Sheridan, Zach, Max

Today Clarine spent some time with grandchildren while the parents took care of some business. I went to Lisa and Phil's place while they attended some wedding doings for one of Lisa'a kin. I took my camera with me, so I have some updated pictures of Sheridan, Zach and Max. I also took with me a big roll of bubble gum and some Star Burst candy. Sheridan and I could make bubbles. Zach and Max were not as successful at bubble making. Anyway we surely did have fun together. We played a board game called Life. It was really easy for me, because Sheridan saw to it that I got counted around the board, that I got all of my payments, certificates, and married and children added. She was really good to her grandpa. We went to a park and the three used all of the equipment there - several times. Mill Creek was running right by the park. The stream was high, so it make a rushing noise. Max took a yellow ball with him to the park and he took such good care of it that it hardly ever left his sight, but when I looked in the car after I got home, I found that Max's yellow ball was there. That's too bad after he took such good care of it every where we went.

Our house guests do not complain. I hope they are content. Braxton has had a stomach ailment for three or four days. I hope he has finally gotten better.

Yesterday we spent some time in the temple, then drove to "Kitchen Kneads" and bought some cooking supplies. Then we drove to Provo and visited with Clarine's son-in-law and daughter at the Provo Hospital. He has just had brain surgery for cancer. That is a rather serious and mean operation. We pray that all goes well with him and that he gets many good years yet. He is 72.

We are getting ready to make the sojourn to Arizona. We are going to stop in Page, Arizona overnight on the way down and on the way back to Utah. It is just a little easier on us old folks, if we don't try to do it all in "one swell foop."

Our weather continues on the cool side. Things have been cooler than usual ever since last fall. We just haven't seen many signs of global warming. By the way, it surely feels good to have the salmonella sickness in the past. gwh.

Normal

Just thirty-seven hours ago my bowels had their last untoward eruption. Just a few minutes ago I felt "normal" sensations. The process was "normal" in the bathroom - no eruptions. The stool was "normal," but alas the color was ABNORMAL.

It was the most unattractive dark green -not normal -too much Pepto Bismol still in the system. So I am still carrying some telltale results of what I have been through the last six days. I suppose most of you are tiring just a little about reading of Salmonella symptoms - there were so many of us afflicted, but it is so good to be NORMAL or almost so once more that this will be my last post on the subject unless there are breaking developments. gwh

Normal

Be careful !!!!

I dare not even pass gas because I know not whether it will be liquid or air. Every one seems to be recovering much faster from the food poisoning than I. I have been using lots of Pepto Bismol, but I seem to get the most relief from over-the-counter naparoxen. As soon as it wears off I am right back to the stomach cramps and bathroom visits once more. (Interruption-bathroom visit.) I may well remember the first birthday of Braxton and Taylor quite vividly through the passing of time. I think I have never had a digestive upset to equal this one, and I did have type A jaundice on my mission. That was terrible, but maybe it is so far in the past that I don't know how terrible it was. It will be plenty of relief when this does pass. I have included a photo of me in better health and the twins, Taylor and Braxton, almost a year before their first birthday. They are big, noisy, robust boys on their first birthday. I am just not up to taking any pictures. They are staying with us through much of the summer while daddy, Justin, does his law internship here in Salt Lake. This place will never be the same. Justin and Ashley are ideal parents for a load such as those two guys because they are so young, healthy, robust, patient and loving. (I enjoy seeing those two boys interact with each other and seeing the expectations they have of their parents as they take them through the days activities.)

Kim's birthday happened in all of this mess as well. Her blog sounds as if she made the most of the situation and will maybe issue a "rain check" on the little cook out that we were going to have at their place on Monday. I trust I will be over this plague by then.

At the lake we have many wonderful examples of bird life. Just today from my house I have seen pelicans, a blue heron with grackles chasing him, snowy white egret, Canadian geese, ducks, swallows, terns, and probably some robins. The pelicans were doing an interesting exercise - about six of them would swim out about twenty feet from shore and then in a semi-circle swim back to shore and scoop up beak fulls of something which they apparently had trapped near the shore. Then they would repeat the action. I don't know how they communicated the plan, but they were working it. I guess cooperation really does pay.

This latest woe that I have been experiencing has caused some reflection on my part. I marvel what a grand creation this body is. When some part of it is not functioning, it sort of can reduce the rest of it to a pile of "clay." Take the digestive system for example. It is taken for granted when each step functions properly, but just let one part of it get interfered with or out of kilter and all "hell" breaks loose. None of the rest of it can work either. It surely took a Master to put it all together. Dealing with food poisoning can steer you away from atheism. gwh