Charity Portraying Louisa May Alcott, CIvil War Nurse

 When Charity was in eighth grade At Hyde Middle School I helped her with a class project.  It was on the Civil War and Charity decided to do a reenactment of Louisa May Alcott.  I found her story in some Civil War Books I had and wrote a script for her.  I never saw her actually perform, because this was in her school class.  However I saw her rehears several times and she looked beautiful and was doing a great job, pretending to help the wounded soldiers.  I understand she did so well the teacher kept a video copy so he could show subsequent years how to do a good job on the assignment.

Paintings from Kolb Studio: Grand Canyon National Park

 While Sheri, Mirianda and Tony were on the Bright Angel Trail, I doubled back and visited Kolb studio, which was having an art show downstairs.  Some of the paintings really moveed me with the light, colors and feeling so real.

Vocal Music and Swimming Lessons at Sky View

 When I was younger, after second and third grades, I took swimming at music lessons.   We would bus from Hyrum to Sky View High School in Smithfield. That is where the school district had a pool.  This was likely around 1965.  In addition to swimming we would also have music lessons together as a big choir.  Stratford Loosle, the Sky View choir director would conduct the music lessons.  We learned songs like "Up with People."  I remember he encouraged everyone to use their diaphragm.  He singled out Lori Yeates (a year older than I.  She lived in Hyrum by the church, 2nd ward.) for doing it correctly as her arms would bounce in front of her as she sang.

As for the swim lessons there were lots of small groups.  They showed we could float by asking us to touch our toes, which would cause you to float.  I was always a capable swimmer.  We also did lots of kicks holding onto the edge of the pool.  

Almost a Fight with Randy Wood

 Randy Wood lived up the canyon at Hardware Ranch.  This was a place where they fed the elk during the winter.  As such he would drive down from the ranch to Hyrum, and catch the bus at the intersection where Canyon Corner use to be.  That is where he would get off in the evening as well.  This was in the days when we went to high school in Smithfield at Sky View.  It was almost a half hour ride each way from Hyrum, going through Logan.

Sometimes the bus was pretty crowded.  Lots of people were hitting my chair or the back of my head as they went up or down the isle.  I interpreted this as they were teasing me on purpose.  Finally I caught Randy as a culprit and told him I was going to get off at his stop and beat him up.  However Randy got off a stop early, by Anderson Drive.  People told me he was getting away.  I didn't pay them no mind because I really wasn't interested in a fight.  My challenge was a quick impulse which I quickly regretted.  And so that is how I had an almost fight with Randy Wood.  

Hyrum Second/Fourth Ward Friends Growing Up

I grew up in Hyrum, Utah.  I lived in the second ward, which was later divided to the second and fourth wards.  I lived there from second to fourth grades, and then 7th grade until I left on my mission.  I would hang with a group of friends from our ward.  Our relationships were closer in Junior High School.  we would sit on the heater on cold days by the back door, we would sit on a stairwell by the library and tell jokes, read Charlie Brown comics and make finger elephants.  We would also stay after in the seminary room as David's dad was a teacher.  We would play ping pong or tennis.  David's dad would sometimes give us a ride.  Other times we would walk home together.  One of those times we came upon an elderly woman who had fallen and broken her hip.  We were able to contact an ambulance and stayed with her until it showed up.  (This was before cell phones.)

David Keeley married Joyce Ballard and became a seminary teacher.  During high school he had a job at a diary and as a result was the only one with his own car, an old mustang.  David and Joyce are currently on a mission, showing church history sites including Palmyra.

James Salvesen had many brothers.  Then lived at the mouth of Black Smith Fork Canyon.  They had a cement pad where we played basketball for a couple activities.  James had younger brothers Ronald and Doug who were also in young mens with us.  James married Carma Nelsen but later divorced.

Mike Albrechtsen lived on main street, not far from Canyon Corner.

Randy Allen also lived on main street, and about 600 east.  He used to play the piano and could play fur elise.  He also played trombone in the band.  Randy wrote this back to me, "We have been living in West Jordan for over 40 years and like it here very much. I retired last April and Diane and I are having a great time traveling as much as possible."

Neil Frank is very good at art.  He mostly drew animals.

Terril Morgan lives in the Ogden area.  He sent me a wedding announcement saying he was marrying Kim Marie Sears.  He also was very good at art.

Vance Douglas has passed away.  He was hit by a car.

Mark Applegarth ran hurdles at the high school.  Mark married the daughter of Gary and Dixie Clawson.

Brad Thomas last I heard is a physical therapist in Logan.  He played on the basketball team in high school.

Kent Nate I am not sure where he lives but his son was in our ward for a time in Manteca California.  He and Brad were a year younger than me.  Kent played football in high school.

Randy Wood lived at Hardware Ranch.

Russel Egbert, a grade younger than me but we both did our missionary farewell together.  I am not sure where he went.

Singing in Church: "As I have Loved You"

 When we were living in Ballard, Sheri and I were asked to speak in church.  We were going to sing "As I Have Loved You" between our talks as a family.  Jeremy was the baby; but we had worked very hard with Mark and Natalia to sing with us, and do the sign which is in the primary book.  We practiced and practiced, and the kids were so cute.  Jeremy was in the car seat so about six months, Mark would have been two and Natalia three.  It was going to be so good.  However by the time Sheri go done with her talk, Natalia and Mark were sleeping soundly on the floor.  Sheri and I could only stand, with babies between our feet, and sing it without them, hoping not to step on them.  It would have been so sweet.  As I have loved you (the kids hugging themselves) Love one another (their thumbs circling each other). I can see it in my mind.

Mark and Natalia

Weight Wars #4

 My previous weight post was during the middle of Covid, April 2021.  At that time I weighed 240, obese. Now I am hovering around 220.  My eventual goal is to be under190 overweight instead of obese.  My wife blames the weight loss on continued use of Victoza.  I feel this helps but it is more.  I don't eat quite as much.  I could exercise more.  I developed sciatica in 2022 which really limited my exercise.  But to be honest it has resolved enough I could be exercising more.

Weight Wars #3.   4/19/2021

 I have posted twice before, but not for the past two years.  I saw my weight go from 298 in 2003 to 248 in 2019 and 245 in 2019.  My weight has not dropped much more.  Now I weigh about 240.  I am no longer grossly obese but just obese.  However I have been stagnant in any further weight loss.  I was able to take pills to help with weight loss, and then Victoza shot.  Victoza helped me lose about ten pounds but then no more.  However it is going to take something more to get me below the 240 line and continue my trek to 190 which is my ultimate goal.   I was doing better before Covid made everything be work from home.  Then I did not walk near as much as I no longer took the train to work.  I have not gotten into a pattern of exercise since having retired.  I keep thinking something will change.  I guess that something will need to be myself.  I need to lose that last 50 lbs to be as healthy as I can be.  

So I commit to a half hour walk or activity everyday.  I commit to doing exercises to help my frozen shoulder.  I commit to watch my food intake.  I commit to no food after 8 p.m.  

Weight Wars #2. 4/11/2019

I published a previous post about my weight and being half way to not being obese, down from 298 to 248.  I can now say I am down another 5 lbs but still only half way.  The difference is an adjustment in my height.  I guess I am shrinking, which means I have another 10 pounds to lose before escaping the obesity line.  So down 55 pounds with a goal of 55 pounds more.  I hope this sharing will motivate me, as my life is at stake.

Weight Wars. 9/29/2018

I came across something really scary: a record of my weight from 2001 through 2003.  I started at 292 in December of 2001.  However I was down to 285 by mid January; only to blossom back up by the end of the year.  My last recorded weight in 2002, early December, was 292.  Then I became my heaviest.  I started 2003 at 298.  That is just gross.  That is the most I have weighed my entire life.  That is 100 pounds above the obese line.  I recorded that by the end of 2003 I was back to 285.  I have continued a mostly downward spiral, with significance periods of getting stuck.  I am half of the way to the obese line--in other words I am 50 pounds lighter than my heaviest with another 50 to go.
What have been the consequences.  I have diabetes and tinnitus, and sleep apnea and high blood pressure.  Weight is a contributing factor in all these areas.  I hope when I am no longer obese--some of these health issues will be resolved.  I would be grateful if just one or two  would improve and I not have to take so many medications.