Weather Report

It's 7:00PM on August 31

Temperature
85.5 F

Humidity
11%

Wind
West 15 MPH with gusts up to 25 MPH

The swamp-cooler just shifted from "low" to "off" for about a minute.

Dang....

Autumn is almost here ;-)

It's a Good Day :-D

I woke up this morning for the first time in 17 months without pain or discomfort in my rear-end. I awoke an hour early and, after letting in a meowing cat from outdoors, I just lay in bed revelling in my pain-free euphoria.

I got notified that I'm getting a merit raise pay increase...1st one in five years.

My oldest son Frank, his wife and step-son came over last evening to show us ultra-sound pictures of the baby developing in Jeni's tummy. (My first genetic grandchild and my seventh grandchild all together...I love grandchildren...they're so much fun to tease :-D )

I get to spend time this afternoon with my granddaughter McKenzie.

I'm madly and passionately in love with my wife Kari. (We celebrate our 8th anniversary Oct. 26)

But most important of all, Kari loves me as much as I love her.

My life is good...even when I forget for a moment about all the blessings the Lord gives me.

Death To C-Diff Bug

I went to the butt doctor yesterday and he told me that from all indications we got the C-Diff Colitis bug that has made me so sick for so long. It's been a tough 17 months but I have learned a lot about myself along the way.

A friend told me a couple of weeks ago, "You're tougher than you think. You're a survivor. Why? Because you're still here."

My faith in the medical profession has been rattled...lots of unnecessary and unwarranted tests and procedures, indifferent doctors and many who thought I was over stating my level of pain. The bright side is that I was treated by one of the finest doctors I have ever seen... Dr. Eiman Firoozman (https://www.lacolon.com/). Believe it or not but he would actually return phone calls himself rather than have an assistant call. I highly recommend him to anyone with rear-end problems.

Also, my respect and love for Pam Childers (AKA Painless Pam) has sky-rocketed way off the "Respect-O-Meter."

And last but certainly not least, my darling wife Kari...My love for her grows stronger every day. She stood by me every step of the way..."Did you take your meds?" "Of course I'll drive you three hours to the doctor's in Beverly Hills." "What's your pain level?" Kari is my companion for Eternity and I thank the Lord for sending her to me. I scorn and say "BAH" to those who ever doubted that we would make a good union. I love you Kari.

Lube Job

When I was in the Navy we (the guys who had been on the boat for a couple of years) would trick a “new kid” to get his fingers pinched in a big vice back in the Engine Room. Once the “newbie non-qual” was secured and not going anywhere his pants and shorts would get pulled down to his ankles. Next a grease gun would be inserted in his butt crack and pumped full of “Boy Butter.” The trick was called a “Lube Job” and the officers would go berserk trying to chase down who had defiled the new guy. Fortunately they all kept their mouths shut cause they knew worse things would befall them if the pointed fingers.

The Day After

I am tired of rolling in the mud over Heather and Nikki. As Frank told me once before, "Just let them go!" The court report, I spoke of, was from a social worker that looked at all the reports from when the girls were running away. The social worker blamed Kari and I for their bad behavior and even went so far as to say that my marrying Kari tramatized them into their bad behavior. Brett and Heather have gotten back together and Kari and I just don't have the energy to fight with them for visitation with McKenzie.

I have eight children and four grandchildren that think that Kari and I are OK parents. I have touched the lives of many young people who bring honor to themselves and our friendship.

In court yesterday the judge closed their (Brett and Heather) divorce case and the report was never even considered.

To Heather and Nikki I say God bless you and go forward with peace....I mean you no harm, I mean you no ill.

No Account Anyway

Someone recently said some terrible things about me and my wife Kari in a report to the local court. I was very angry and wanted to retaliate until I remembered a story told by President Gordon B. Hinckley in a conference talk:

Once a man who had been slandered by a newspaper came to Edward Everett asking what to do about it. Said Everett, “Do nothing! Half the people who bought the paper never saw the article. Half of those who saw it, did not read it. Half of those who read it, did not understand it. Half of those who understood it, did not believe it. Half of those who believed it are of no account anyway” (“Sunny Side of the Street,” Nov. 1989; )

So I will let these silly little people say what they want and we will move forward with dignity.

Bug Up My Butt

All those in the know have observed that I have been sick for several months. Things just haven't been right "South of My Border." Last week I had a colonoscopy. After it was over, the doctor sadly told me that we couldn't find anything wrong. The next day I was deeply depressed. When the phone rang I didn't expect the doctor to be at the other end. He was calling to tell me that a lab result showed that I tested positive for a parasitic bacteria called "Clostridium Difficile" or C-Diff for short. It's caused as the end result of taking antibiotics. When the antibiotics kill the desired targets, it also kills the intestinal flora that we need to fully dispose of waste from our bodies.

I wanted to tell everyone that a "bug had crawled up my butt."

My darling wife convinced me that I should more properly say that I had a "Parasitic infestation in my Sigmoid colon."

PS...Idea for title accidentally stolen from "Dave The Man, Myth, Legend." Sorry Dave, I'll try harder next time.