggerates how thin!
13 Everyone says you can do it if you try. Oh yeah?
14 twists
15 Yeah, how can they keep doin’ that?
16 This one hurts as you read it and say it.
17 Jr High humor
18 pain, Pain, PAIN and torture. Like 16.
19 One of those great old familiar ones. Don’t you remember
hearing this one?
20 Finally, paying respect to science (teacher)
21 WE had a book in my family about this one that went on
and on and on.
22 This was one of 3
or 4 that I had to sit back and deliberate about what it was really
saying. Did you get it? He’s not a girl.
Tuesday, July 8, 2014
unexpected Kindness?
10:02a
-Jay McArthur wheeled Ann's trash cart home then McArthur's then Mine! I was out squishing the spoiled spherical portions of my second cantaloupe out onto a stretch of cardboard so it would dry and not breed in my garbage can. The third rumble of a trash cart began and I knew he had taken his two in. A first! He brought mine in as well.
I don't know if he figured out the gold giant J on the back means Jensen. A couple of months ago he said, if I knew which one was yours I would bring it back too. As I watched him today, me ever trying to be efficient, I thought why does he have their white poodle on a leash and only use one hand to wheel back the trash can? But he probably figures it is just more of a fun walk for George, the dog.
I over-sprayed some blue onto the lid and decided I would use the overs-pray line as background color for writing Jensen, Jensen, Je ns en, Jensen, Jensen across the top in black permanent marker. So there is an addition unmistakable clue as to whom it belongs.
-I lay in the hammock in the dark last night and prayed in gratitude. There were such an assortment of things I was grateful for I decided I would innumerate them for myself, up to 10. I did a few more because I couldn't stop but this text from Bonnie Carter was one or more of the 10:
"Ok. I read to Quinn the whole talk. We both really enjoyed it and appreciate that you shared. I'm going to make a copy of the last page if that is OK. WE also did the riddles. That was fun. He asked me some tough questions that were yes and no that I didn't know the answer to :). I am not as smart as him when it comes to scripture. Thanks again."
Last month gave them a 10 riddle game to play since they couldn't fit me in. I had called with my new Hometeaching list from Derek Larson last night because I was hoping to get that talk back since I have two more bishops I want to add to the list. Vaughn Bethers and Larry Higgins.
- I called Eric Yunker and told him he is my HT companion now. He will have a new hometeacher. I guess Alan Averett's tears at parting were well times afterall. I called my new family: Bruce Randall and I got a particular wicked glee from hearing that Hal Stead, at his wife's insistence, would only phone call on the last day of the month and say, well this is good enough to get credit isn't it?
I am OCD sometimes and Hal Stead is so OCD when it comes to mistakes. WE are getting to be better and better friends. His organ mistakes are so much more obvious than my directing mistakes. He has stopped twice in the last couple of months thinking the song was over one verse early!
-So here it is the first week of the month and my HT families know I care and know who I am. It is so much easier being a hometeacher with the diligence and commitment part already habitual and now the time constriction being gone. Of course I often feel depression and just don't feel like going. Perhaps that is why when I do feel motivated I contact them like last night. Plus, I share things/gospel centered that are fun and fascinating or intriguing at the time. Riddles, a missed sacrament meeting talk, a treatise I wrote on pornography to the Carter's last year. Church history stories, original book of mormon print, Lectures on Faith, geography of the book of Mormon (only 2 months)!
-I am getting the strangest considerations about how much longer I could live and produce. Perhaps because of listening to General Conference I keep considering that I may have 1/3 of my life left. 30 years. That could be a second career like 33 teaching years was my first one.
-Camille is going backwards on listening to conference talks. She is listening to 3-4 a day. She is back to 2005! I am in shock! Just what I would have always wished for her!! That is where my confidence, security and foundation strengthening are coming from. So wonderful. I can't believe it. I am having a good influence on others. Even my sister.
-She asked Brian Cooper if he would like to listen to a conference talk before prayers at the end of the day the other night. He said no thank you. She looked up my Monson scout camp fishing story and shared it with him, and he told her which two flies he would want to take with him if that were his assignment. So rich. So funny. So affirming. She said if I find any others like that to be sure to send them along! I replied that I thought that one was a one and only! : )
Woah! Big Stuff! She says she does not have to flashback his life anymore. She has relived it so many times it is more like a DVD/movie and she can watch it from a distance and not feel as much. She said this 4th was the best she has ever had. She just stayed home and did not have to fake or gear up to keep others happy around her.
-Bill Young is in California for a class reunion and his barbershop friends. Jim Young sort of gave me the cold shoulder when the school year ended and he had been kicked out and was supposed to start at Millcreek. I would text him and he would say, I'm busy, I'm working. I wanted to know all about his first job but I had to get info from Bill. Bill has not been very sharing either. It is like he is keeping most of his life apart from me whereas before most of his life was being shared. This weekend I texted Jim and asked him to share 5 things about his life with me when he had the time. Yesterday, I shared 5+ things with him about my life and then he did not ignore me on this second try! He wrote 5 things about his.
7/7/14 9:43p V-
I am sorry. But the person you have called has a vmailbox that has not been set up yet. Jim, no vmail. I don't like typing so I called.
Izy is back from the pound $65
If she would stop roaming!
I :had two frozen beetles in my icecream last night.
They drown while I am reading and then get frozen. Gross. What is this crunchy thing in my mouth.
Went to a funeral today.
Molly has been sick for 2 weeks.
Niki's mom brought slushies today.
I watered both front and back lawns this weekend.
Did not use air conditioning today.
Tell me 5 things about you. Vern
7/ 7/14 9:48p J-
Been working a lot lately.
Been really sick today.
Have a lot of homework to catch up on.
Fed Libby twice today. I like her nice and fat.
And I took a shower in the middle of the day today. Kinda weird.
7/8/14 12:54a
Me and khalani are on the hunt.
-Ta DA! I got responses! I feel like the pied piper. I finally suckered him into responding. Yay! Now if I could only do the same thing for MichaelJ'92
-The red collared black dog mated ahead of me with Izy near the tennis courts last night. He tried to withdraw but was too engorged and Izy was crying and whimpering as he pulled her around behind him. I was talking with Camille on the phone at the time. I said, see you in a minute. There is something I need to take care of. I thought I had hung up but I hadn't. About 5 minutes later I hear Camille's voice coming from my backpack saying: What are you doing? By then I had sat at the toy near the courts, chased the red collared dog twice, crossed Fort Pierce and avoided the first set of sprinklers. Boy was I surprised she was still on the phone. She had put me on speaker phone and had just continued working.
-I dropped off CC at the Alvarez' house and wondered if I would have to worry about the red collar again. Sure enough. Within 5 minutes I hear Izy crying again and chasing noises out front. Jimmy said we were trying to help you out Vern. We were throwing rocks at that dog but they looked like they were stuck together. V-Yep, that's the same thing that happened to me on my walk and I threw rocks too. I explained why they were stuck. Jim said, put her in the back yard. Today I have the front door open but the baby fence across it. These were huge episodes for me. Still trying to make peace with it. I keep asking myself, Izy, you just get hurt, why do you keep following him? I believe she loves to socialize so it is automatic plus she has the wander lust hormones going. One of the reasons I counted the nights she was gone was because I was hoping she would be out of heat when I got her back. Nope. She is not swollen and bleeding/leaking but evidently she still smells good to the males. I sure hope they have safe aborting drugs for dogs, if I need them. And I hope they are not taxed like alcohol to make it cost 4 times as much.
-I was motivated enough to drive to Walmart last night for tortillas and ad match isopropyl alcohol. $1
-An hour ago I was motivated enough to ride my bike for distilled white vinegar and sardines picante and a brown tax envelope.
11:31
-Jay McArthur wheeled Ann's trash cart home then McArthur's then Mine! I was out squishing the spoiled spherical portions of my second cantaloupe out onto a stretch of cardboard so it would dry and not breed in my garbage can. The third rumble of a trash cart began and I knew he had taken his two in. A first! He brought mine in as well.
I don't know if he figured out the gold giant J on the back means Jensen. A couple of months ago he said, if I knew which one was yours I would bring it back too. As I watched him today, me ever trying to be efficient, I thought why does he have their white poodle on a leash and only use one hand to wheel back the trash can? But he probably figures it is just more of a fun walk for George, the dog.
I over-sprayed some blue onto the lid and decided I would use the overs-pray line as background color for writing Jensen, Jensen, Je ns en, Jensen, Jensen across the top in black permanent marker. So there is an addition unmistakable clue as to whom it belongs.
-I lay in the hammock in the dark last night and prayed in gratitude. There were such an assortment of things I was grateful for I decided I would innumerate them for myself, up to 10. I did a few more because I couldn't stop but this text from Bonnie Carter was one or more of the 10:
"Ok. I read to Quinn the whole talk. We both really enjoyed it and appreciate that you shared. I'm going to make a copy of the last page if that is OK. WE also did the riddles. That was fun. He asked me some tough questions that were yes and no that I didn't know the answer to :). I am not as smart as him when it comes to scripture. Thanks again."
Last month gave them a 10 riddle game to play since they couldn't fit me in. I had called with my new Hometeaching list from Derek Larson last night because I was hoping to get that talk back since I have two more bishops I want to add to the list. Vaughn Bethers and Larry Higgins.
- I called Eric Yunker and told him he is my HT companion now. He will have a new hometeacher. I guess Alan Averett's tears at parting were well times afterall. I called my new family: Bruce Randall and I got a particular wicked glee from hearing that Hal Stead, at his wife's insistence, would only phone call on the last day of the month and say, well this is good enough to get credit isn't it?
I am OCD sometimes and Hal Stead is so OCD when it comes to mistakes. WE are getting to be better and better friends. His organ mistakes are so much more obvious than my directing mistakes. He has stopped twice in the last couple of months thinking the song was over one verse early!
-So here it is the first week of the month and my HT families know I care and know who I am. It is so much easier being a hometeacher with the diligence and commitment part already habitual and now the time constriction being gone. Of course I often feel depression and just don't feel like going. Perhaps that is why when I do feel motivated I contact them like last night. Plus, I share things/gospel centered that are fun and fascinating or intriguing at the time. Riddles, a missed sacrament meeting talk, a treatise I wrote on pornography to the Carter's last year. Church history stories, original book of mormon print, Lectures on Faith, geography of the book of Mormon (only 2 months)!
-I am getting the strangest considerations about how much longer I could live and produce. Perhaps because of listening to General Conference I keep considering that I may have 1/3 of my life left. 30 years. That could be a second career like 33 teaching years was my first one.
-Camille is going backwards on listening to conference talks. She is listening to 3-4 a day. She is back to 2005! I am in shock! Just what I would have always wished for her!! That is where my confidence, security and foundation strengthening are coming from. So wonderful. I can't believe it. I am having a good influence on others. Even my sister.
-She asked Brian Cooper if he would like to listen to a conference talk before prayers at the end of the day the other night. He said no thank you. She looked up my Monson scout camp fishing story and shared it with him, and he told her which two flies he would want to take with him if that were his assignment. So rich. So funny. So affirming. She said if I find any others like that to be sure to send them along! I replied that I thought that one was a one and only! : )
The Upward Reach
-Camille is unusually happy and blessed right now and she doesn't want it to end. The 4th of July is difficult for her because she lost a baby boy. She has never been up to praying about him. It has always been a shameful thing to her. But she has been able to talk about him to Mark. And this last week she was able to ask HF to tell him that it wasn't her choice and she hopes he is well and blessed."Would you permit me to relate just one personal experience. When I was fourteen years old, our troop went to Big Cottonwood Canyon on a Scout outing. After setting up camp, our leader said to me, “Monson, you like to fish. I’m giving you two fishing flies—a black gnat and a white miller. Now you catch enough fish to feed this troop for the next three days, and I’ll pick all of you up on Saturday.” He departed. I never questioned his charge. I knew if I did my part I’d catch the fish and feed the troop. And I did. I was a man before I realized it just isn’t proper for the Scoutmaster to bail out on the boys. But what a learning experience it was for us."
Woah! Big Stuff! She says she does not have to flashback his life anymore. She has relived it so many times it is more like a DVD/movie and she can watch it from a distance and not feel as much. She said this 4th was the best she has ever had. She just stayed home and did not have to fake or gear up to keep others happy around her.
-Bill Young is in California for a class reunion and his barbershop friends. Jim Young sort of gave me the cold shoulder when the school year ended and he had been kicked out and was supposed to start at Millcreek. I would text him and he would say, I'm busy, I'm working. I wanted to know all about his first job but I had to get info from Bill. Bill has not been very sharing either. It is like he is keeping most of his life apart from me whereas before most of his life was being shared. This weekend I texted Jim and asked him to share 5 things about his life with me when he had the time. Yesterday, I shared 5+ things with him about my life and then he did not ignore me on this second try! He wrote 5 things about his.
7/7/14 9:43p V-
I am sorry. But the person you have called has a vmailbox that has not been set up yet. Jim, no vmail. I don't like typing so I called.
Izy is back from the pound $65
If she would stop roaming!
I :had two frozen beetles in my icecream last night.
They drown while I am reading and then get frozen. Gross. What is this crunchy thing in my mouth.
Went to a funeral today.
Molly has been sick for 2 weeks.
Niki's mom brought slushies today.
I watered both front and back lawns this weekend.
Did not use air conditioning today.
Tell me 5 things about you. Vern
7/ 7/14 9:48p J-
Been working a lot lately.
Been really sick today.
Have a lot of homework to catch up on.
Fed Libby twice today. I like her nice and fat.
And I took a shower in the middle of the day today. Kinda weird.
7/8/14 12:54a
Me and khalani are on the hunt.
-Ta DA! I got responses! I feel like the pied piper. I finally suckered him into responding. Yay! Now if I could only do the same thing for MichaelJ'92
-The red collared black dog mated ahead of me with Izy near the tennis courts last night. He tried to withdraw but was too engorged and Izy was crying and whimpering as he pulled her around behind him. I was talking with Camille on the phone at the time. I said, see you in a minute. There is something I need to take care of. I thought I had hung up but I hadn't. About 5 minutes later I hear Camille's voice coming from my backpack saying: What are you doing? By then I had sat at the toy near the courts, chased the red collared dog twice, crossed Fort Pierce and avoided the first set of sprinklers. Boy was I surprised she was still on the phone. She had put me on speaker phone and had just continued working.
-I dropped off CC at the Alvarez' house and wondered if I would have to worry about the red collar again. Sure enough. Within 5 minutes I hear Izy crying again and chasing noises out front. Jimmy said we were trying to help you out Vern. We were throwing rocks at that dog but they looked like they were stuck together. V-Yep, that's the same thing that happened to me on my walk and I threw rocks too. I explained why they were stuck. Jim said, put her in the back yard. Today I have the front door open but the baby fence across it. These were huge episodes for me. Still trying to make peace with it. I keep asking myself, Izy, you just get hurt, why do you keep following him? I believe she loves to socialize so it is automatic plus she has the wander lust hormones going. One of the reasons I counted the nights she was gone was because I was hoping she would be out of heat when I got her back. Nope. She is not swollen and bleeding/leaking but evidently she still smells good to the males. I sure hope they have safe aborting drugs for dogs, if I need them. And I hope they are not taxed like alcohol to make it cost 4 times as much.
-I was motivated enough to drive to Walmart last night for tortillas and ad match isopropyl alcohol. $1
-An hour ago I was motivated enough to ride my bike for distilled white vinegar and sardines picante and a brown tax envelope.
11:31
Sunday, July 6, 2014
Sunday, Camilla Higgins funeral tomorrow. 7/6/14
10:12pm
-Visited Rod Packer too. He has been in commercial real-estate and he has figured out how to make it work for him. He has had good years for the last 4 or 5. I told him about Jerry Foote. And he didn't know I was retired so I shared what a financial blessing it turned out to be. 32 years of Alimony covered! He was just home from SLC or up north with his 2 nice 4 wheelers on the trailor. I said Hi to Robyn too but she did not stop to visit. Rod sort of had to! : ) It was dark. Cool cloudy lightning, scattered raindrops night. No air conditioning today.
-I visited Jared Hall twice tonight. Evans grandson. We decided his cartoon character face will be "Daryl Duck the patron saint of diabetics"! He got diagnosed with diabetes at 13. He plans to go to Weber State Police Academy. He would have been in the service like Grandpa Richard Evans if had been diabetes free. He was friendly and visited about 20 minutes the first time. But interrupted and irritated an hour later the second time. It was dark and he was going to bed. Sorry Jared. He has a soft pellet gun that is too far range for the indoor shooting range we have here in Saint George. He might use a journal in church for writing but mostly drawing if he were to be given one. We discussed lined versus unlined pages. He was fine with lined. : )
-I visited Michael Johnson tonight. 3 years in New England and 6 in Fort Worth, Texas. 5m in population around that area. Very liberal vs. Conservative as far jewelry purchasing is concerned. He has fun creating artistic, extravagant pieces! 50 k vs. 5,000k people. That is 100 x's increase. He can't believe how courteous all the people speak, yes mam, no sir, etc.. They are not any more trustworthy but they are more friendly and courteous in their speech. He thinks he has found his home. Loves the atmosphere and is happy with the climate and the job opportunities are great. @He is being paid well and will stay. The owner died and his son has taken over and his son is somewhat autistic. He doesn't have the vision of course of his father. Mark has a property across the street and couldn't figure out how to get the lawn mowed. Mike said he would take care of it for him. In their board meetings he often looks to Mike to field answers to the questions with an empty look on his face. Working with him is something of a challenge. Both owners admired, trusted and valued Mike Johnson. A man of impeccable integrity. 42 stores dropped to 21 with the economy slow down 10 years ago in New England so they only needed one area manager instead of two and the took the guy with seniority. @I brought home about 20 tomatoes. Larry planted way to many and can't keep up with them. I admitted watering the two by the garage in the big huge pots when I came by earlier and no one was home. And that I had taken home a damaged one last week and sliced it in thin pieces and tasted them individually. Larry like our company. Michael brought out another chair for me and Larry came back from his walk and just stood to be with us. We listened to him for quite a few minutes and beat around the bush until I decided to ask my question of MichaelJo. I asked Larry if he had had lots of hugs lately and he admitted he had. I said I hadn't and gave him one and told him good job with dealing with his wife passing away. Becky thanked him in her testimony today for taking care of her mother so well for the last 25 years. He said he told everyone tonight that this should be a happy time. Camillia just went to a happier place. So sweet. If MichaelJo had not been there I would have asked Larry how many more years he is expecting to go.
-Am still fasting, with fluids (water or vinegar or diluted ginger ale).
-visited Pat Hales tonight. She kept covering her neck and right ear with her blouse. She is sensitive to wind and gets migraines. She showed me her shovel bird. I asked if it was male. She looked and agreed it was. You know me. No need to vote on it, like BKP shared and RMN referred back to, Oct'93. : )
-Felt worthy, deserving to comment and read MichaelD's Birthday Facebooks because I wrote him 9 verses of limericks.
Dang if I didn't stay up until after 3am this morning. I forgot 9am church cleanup yesterday but
Brad said they had a good turnout. I love it when that happens. I did not make chair-set-up this morning but I didn't expect to. I got Lily out for a walk after church and it was only 87 F in the open house. I recorded one chapter of the verse story that Marita Bates gave me from Argentina. I started studying the glossary and writing down my guesses as to what the words mean. There are so many words I don't use! My goodness. I am really out of mainstream Spanish communication. Mine was a religious application.
I went downstairs to rest after drying off out front by recording the Spanish story in the shade. I did water the front lawn tonight for an hour or so while I rode my bike around visiting. I did water the back lawn last night which makes me proud. I turned it off at about 2 or 3. So one benefit for staying up anyway. I watched a StarTrek episode off of Youtube! So fun![the doomsday machine] Sister Pat Hales was watching an episode as well yesterday.
-Visited Rod Packer too. He has been in commercial real-estate and he has figured out how to make it work for him. He has had good years for the last 4 or 5. I told him about Jerry Foote. And he didn't know I was retired so I shared what a financial blessing it turned out to be. 32 years of Alimony covered! He was just home from SLC or up north with his 2 nice 4 wheelers on the trailor. I said Hi to Robyn too but she did not stop to visit. Rod sort of had to! : ) It was dark. Cool cloudy lightning, scattered raindrops night. No air conditioning today.
-I visited Jared Hall twice tonight. Evans grandson. We decided his cartoon character face will be "Daryl Duck the patron saint of diabetics"! He got diagnosed with diabetes at 13. He plans to go to Weber State Police Academy. He would have been in the service like Grandpa Richard Evans if had been diabetes free. He was friendly and visited about 20 minutes the first time. But interrupted and irritated an hour later the second time. It was dark and he was going to bed. Sorry Jared. He has a soft pellet gun that is too far range for the indoor shooting range we have here in Saint George. He might use a journal in church for writing but mostly drawing if he were to be given one. We discussed lined versus unlined pages. He was fine with lined. : )
-I visited Michael Johnson tonight. 3 years in New England and 6 in Fort Worth, Texas. 5m in population around that area. Very liberal vs. Conservative as far jewelry purchasing is concerned. He has fun creating artistic, extravagant pieces! 50 k vs. 5,000k people. That is 100 x's increase. He can't believe how courteous all the people speak, yes mam, no sir, etc.. They are not any more trustworthy but they are more friendly and courteous in their speech. He thinks he has found his home. Loves the atmosphere and is happy with the climate and the job opportunities are great. @He is being paid well and will stay. The owner died and his son has taken over and his son is somewhat autistic. He doesn't have the vision of course of his father. Mark has a property across the street and couldn't figure out how to get the lawn mowed. Mike said he would take care of it for him. In their board meetings he often looks to Mike to field answers to the questions with an empty look on his face. Working with him is something of a challenge. Both owners admired, trusted and valued Mike Johnson. A man of impeccable integrity. 42 stores dropped to 21 with the economy slow down 10 years ago in New England so they only needed one area manager instead of two and the took the guy with seniority. @I brought home about 20 tomatoes. Larry planted way to many and can't keep up with them. I admitted watering the two by the garage in the big huge pots when I came by earlier and no one was home. And that I had taken home a damaged one last week and sliced it in thin pieces and tasted them individually. Larry like our company. Michael brought out another chair for me and Larry came back from his walk and just stood to be with us. We listened to him for quite a few minutes and beat around the bush until I decided to ask my question of MichaelJo. I asked Larry if he had had lots of hugs lately and he admitted he had. I said I hadn't and gave him one and told him good job with dealing with his wife passing away. Becky thanked him in her testimony today for taking care of her mother so well for the last 25 years. He said he told everyone tonight that this should be a happy time. Camillia just went to a happier place. So sweet. If MichaelJo had not been there I would have asked Larry how many more years he is expecting to go.
-Am still fasting, with fluids (water or vinegar or diluted ginger ale).
-visited Pat Hales tonight. She kept covering her neck and right ear with her blouse. She is sensitive to wind and gets migraines. She showed me her shovel bird. I asked if it was male. She looked and agreed it was. You know me. No need to vote on it, like BKP shared and RMN referred back to, Oct'93. : )
-Felt worthy, deserving to comment and read MichaelD's Birthday Facebooks because I wrote him 9 verses of limericks.
Dang if I didn't stay up until after 3am this morning. I forgot 9am church cleanup yesterday but
Brad said they had a good turnout. I love it when that happens. I did not make chair-set-up this morning but I didn't expect to. I got Lily out for a walk after church and it was only 87 F in the open house. I recorded one chapter of the verse story that Marita Bates gave me from Argentina. I started studying the glossary and writing down my guesses as to what the words mean. There are so many words I don't use! My goodness. I am really out of mainstream Spanish communication. Mine was a religious application.
I went downstairs to rest after drying off out front by recording the Spanish story in the shade. I did water the front lawn tonight for an hour or so while I rode my bike around visiting. I did water the back lawn last night which makes me proud. I turned it off at about 2 or 3. So one benefit for staying up anyway. I watched a StarTrek episode off of Youtube! So fun![the doomsday machine] Sister Pat Hales was watching an episode as well yesterday.
Friday, July 4, 2014
Almost the 4th of July '14
Hello friendly connections,
Just a list:
-I tried stir-fried dandelion greens. It just made them dry and tough.
-Dropped off ~100 male guppies to Sue's Pet Castle today. And about 20 females. Clay put them in separate tanks which pleased me. I asked him to congratulate me for making it over to his store to drop them off. He did. Christopher J Russel is in Purgatory Flats again. I asked how CJ was doing and Clay told me. I called to get his address so I can write him. Clay just said Purgatory. I looked up Purgatory on google and have spent the last hour reading all different pages and programs and inmate rosters and bookings and a ton of stuff I have never done before.
-I sang a song to Hughes' voicemail which turned out good because it encouraged Katrina to answer. I didn't tell her but I cant' believe how my letter got returned because of the calendar page in it. I told her just take it out and mail the rest. She said it had lots of writing on it, on the back. She has tried to copy it but it has come out too dark to see anything. I so understand. But how long ago did I write and send that thing and I have been waiting for a response since when? !! She was leaving on errands but will be back later for me to pick it up from her. No since waiting for others. As least they know I cared enough to write. And at least she was honest with me about it being sent back because of the calendar page. [ My song was spur of the moment: H-u-g-h-e-s, H-u-g-h-e-s, David and Katrina Hughes are the best! I guess it was more of a team chant than a song. : ) ]
-Spent my 50$ gift card from L&B to Walmart. Got 20$/20lbs pond pellets and 3 internal filters like the one in the kitchen! Who would have thought! I am so excited!
-Albertson's is having 0.87$ a large cantaloupe sale! I did two ad-match at Washington Walmart.
-I visited their fish department. The new tanks with the little fish look great! Petco had mostly healthy fish. :) And their neons were only a dollar! There were a bunch of fat cute platies in the adoption tank. But I resisted.
-NAM's april'93 talk was so historical and rich. I gave in and marked it all.
-
Just a list:
-I tried stir-fried dandelion greens. It just made them dry and tough.
-Dropped off ~100 male guppies to Sue's Pet Castle today. And about 20 females. Clay put them in separate tanks which pleased me. I asked him to congratulate me for making it over to his store to drop them off. He did. Christopher J Russel is in Purgatory Flats again. I asked how CJ was doing and Clay told me. I called to get his address so I can write him. Clay just said Purgatory. I looked up Purgatory on google and have spent the last hour reading all different pages and programs and inmate rosters and bookings and a ton of stuff I have never done before.
-I sang a song to Hughes' voicemail which turned out good because it encouraged Katrina to answer. I didn't tell her but I cant' believe how my letter got returned because of the calendar page in it. I told her just take it out and mail the rest. She said it had lots of writing on it, on the back. She has tried to copy it but it has come out too dark to see anything. I so understand. But how long ago did I write and send that thing and I have been waiting for a response since when? !! She was leaving on errands but will be back later for me to pick it up from her. No since waiting for others. As least they know I cared enough to write. And at least she was honest with me about it being sent back because of the calendar page. [ My song was spur of the moment: H-u-g-h-e-s, H-u-g-h-e-s, David and Katrina Hughes are the best! I guess it was more of a team chant than a song. : ) ]
-Spent my 50$ gift card from L&B to Walmart. Got 20$/20lbs pond pellets and 3 internal filters like the one in the kitchen! Who would have thought! I am so excited!
-Albertson's is having 0.87$ a large cantaloupe sale! I did two ad-match at Washington Walmart.
-I visited their fish department. The new tanks with the little fish look great! Petco had mostly healthy fish. :) And their neons were only a dollar! There were a bunch of fat cute platies in the adoption tank. But I resisted.
-NAM's april'93 talk was so historical and rich. I gave in and marked it all.
-
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