Socialites - Mar and Lar?

June 13, 2009

Just to set things straight - Mar and Lar are not social outcast. We do have social graces. We do go places. We just don't jump at every chance - and we don't throw our own parties. With that said - we had a very social weekend.

On Friday we went to a wedding reception. It was very nice, thank you, even if it was outside and it did rain. We talked to a lot of people, but we had to leave early because . .

We also had to go to an open house for some friends who were moving out of town, county and state. We talked to a lot of people there, too. And we weren't the first to leave either gathering.

On Saturday, we went with two other couples out to lunch - in Estes Park. The place is called Baldpate inn. It is right across the highway from Lily Lake, and then down a little dirt road. It is clinging to a mountain and has a spectacular view. We may decide to take visiting dignitaries there someday. It was built in 1917 and has been an inn and a stage coach stop.

It was named after a fictitious inn in a mystery novel - in which seven guests were given keys to the inn. In the old days, guests were each given their own key to the inn, but now in World War I, when the price of metal went so high, that practice was discontinued. The regular guests to the inn were disappointed, but instead, they started bringing keys to give to the inn. Now the Baldpate Inn has the world's largest key collection (20,000 including keys from the Pentagon, Westminster Abbey and Frankenstein's Castle.)

It was a lovely afternoon, and our social graces shown through. We may just go to other nice places with these nice people.

Service Project - Batel Girl's Camp

June 6, 2009

The call went out the Sunday before that they needed 20 people to go to the new church girl's camp outside of Laramie to do some more clean up before the real girl's camp season starts next week. Mar and I had other things to do - but we decided that this sounded like more fun. We got up at 6:00 AM and packed up and drove the 2 hours to the camp. You go up 287 until you get to a little one building community about 12 miles before Laramie called Tie Siding. Turn left - West - onto a dirt road and go 3 miles. Turn right onto another dirt road and go 2 miles and then there is the camp.

It is a nice camp. It is right at the bottom of the mountains, so as you drive in you are on the high plains, then just as the trees start, there is the camp. A lot of ponderosa and white pine. Aspens and some sage brush and some meadows. Truly a beautiful place. The church is improving the area for the Young Women. They already have cinder block outhouses and nice tent pads. While we were there, they were putting up the tents - brand new and very nice. They are building a pavilion, but it is not done yet. They have put in a little dam and made an nice lake - or pond.

Our job was to work a fire abatement program. There is a lot of downed, dead lumber on the property. We were to cut it up into campfire wood, stack it and burn the slash. There were at least 250 people there working. Our ward had 12 - one woman - that was Mar (and she had just gotten her stitches out the day before). one young man - and 10 old guys (all High Priests). It wasn't hot and there was a cool breeze. We just worked hard and got a lot done. After we ate lunch, we came home.

Reading List

June 5, 2007

Angels and Demons by Dan Brown

It is one of those books where I saw the movie first and then decided to read the book.

I liked it. It kept you interested. It kept you reading, especially because I knew what was going to happen - sort of. The movie doesn't exactly follow the book. I think Dan Brown did a good job with the action and suspense.

However, anyone who can look into this book and see a conspiracy theory - is just crazy - nuts - cuckoo - gone bananas. To much willing suspension of disbelief has to happen to get into reality at all.

Take it as it is - a good story with some historical background.

Nope - not on the 501 must read books list - but I'd give it a 3.5 - just cause it was fun to read.

Reading List 2009

6/5 - Angels and Demons p Dan Brown

5/29 - A Tree Grows in Brooklyn - Betty Smith

5/11 - Crashing Through - Robert Kurson

5/5 - A Train to Potevka - Mike Ramsdell

4/27 - King Solomon's Mines - H. Rider Haggard *

4/21 - Best Loved Humor of the LDS People

4/6 - Eaters of the Dead - Michael Crichton

4/4 - Mexico - James A Michener

3/6 - The House of Mirth - Edith Wharton *

2/16 - The Wonderful Wizard of OZ - L. Frank Baum *

2/11 - The Last Lecture - Randy Pausch

2/9 - Peter Pan - J.M. Barrie *

2/1 - Next - Michael Crichton

Reading List

May 29, 2009

A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith
Picture early Saturday Morning cartoons. Bugs Bunny finally looks like he is going to meet his match as he is cornered by a pack of barking, crazed dogs. He has one last chance to fight back as he raises a book over his head - and all the dogs run away into the distance over a big suspension bridge. He turns the book over to see the title - A Tree Grows in Brooklyn - "Well what do you know," says Bugs.

And that is all I knew about this book - until the RS book club choose it for their reading in May. Mar read it and said I would love it. So I read it too. Mar was right. We had some discussions that went like this - "So what is it about?" - "Well, I can't say." Not because I don't want to ruin the plot - but because what it is about is life and dreams. It is about a girl growing up in the tenements of Brooklyn. Some of it is so sad it is hard to read. Some of it is really funny. But you have to read carefully, so that you don't miss the really funny parts because of the really sad parts. I know so many people would have a hard time reading this one because nothing happens. In our fast paced world, we need something to happen all the time. But in this one, Francie just grows up. In the end you just want so bad for something real good to happen to Francie - and her mother - and her brother - and her baby sister - and her aunts - and the bartender - they all need something real good to happen to them. Does it? I'll never tell.

I would give it a 4.

No it is not on the 501 must read list - but it should be.

Reading List 2009

5/29 - A Tree Grows in Brooklyn - Betty Smith
5/11 - Crashing Through - Robert Kurson
5/5 - A Train to Potevka - Mike Ramsdell
4/27 - King Solomon's Mines - H. Rider Haggard *
4/21 - Best Loved Humor of the LDS People
4/6 - Eaters of the Dead - Michael Crichton
4/4 - Mexico - James A Michener
3/6 - The House of Mirth - Edith Wharton *
2/16 - The Wonderful Wizard of OZ - L. Frank Baum *
2/11 - The Last Lecture - Randy Pausch
2/9 - Peter Pan - J.M. Barrie *
2/1 - Next - Michael Crichton

Travels - Lar in Ottawa

May 24 - 29, 2009

This was a business trip - the business was a custom class for a customer. Enough said about that.

I like Ottawa. It is a pretty city, not to mention the capital f Canada. It is not too large. It sits on the bank of the Ottawa river. Across the river is Gatineau, Quebec. The two cities are really two different worlds. Ottawa has historically been the politicat city marked by the beautiful spires of the Parliament Building and other government edifices.

The other side of the river has historically been the industrial city marked by smokestacks and lower income dwelling. Gatineau has improved it image by a beautiful museum complex and hotels along the riverfront.

But there is still a major difference. In Ottawa, there is a very foreign feeling. Roads signs are in metric. Money is Canadian. Signs and advertisements are in English and French. On the Quebec side - well there just isn't any English. It is all French. That makes it a little bit unnerving for a timid traveler like myself.

I went downtown on Monday and enjoyed a beautiful day in a beautiful city. The rest of the week - it rained. And I caught a cold. And on Tuesday through Thursday I worked 11 hour days. So I was tired and not much in the mood for sight-seeing. I am glad I had Monday afternoon just to enjoy this wonderful area.