Memory of Mom

So before we get to this narrative, I'd like to offer a disclaimer and an explanation.


Patti asked us all to share a memory of Mom for her seventieth birthday extravaganza. Patti spent a great deal of time collecting these memories and putting them in a very nice book. When she floated the idea, this memory was the first that came to mind. The first answer is always the best one right? 


And the disclaimer . . . 


Sometimes opinions become so pervasive in society that they establish a "norm." It doesn't matter that just a handful of years ago things weren't that way. Anything that contradicts that norm, even predating the opinion shift, offends the sensibilities. You'd never buy a six-year-old a box of .22 shells and send him to the hills on his own to have a good time today. That was perfectly normal in rural Idaho circa 1947. 


I guess I'm just saying to give this story some historical context - oh and calling DCFS on my mother won't do any good anyway. 

Back when the speed limit was 55 mph all the way to Cedar City and the Interstate was still kind of new south of Nephi, we found lots of ways to entertain ourselves on those long, long, long drives all the way across Utah. Mom pushed the speed limit a bit (telling us that you could usually get away with 62 or 63) so we calculated the time before we got to Grandma’s house in a 1:1 ratio with however many miles the green signs told us we had to go to Cedar. To help us with fractions, and give an excuse to eat some candy, mom divided the drive into six pieces of pie. We ate something good, often a Lifesaver, every hour or so, and the eternal question of “how much longer” was always answered with how many pieces of pie we had to go.

One of our favorite things to do during the drive was to sit next to mom in the cab of the Nissan pickup because she would let us hold the steering wheel for brief moments. Being (kind of) in control of that tan pickup was exciting, and we felt very privileged to be allowed to do it.

One hot summer trip (there was no air conditioning in the truck) mom was feeling particularly tired. She fought staying awake and then asked if I would like to hold the wheel for a few minutes.

Would I? Of course! So I took the wheel while mom still controlled the accelerator pedal. Mile after mile passed with me still enjoying the thrill of driving and mom still fighting the sleep monster. Unexpectedly (at least to me) she asked if I would mind if she closed her eyes for just a minute. I didn’t mind one bit. The freeway traffic was much lighter back then, so I really could travel a long time maintaining 55-60 mph without passing anyone or being passed very often.

Miles continued to pass and eventually the newness of driving started to wear off just a bit. John was sitting in the seat to my right and was entertaining himself watching out the side window.

“Hey!” John said, “Look at all those deer!” I, being still unfamiliar with the driving rule that the driver should really pay more attention to the road than peripheral wildlife, took a long look to try to see what he was looking at. The noise of tires on the rumble strips quickly filled the cab jarring mom from her light slumber. She yanked the steering wheel away from me and quickly put the truck back in the lane.

My memory of subsequent events isn’t as clear, but I’m pretty sure mom was wide awake after that.

Park City

Sidewalk Chalk

Weapons Qualification

This past weekend I spent with all my good friends in the 23rd Army Band doing weapons qualification. This is never a weekend that I look forward to, but always one that I end up enjoying. I figure the best way to give you a sense of what this experience entails, I should compose a list of the Ups and Downs. 

Up - You get to shoot an M16A2 rifle

Down - you have to clean an M16A2 rifle

Up - the weather was fantastic. The day was clear, and the temperature was very pleasant for August. 

Down - Many of the foxholes had little buddies in them before we started. A little lizard was no big deal. A bunch of red ants were a slightly bigger deal

Up - The pop up range was broken, so we got to shoot paper targets which are easier

Down - the pop up range was broken. Even though it's harder, it's more fun to shoot than paper targets

Up - we try to keep the same rifle to minimize site post adjustments when zero-ing the rifle.

Down - I kept inadvertently changing my sight-picture, so I was kind of all over the place anyway

Up - Range control read instructions in different voices - Radio DJ, Schwarzenegger, etc . . .

Down - Even range control gets tired after several hours, and the fun voices fade away in the monotony

Up - SGT Davidson put on a planking exhibition

Down - the fine, wind-swept dust gets into everything making you feel dirty and making it that much harder to clean the weapon

Up - taking the camera to the range was really fun. I spent a lot of time trying to capture a shot of expended brass

Down - getting a picture of an actual bullet is going to require a camera that shoots a lot faster than 1/4000th of a second.  

Anna's Birthday

Mom's 70th

Accident on Wall Avenue Lake

I'm pretty sure someone's day was ruined