Goodbye to a Great Man

I attended a funeral today for the grandfather of my son-in-law. I didn't know this man, but I was deeply impressed by his life story. He was a true example of service. He flew several dangerous bombing missions during World War II. He worked hard to support his five children. He cared for his wife many years when she was ill. He volunteered at the hospital for 20+ years and went to the temple daily for the last year of his life.

Funerals are always a time for reflection on life and what really matters. The world was made better because this man lived.

Happy Birthday, Dad

My dad would be 91 today if he were alive. He has been gone for 38 years and I still wish I could ask his advice. What would he think about our world? He would be shocked with the violence, the music, the media, the change in values. He would be sad about the drug wars in his beloved Mexico. He always wanted to serve another mission in Mexico and loved the people. He would like speaking Spanish to our new Hispanic population. The education challenges would surprise him, along with the Boy Scouts. The advances in technology would amaze him. Most of all he would love his posterity--the wonderful grandchildren and great grandchildren who still honor his name.

Tahrir Square, Cairo

I saw a picture today in the New York Times of thousands of Egyptians gathered in Tahrir Square, covering about the size of 8 football fields. Another picture showed several men praying in front of huge tanks. Around the corner and down the street from Tahrir Square is the famous Egyptian museum with priceless treasures from Egypt's past. A short time ago I was in the museum gazing at the glittering golden artifacts of King Tut. After seeing all this wealth, I walked outside to the noisy, crowded streets of Cairo: cars honking, people dodging cars,donkey carts. I didn't know that in a few weeks this memory would seem calm compared to the chaos of thousands protesting in Tahrir Square.

Girl by the Sphinx

Two weeks ago we were in Egypt. We had a peaceful experience compared to the turmoil in the country now. We hired a car and our driver took us to Cairo where we visited the pyramids and Egyptian museum. Guys with souvenirs at the pyramids swarmed around us like hungry mosquitos. I clutched my bag, refused to buy, and finally they buzzed away. A barefoot beggar girl about five years old near the sphinx was more persistent. Clutching a handful of postcards, she pleaded with large dark eyes and a few English words. I almost bought her postcards, but then I saw a bunch of raggedy children nearby and feared I would be mobbed. Ignoring her pleas, I dashed to our car and was whisked away from the poverty and dirt to our luxury cruise ship.

Now back in America, I watched the riots in Cairo and I think about the little beggar girl. Is she safe? How will this influence her future?

California Girls

I had a great visit with Debbie last weekend. We went to the New Brighton beach and soaked up some sun. We walked to a pier with lots of fishermen and saw an old smelly ship covered with sea birds. On Saturday we rode the Caltrain to San Francisco. We walked along Fishermen's Wharf and enjoyed a Bodin sourdough bread bowl filled with clam chowder. My favorite part of the trip was Saturday evening. Debbie hosted a party for her friend, Darcy, who was moving to Los Angeles. We ate yummy food and played Jeopardy and Outburst. I laughed a lot and stayed awake until midnight. It was great fun to share this time with Debbie.

Trumpeter in the Canyon

I enjoy walking on Bountiful Boulevard to the temple. Recently, I’ve noticed something special. An elderly man sits by his van near the trail to Holbrook Canyon. He plays the trumpet with recorded background music. Sometimes he’s a little off key, but I appreciate his effort. His best songs were patriotic near the fourth of July. He’s probably a veteran because he played the army and marine songs. Many joggers/walkers/bikers go along this path between 7:00-8:00. He’s usually there and I’ve never seen anyone stop. Someday I’m going to tell him I appreciate his music.

Visit to a Greek Island (Pyrogas)

NOVEMBER 16—We were up early to meet Lateras , Barbara, and Chrysanthus at 9:00 a.m. after breakfast in the hotel. We drove in a van along the highway through a modern city. We saw rocky mountains, red soil like southern Utah, and blocks of marble for sale. We passed bushes with orange flowers, alfalfa fields, and vineyards. My favorite scene was a little Greek village in the hills with houses made of white stucco and red tile roofs. We caught a ferry to an island where Lateras’s parents lived. They lived in a small home with a garden with peppers, grape vines, a pomegranate tree, celery, and peppermint. Strands of colorful beads hung over the entrance. Lateras’s mother showed us her beautiful crocheted work. Next we saw the vacation home for Lateras. They had a small farm with a garden of cabbage and lettuce. Large roosters and sheep were in pens. The island had small dirt roads and seemed peaceful and quiet. We walked along the beach to the restaurant and collected shells. Dave skipped rocks on the ocean. Lots of trash was washed up on the beach. Many Greek families had a boat in their yard. At the restaurant we ate a lunch of spinach in olive oil, crusty bread, coleslaw, olives, calamari, a small whole fish (white meat with tiny bones). The bones were hard to remove, but it tasted fresh. Lateras’s father loved eating the head. (He thought it was the best part.) I had French fries with catsup. We saw an orange and lime tree outside the restaurant. We rode the ferry back at 4:00 and I fell asleep. Barbara knew some shortcuts so we got back at 8:00.