tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-96696882012-01-18T08:59:46.168-07:00Family, Church, Music, Photography, and Politics ... Coming to you from the land of Zion.David B.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13858323507338581539noreply@blogger.comBlogger2651100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9669688.post-66732293180206208882011-05-19T20:49:00.006-06:002011-05-19T22:40:34.129-06:00

My daughter turns 16 next month. That means (whether I want to admit it or not) she will be allowed to begin dating.What things should I tell her to look for in a young man, or eventually what to look for in a potential spouse.I have been listening to country music a lot lately. An excerpt of a recent interview from In Style magazine came to my attention. Taylor Swift was being interviewed

David B.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13858323507338581539noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9669688.post-18439989551258158202009-11-28T22:00:00.006-07:002009-11-28T22:27:59.744-07:00

Bryan and I were just leaving to do a little Christmas shopping this afternoon, when to our surprise, we saw a downy woodpecker in the crab apple tree in our front yard.The bird we saw was just like this one on the photo above. He didn't seem to mind us at all. He hopped around from branch to branch, made a few pecks with his bill, and would hop to another branch. We were as close as bout 8

David B.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13858323507338581539noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9669688.post-3998035443695644462009-11-19T06:35:00.001-07:002009-11-19T06:41:52.033-07:00

My father has been struggling with Alzheimer's Disease for the past several years. My mother has been the primary caregiver.Unfortunately, the time has come when we have found it necessary to place my father in a care center.The father that I have known and loved all my life has been slowly slipping away over time. Now, he no longer knows my name. He knows I am someone familiar. But he

David B.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13858323507338581539noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9669688.post-65121068776639469842009-03-14T00:37:00.006-06:002009-03-14T02:07:33.266-06:00

Last Saturday, our daughter Amy spent the day at Westminster College. She spent the day participating in the Utah Youth In Harmony Festival (UYIHF) workshop. This is an annual event put on by local Barbershop Harmony groups to introduce Barbershop singing to Jr. and Senior High School students in the Salt Lake Valley.The sponsors were the Beehive Statesmen, and the Mountain Jubilee Chorus.

David B.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13858323507338581539noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9669688.post-7478421162114465052009-02-13T23:59:00.004-07:002009-02-14T01:58:37.093-07:00

I went to the Temple tonight. My wife and I were supposed to attend a sealing session tonight. However, she came down with a severe headache, and couldn't come.She was in no condition to cook dinner, so I ordered some Chinese take out from the Magic Wok on my way home from work.I had a decision to make: should I go to the Temple alone, or stay home. I felt a real responsibility to be there

David B.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13858323507338581539noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9669688.post-22269300197751535132009-02-01T23:55:00.004-07:002009-02-13T23:58:06.145-07:00

A little over 20 years ago, I was working as a 911 dispatcher. I would often speak to people in the most dire of situations, and then I would send to them the help they needed.Because of the hectic nature of my work, I found that I needed to spend some time alone to get away from everything.It was the 24th of July weekend, and I decided to go camping in the mountains near Ferron, Utah. I found

David B.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13858323507338581539noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9669688.post-56360691682403369012009-01-20T21:25:00.004-07:002009-01-20T21:56:52.130-07:00

Mitt Romney should have been inaugurated President of the United States of America today.Really!He should have been!Instead, we now have President Barak Obama. Don’t get me wrong. I wish the new President well. I will treat him with the respect due to his office. (Unlike those who opposed and maligned President Bush.) I acknowledge that he is the duly elected President of the United States,

David B.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13858323507338581539noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9669688.post-44792797231388366652008-03-04T22:05:00.013-07:002008-03-04T23:29:43.740-07:00

Dawn Ann thought I needed a little cheering up. Friday, we had intended to go to Hogle Zoo. But by the time we got there, it was too late in the day. Friday was a warm sunny day (that is warm for us at 50 degrees). So after we drove away from the zoo, we just kept heading up Emigration Canyon, over to Parley's canyon, up to Park City, on to Coalville, through Hennifer and Morgan, and then

David B.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13858323507338581539noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9669688.post-49360442866639567482008-02-26T22:37:00.000-07:002008-02-27T22:42:26.915-07:00

If you are as old as dirt, like me, you might remember this guy. This is Johnathan Harris, who played the infamous Dr. Zachary Smith in the TV series "Lost in Space" which aired in the early 1970's.In the series, Dr. Smith was always devious and unreliable. You never could count on him. He would put on a brave face, but at the last minute, he would chicken out.I ran into a Dr. Smith of my own

David B.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13858323507338581539noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9669688.post-43451320108342723172008-02-23T13:57:00.002-07:002008-02-24T20:14:47.502-07:00

I believe it all started on the night of September 1, 2007. We had decided as a family to get up at 3:00 am to watch a meteor shower. After Dawn Ann’s diagnosis of cancer, I decided to try and do as many fun things we could as a family, and together as a couple as we could before the mastectomy. Viewing the meteor shower was one of these activities. (Another was going to the State Fair as a

David B.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13858323507338581539noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9669688.post-71179811965939537242008-02-23T13:52:00.003-07:002008-02-24T20:32:35.946-07:00

Well, I haven’t blogged for awhile. What readers I may have once had, have surely gone away by now. Frankly I haven’t felt much like blogging lately. By the time you read the next series of posts, you may understand why.Last September, when I posted last, we were facing a monumental challenge in our lives. My wife Dawn Ann and just been diagnosed with breast cancer. On October 2, 2007, Dawn

David B.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13858323507338581539noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9669688.post-6496753098487949952007-09-21T00:00:00.000-06:002007-09-21T00:15:39.418-06:00

In my previous post, I described my experience while undergoing a sleep study.I now use my CPAP machine religiously. It has really been a benefit to me -- a blessing even.Here is the CPAP machine that I use. And here is the mask that I use.The sleep study took place on April 10th of this year. I started on the CPAP machine on May 1st. After a few weeks of CPAP therapy, I noticed that I was

David B.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13858323507338581539noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9669688.post-86569835492084615322007-09-20T23:37:00.000-06:002007-09-21T00:00:26.078-06:00

For the past 2-3 years I have been experiencing a lot of fatigue and tiredness. There have been days when I could hardly hold my eyes open at work.I have noticed that It has been hard for me to concentrate and stay engaged in difficult, mentally challenging tasks.Also I have developed over the past few years edema (swelling of the feet and calves). My Dr. has prescribed water pills until my

David B.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13858323507338581539noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9669688.post-17602677317280744372007-09-15T22:58:00.001-06:002007-09-15T23:28:27.113-06:00

We went to the temple last night. It was for our ward’s regular monthly sealing assignment at the Jordan River Temple.It was our first visit to the temple since Dawn Ann’s diagnosis of Breast Cancer. Perhaps our feelings and emotions were a little closer to the surface as a result.During our sealing session, we were called to the altar first. Dawn Ann and I looked at each other across the

David B.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13858323507338581539noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9669688.post-78496886718089178962007-09-11T23:12:00.000-06:002007-09-11T23:57:00.723-06:00

In Memory of Those Who DiedThere are certain dates in our collective consciousness that are indelible in our minds. It seems like each generation has a transcendent event that marks their generation:For my grandparents, it was October 29, 1929 -- The stock market crash -- followed by the great depression.For my parents it was December 7th, 1941 -- The Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.For my

David B.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13858323507338581539noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9669688.post-78611152494140681442007-09-01T22:03:00.001-06:002007-09-01T22:09:45.008-06:00

Photo of Aurigid Meteor shower by wisforworlddominatio on FlickrThis morning we got up at 3:00 AM. The occasion was the Aurigid Meteor shower. This photo was taken by member of Flickr. I didn't take any photos myself of this event. Meteor showers are best viewed with the naked eye, with as wide a field of vision as possible. If you are concentrating on looking through a camera viewfinder,

David B.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13858323507338581539noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9669688.post-32170364726484183412007-08-26T22:30:00.000-06:002007-08-27T13:01:43.477-06:00

This week, my dear wife was diagnosed with DCIS or Ductal Carcinoma In Situ. This is a non-invasive form of breast cancer.The good news is that this form of cancer is virtually 100% curable.The bad news is that because the DCIS is in two places on the same breast, and quite a distance apart from one another -- treatment will require a mastectomy. At this point it does not look like chemotherapy

David B.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13858323507338581539noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9669688.post-74405176018642649802007-06-29T22:28:00.000-06:002007-06-29T23:26:18.406-06:00

I was able to see a portion of the Berlin Wall on a recent trip to Dallas, Texas. The hotel I was staying at, the Hilton Anatole, has a large collection of artworks and artifacts. This section of the Berlin Wall was a part of their collection.I took a few minutes and thought about the significance of the Berlin Wall in 20th Century history. It was literally the dividing line between the

David B.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13858323507338581539noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9669688.post-71477573062100191372007-06-27T21:55:00.000-06:002007-06-29T16:04:16.821-06:00

Last Sunday, my wife and I gave talks at the Westridge Academy for Girls. This is next to the Westridge Academy for Boys (formerly known as the Utah Boys Ranch). Both schools are a residential treatment facility for troubled teens.Here are a few excerpts from my talk that I would like to share:I remember when I was in college, I found myself getting into some problems with my schoolwork. I was

David B.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13858323507338581539noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9669688.post-21829447024275148742007-05-05T01:44:00.001-06:002007-05-05T01:49:31.700-06:00

It's been a while since I last posted. A lot has happened. A lot of Good has happened.In my last post I mentioned that I had been feeling blue, and had been having a lot of doubts about myself. I even wondered if I might be suffering from depression. I think I have gotten over that hump. Some things have really changed for the better. Other things will be changing for the better in the near

David B.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13858323507338581539noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9669688.post-86413821149720756232007-03-21T20:07:00.000-06:002007-03-21T21:34:05.238-06:00

Hi people! I'm still here. I've been a very bad blogger lately.Oh, I could make a lot of excuses -- real life getting in the way of my blogging, several talks and lessons I've had to prepare for during the last little while. I have been facing health issues, some of them old, and some new ones too.I think of things to write about during the day (when I should be working), but then when I get

David B.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13858323507338581539noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9669688.post-21090836825493473612007-02-06T22:04:00.000-07:002007-02-06T22:45:43.800-07:00

My favorite part of the Super Bowl is the commercials. This year I didn't feel any connection with either one of the teams. Actually, I didn't see a down of the game, except those that were featured on news.However, I did want to see some of the commercials. I have found a couple of web sites that feature Super Bowl Adds: YouTube and IFILM. IIFILM has a repository of super bowl commercials

David B.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13858323507338581539noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9669688.post-23589437428028676532007-01-20T00:30:00.000-07:002007-01-20T00:59:26.878-07:00

I have recently been scanning some photos that were taken of my Grandpa's ranch, and his family.Wow, its been a real trip down memory lane.This photo is from the summer of 1967. That year we had a bumper crop of hay on grandpa's ranch. The rain came at just the right time, and in just the right quantity to make the grass and hay grow like crazy. The the rain nicely stayed away while we were

David B.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13858323507338581539noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9669688.post-58633527343844521712007-01-16T22:28:00.000-07:002007-01-16T22:39:37.026-07:00

OK, I’m ready for a Chinook! Not the fish – the weather pattern.Nighttime temperatures around here have been hovering around or below zero degrees Fahrenheit for the last few days. I'm afraid the usual pattern of winter temperature inversions in the Salt Lake Valley is settling in. I’m ready a January thaw. Now! Wouldn’t it be nice if we could get a Chinook’s here!In case you are unfamiliar

David B.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13858323507338581539noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9669688.post-41119526969933076442007-01-15T15:15:00.001-07:002007-01-15T22:37:38.456-07:00

President Bush's recent speech on Iraq came off as uninspiring to me. I really wanted him to outline the difference between what we have been doing in the past, and what has changed now with this new course of action. He did mention a few nuanced differences in policy and troop usage, but there was not much of a contrast between past polices and the new approach.I viewed this as an opportunity

David B.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13858323507338581539noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9669688.post-45012960793505605652007-01-08T17:05:00.000-07:002007-01-15T23:00:54.222-07:00

Today would have been my Grandpa Kenneth Hatch’s 100th Birthday. He made it to 96 years of age before passing away, four years ago this March.Grandpa lived most of his life in the town of Randolph, Utah a town of about 500 to 1000 people (population has varied from time-to-time over the last century) and well-known for is cold temperatures. His family moved there when he was 3 years old in 1910

David B.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13858323507338581539noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9669688.post-66660959233417438822007-01-06T23:20:00.000-07:002007-01-15T22:15:34.940-07:00

If you are reading this post, it means that you are still here upon this earth, and that God has granted unto you the privilege of living in mortality for yet another year.This past year has been a challenge for me. It was filled with unforeseen health challenges. There were times when, if events had gone differently, I might not have been granted the privilege of seeing yet another year here

David B.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13858323507338581539noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9669688.post-54359527655375408672006-12-28T21:02:00.000-07:002006-12-28T23:34:24.197-07:00

President Gerald Ford passed away on December 26, 2006 at the age of 93.He was President of the United States from August 1974 until January of 1977. Perhaps the most memorable part of his presidency was the day he took office. That day will be seared in my memory forever. I was 16 years old at the time. Here are my memories of that day, and those times:It was August 9, 1974. It was the summer

David B.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13858323507338581539noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9669688.post-51066253952605178332006-12-25T12:24:00.000-07:002006-12-23T23:30:30.933-07:00

The following is my Christmas Message to you this year. It is based on a talk I gave last Sunday in church. I wish you all a very Merry Christmas, and I hope you have a wonderful New Year.In the outskirts of Jerusalem, shepherds gathered their sheep in for the night. The bleating lambs had found their way to their mothers. All was quiet for the night. The dews of the night were beginning to

David B.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13858323507338581539noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9669688.post-49325140741009250052006-12-20T23:56:00.000-07:002006-12-21T00:06:21.332-07:00

The Military has their own way of honoring their fallen comrades. The Utah National Guard had their own memorial service for 2Lt Scott Lundell which was held in Afghanistan for those who had served with him there.Governor John Huntsman (Governor of Utah) happened to be on a State Visit to Afghanistan shortly after Scott was killed. The Governor attended and spoke at the memorial service there

David B.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13858323507338581539noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9669688.post-48115754654208888972006-12-19T23:35:00.000-07:002006-12-21T00:16:01.931-07:00

Written by Captain Paul Falletto, Utah National GuardLast Monday I received a call from the Mortuary Affairs Office. I would have rather have been called by the IRS scheduling an audit for the past 20 years.A Second Lieutenant had been killed in Afghanistan and we were to send a person to escort him home to his family and final resting place. This time it was not a stranger, it was a young

David B.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13858323507338581539noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9669688.post-47455483289160963442006-12-17T22:39:00.000-07:002006-12-18T00:12:53.789-07:00

My daughter Amy and I attended a satellite broadcast of the groundbreaking for the new Oquirrh Mountain, Utah Temple. After looking at the design of this temple, the exterior reminds me somewhat of the Nauvoo, Illinois temple.It was a cold and snowy morning, but a large tent had been erected around the groundbreaking site. The tent was heated, and equipped with an organ. 1The First Presidency,

David B.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13858323507338581539noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9669688.post-2081903515335249632006-12-15T23:21:00.000-07:002006-12-16T00:38:38.181-07:00

Here are 33 names for things you never knew had names! AGLET - The plain or ornamental covering on the end of a shoelace. ARMSAYE - The armhole in clothing. CHANKING - Spat-out food, such as rinds or pits. COLUMELLA NASI - The bottom part of the nose between the nostrils. DRAGÉES - Small beadlike pieces of candy, usually silver-coloured, used for decorating cookies, cakes and sundaes. FEAT -

David B.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13858323507338581539noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9669688.post-1165438272695432972006-12-06T13:50:00.000-07:002006-12-18T12:31:22.694-07:00

Sometimes you just need a good laugh to help you get by. I recently came across a new blogger who can spin quite a yarn. She insists that they are true life experiences of her own, and I have no reason to doubt it.The blog is called Put That In Your Blog. There are two entries that should give you a pretty good laugh:I know Victoria's Secret . . .And,Buffalo Don't Eat CornEnjoy!

David B.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13858323507338581539noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9669688.post-1165437758637249542006-12-06T13:09:00.000-07:002006-12-21T00:22:56.666-07:00

A few days ago I mentioned the death of a family friend, Lt. Scott B. Lundell, who was killed in action, in a firefight in Afghanistan.His funeral was held last Saturday. I was unable to attend because of a church assignment at the same time as the funeral.The Deseret Morning News has a very touching article about the funeral. You can read it here. I encourage you to read it.The Salt Lake

David B.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13858323507338581539noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9669688.post-1165126183659212072006-12-02T22:29:00.000-07:002006-12-02T23:26:31.073-07:00

I have a new niece, Abigail. My brother Doug, and my sister-in-law Becky are the proud new parents.Abigail was born on November 17th. Both mother and baby are fine.Abigail joins her sisters and brother, Lizzy, Benji, Stephi, and Jenny.The only problem is that we don't get to visit with them very often. They live in Virginia, and we are here in Utah.It's wonderful to welcome new life into the

David B.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13858323507338581539noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9669688.post-1165041964112043852006-12-01T23:24:00.000-07:002006-12-21T00:23:33.552-07:00

Now that its December, I am officially starting to get into the Christmas Spirit. I think I had a mental block about getting into the Christmas mood before December.I looked on my blog stats today, and found that by far the most commonly viewed pages are from last December. Wow, who would think that year-old posts are still being viewed. As it turns out, both have to do with Christmas music.The

David B.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13858323507338581539noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9669688.post-1164955821461231342006-11-30T23:05:00.000-07:002006-12-18T10:56:10.961-07:00

We recently visited St. George to visit Dawn Ann's parents, and her Sister Tina. While there, I wanted to continue my quest of photographing LDS Temples. I have never actually been inside the St. George Temple. But that will change in February, when here Nephew, Neil, will be married there.We were fortunate to get there in the late afternoon, and found that the cloud patterns overhead

David B.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13858323507338581539noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9669688.post-1165364919696809082006-11-29T17:28:00.000-07:002006-12-21T00:24:04.706-07:00

(Update: Here is the Obituary from the Deseret News. )The War on Terror has taken another life. This time, it hits me in a more personal way. For the first time, in the last 5 years, someone I have known personally has died while serving our nation.Lt. Scott B. Lundell was killed last Saturday in Afghanistan. He was there helping to train the Afghan Army, and was a member of the Utah National

David B.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13858323507338581539noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9669688.post-1164764458039402682006-11-28T18:40:00.000-07:002006-12-21T00:28:26.141-07:00

Last-Second Play: BYU Beats UtahOK. Now I've really found the joys of YouTube. I can preserve the great BYU win over Utah into perpetuity. On Saturday, we were outside getting things ready for winter during the big game. Bryan and Amy were on the roof putting up the Christmas lights, and I was out front pruning the rose bushes. I listend to much of the game on my headset radio. About

David B.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13858323507338581539noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9669688.post-1164762386425408212006-11-28T18:06:00.000-07:002006-11-28T18:20:45.100-07:00

World's Worst BurglarI ran accross this video today. I have to say it made be laugh out loud. All I can say is -- "Thanks, I needed that!"This guy nearly qualifies for a Darwin Award.So if you could use a good laugh, enjoy the video.

David B.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13858323507338581539noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9669688.post-1164447118222242002006-11-25T02:17:00.000-07:002006-12-18T12:26:29.767-07:00

Photo of Benbow PondI have been collecting personal histories of some of my ancestors. Two of the ancestors I have been researching are John Perry, and his wife Grace Ann Williams.In the Spring of 1840, they lived in Herefordshire, England, and were members of a sect called the United Brethren. They had separated themselves from the Wesleyan Methodists, and had been praying for more truth and

David B.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13858323507338581539noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9669688.post-1162977868231952932006-11-20T22:06:00.000-07:002006-12-18T12:27:18.997-07:00

Well, my political Christmas Came and went. I had hoped that a late breaking trend toward Republicans would stave off the Democratic tide. However that didn't happen. As it turned out, all I got was a lump of coal.Come January, Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid will be leaders of the House and Senate. With this victory, the Demos will have actually stand for something now, instead of just being

David B.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13858323507338581539noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9669688.post-1162882225823156862006-11-06T22:41:00.000-07:002006-12-18T12:27:44.016-07:00

Can you name all of these people? If so - you might be a Political Junkie!Its election eve. For me it is more like Christmas Eve!You never know what the political Santa Claus will bring you.Instead of opening your presents early in the morning, you start opening them at 5:00 pm MST. That's when the polls close in Indiana and Virginia. When the polls close in a state, then the exit polls that

David B.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13858323507338581539noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9669688.post-1161062428200282452006-10-16T22:19:00.000-06:002006-12-21T00:25:49.795-07:00

Photo Courtesy of Royce S. on FlickrI had an interesting experience the other day. I was on my way home from work trying to transition my mind from my workplace mindset, to my home and family mindset. I was listening to the radio and a rather innocuous commercial came on. I listened to part of the commercial, and then turned the radio off.My mind began following a series of thoughts based on the

David B.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13858323507338581539noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9669688.post-1160957940593667022006-10-15T17:02:00.000-06:002006-12-18T12:30:19.186-07:00

It's been quite an eventful week. We had originally planned to take a mini vacation to Moab, Utah this week. The kids were out of school for the UEA conference on Thursday and Friday. I had arranged to take the days off from work.As the time grew closer for the trip, we reviewed our finances, and determined that taking a vacation right now was not the prudent thing to do. Because of this

David B.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13858323507338581539noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9669688.post-1160805189200114122006-10-13T22:20:00.000-06:002006-12-18T12:32:32.199-07:00

Just a few more thoughts about my Chicago trip. I spent a great deal of my time in the City of Des Plaines, Illinois. I drove past this water tower several times.I have to admit that each time I saw the name of the town, that I immediately thought of "Tattoo" on the old TV show, Fantasy Island when he would announce the arrival of the new guests to the island each week by exclaiming "Da Plane! Da

David B.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13858323507338581539noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9669688.post-1160460800990405832006-10-09T22:05:00.000-06:002006-10-10T00:41:40.710-06:00

I had never seen any of the Great Lakes before my trip to Chicago. I noticed that if I stayed on the same street that the Temple was on, that I would eventually run into Lake Michigan. So that was the route I took to the Lake.It was cold and windy the day I visited Lake Michigan. (Who would of thought that could happen in Chicago?). I spent a few minutes listening to the waves come in. The roar

David B.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13858323507338581539noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9669688.post-1160028679660940192006-10-04T23:40:00.000-06:002006-12-18T12:30:56.664-07:00

My Uncle Chester recently passed away. I didn't know him well. He lived in Indiana and we lived in Utah for all my life. I wish I could have known him more. I think we would have had a lot in common. I think the only time we met was at my grandma's (his mother's) funeral.My dad remembers Chester finding a shady place to sit under a willow tree on a warm summer afternoon. There he would curl up

David B.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13858323507338581539noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9669688.post-1159852960345405152006-10-02T22:35:00.000-06:002006-12-18T10:54:00.944-07:00

While visiting the Chicago area, I wanted to visit the LDS Temple in Chicago. Much like the meetinghouse locater, there is a web site that will give you driving directions, hours of operation, and other information about the temple. I was able to locate the temple without too much trouble.The temple is located in a suburb North of Chicago, called Glenview. The community is a nice area, but not

David B.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13858323507338581539noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9669688.post-1159765068675814512006-10-01T22:40:00.000-06:002006-12-18T12:31:59.008-07:00

While I was visiting the Chicago area to take a class for work. I decided I would like to visit Notre Dame University. After all, it is only 90 miles away!!I naively headed on my way right after class let out, at 4:30 in the afternoon. I figured what, only 90 miles. That should only take about 1 1/2 hours or so on the freeway, right? Well, about 3 1/2 hours later I drove onto the campus at South

David B.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13858323507338581539noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9669688.post-1159755097183386972006-10-01T20:11:00.000-06:002006-12-18T12:32:51.209-07:00

While visiting the Chicago area for work, I decided to look up the nearest LDS ward, and attend Sunday Services with them. The church has a nice web site that lets you find the nearest ward or branch in whatever location you might find yourself in, pretty much anywhere in the world!. I plugged in the address of the hotel I was staying in, and then they tell you the ward that covers that area, and

David B.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13858323507338581539noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9669688.post-1159751649500973832006-09-28T19:14:00.000-06:002006-12-18T12:33:17.752-07:00

I have been in Chicago the last few days. I am here for a seminar for work. We are learning how to do Internet programming.I work for a municipal government. In the future I may be developing web applications for citizens to do business with the city online, such as renewing business licenses, obtaining building permits, paying utility bills, and so forth.It has been a challenging class.

David B.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13858323507338581539noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9669688.post-1158726495995287532006-09-19T22:28:00.000-06:002006-12-18T12:34:17.596-07:00

One of the privileges of living in the Salt Lake Valley is having the Cottonwood Canyons so close by. From our house, in as little as 30-40 minutes, we can go from an asphalt and concrete metropolitan jungle to a cool, green, alpine forest -- complete with babbling brook. This year, we visited the canyons a couple of times for picnics, and had a really nice time. If you camp there, its almost

David B.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13858323507338581539noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9669688.post-1158394869700878882006-09-15T21:18:00.000-06:002006-09-16T02:26:43.466-06:00

I Am Able To Do Mine Own Work(2 Nephi 28:20)I have taken to reading the Book of Mormon during my lunchtime recently. I have the Scriptures on my Palm Pilot. It’s a comfort knowing that I always have the scriptures available, right in my shirt pocket. It also comes in handy during some of my sleepless nights.Today while I was reading, I came upon this statement by the Lord, as recorded by Nephi: “

David B.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13858323507338581539noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9669688.post-1156231158162341002006-08-21T23:33:00.000-06:002006-12-18T12:35:41.826-07:00

We received sad news last evening, that a local broadcaster, Doug Miller, had passed away. He was 59 years old.Doug Miller is best known in the Utah media market for his Outdoors programs. First on KSL-TV, then on KUTV. He has been on radio and TV in the Salt Lake City area for nearly 30 years. He coined the phrase "Wild places and wild things", and was known as Utah's "Mr. Outdoors." He would

David B.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13858323507338581539noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9669688.post-1155621210264335242006-08-14T21:53:00.000-06:002006-08-15T16:12:09.143-06:00

Pluto and Charon (one of its moons) Pluto is in trouble. Big trouble. The planet -- not the dog!In fact Pluto is under attack! At this very moment, by a band of hostile earthlings 3,000 strong, based in Prague, The Czech Republic.Is the planet about to be overrun by a platoon of guerilla fighters? Have long-range nuclear missiles been targeted on the Ninth Planet to bring about its utter

David B.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13858323507338581539noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9669688.post-1155533337641209862006-08-13T21:34:00.000-06:002006-08-13T23:58:03.003-06:00

We are preparing for stake conference next week. We are getting a new Stake President. Elder L. Tom Perry of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles will be there to preside and to reorganize the stake presidency.We are making musical preparations for stake conference. For the Saturday night adult session, we will have 8-10 men sing "O My Father" a cappella. On Sunday, a stake choir will be performing

David B.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13858323507338581539noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9669688.post-1155277549715189602006-08-10T23:43:00.000-06:002006-08-11T14:03:51.866-06:00

We were watching our local PBS Station tonight (KBYU) and found ourselves watching a pledge-week special on a musical group called Blue Man Group. It's more than a musical group though. A lot of thought has gone into their production. They are very engaging, and provide sights, sounds, and images that you have never seen before. There was a lot of comedy in their act as well. It looked like a

David B.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13858323507338581539noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9669688.post-1155273068699656812006-08-10T23:11:00.000-06:002006-08-11T14:01:51.396-06:00

A week ago tonight (last Thursday), my son, Bryan went on his Wilderness Survival Camp. Bryan was all excited about this, because it would be his chance to be like the boy in the book " My Side of the Mountain", which he had recently re-read (all three volumes, 2-3 times each!) I had helped him assemble all the gear he would need. I had even left an extra sleeping bag for him. With all the rain

David B.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13858323507338581539noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9669688.post-1155107794139609992006-08-09T01:16:00.000-06:002006-08-09T22:48:30.570-06:00

I awoke at 6:00 am on day two at Camp Frontier. In a heroic effort, the sun was actually trying to come out. I got up and walked around camp for a few minutes, in the quiet dawn, before anyone else got up. Everything was still soaking wet damp from the previous day/night rains.At 6:30 I woke up Bryan, and the other adult leader, Jay. Some of the other boys were beginning to arise as well.

David B.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13858323507338581539noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9669688.post-1154762858974061532006-08-05T01:27:00.000-06:002006-08-05T01:47:57.086-06:00

This week our son Bryan has been at the annual week-long scout camp – Camp Frontier at the East Fork of the Bear River. This was Bryan’s second year at scout camp. Camp Frontier is located in the Uinta Mountains in Utah, but is also just a stone's throw away from Wyoming. The setting is in a forested area with aspens and pine trees, at about 9000 ft elevation (actually 8,909 ft according to my

David B.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13858323507338581539noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9669688.post-1155681276273658542006-08-04T16:34:00.000-06:002006-12-18T12:36:27.750-07:00

Bryan went Camp Frontier at the East Fork of the Bear River scout complex this year. This was a week-long camp. As a dad, I spent the first two days with the boys, and helped Bryan get organized for the week.Bryan had a great time, and earned four merit badges in the process. Here are the links to the posts I have written about Bryan's scout camp experience this year:Camp Frontier - Part 1Camp

David B.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13858323507338581539noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9669688.post-1154584680345030312006-08-02T23:20:00.000-06:002006-08-03T00:04:11.076-06:00

Dawn Ann's sister Tina, and her two younger sons, Nathan and Calvin came to vist us last weekend. These are the closest cousins (some 300 miles away) to our children. It was great to visit and catch up on one another's families.We set up our big family tent in the back yard, for our two children, Bryan and Amy to sleep out with their two cousins. They had a great time playing in the tent.Saturday

David B.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13858323507338581539noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9669688.post-1154115716624581002006-07-28T13:41:00.000-06:002006-07-28T14:04:40.303-06:00

How many times have you heard counsel from dieticians, and other nutrition advocates that we should eat our foods in as near natural form as possible? Foods that have been processed, milled, and bleached to death don't resemble the natural whole-grain goodness that nature intended. Fruits, vegetables, and grains consumed in as near to their natural state as possible provide the greatest benefit

David B.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13858323507338581539noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9669688.post-1153805329187360262006-07-24T23:24:00.000-06:002006-07-24T23:28:49.353-06:00

Moose On The Loose Originally uploaded by David B.. We returned to the mountains today. This time with the whole family. It was fun to beat the heat in the valley, and smell the pine trees. We also surveyed some future camp site possibilities. On our way up the canyon, Dawn Ann spotted this moose. It was about 100 yards away, and I zoomed in as tight as I could with my camera.By the

David B.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13858323507338581539noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9669688.post-1153633162132459842006-07-22T23:34:00.000-06:002006-07-23T02:37:13.703-06:00

Kolache BullOriginally uploaded by Wandering Eyes. Last night we went to the Days of '47 Rodeo. It has been a few years since we have gone to this event. I tend to prefer the small-town rodeos to the big professional productions. However, with 100 + degree temperatures, I thought an indoor, air-conditioned rodeo sounded pretty good.One of the highlights was the opportunity to see a near-

David B.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13858323507338581539noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9669688.post-1153366801343696222006-07-19T21:19:00.000-06:002006-07-19T21:53:48.276-06:00

In the English language, there are certain prefixes that change the meaning of a word to it's opposite. Such word prefixes as "dis", "un", "in", "irr", and "non" are examples.For some words, we use both base form of the word, along with it's opposite, such as: Like and Unlike, or Regular, and Irregular However, for other words, we commonly use only the "opposite" form of the word, such as:

David B.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13858323507338581539noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9669688.post-1153353245418392672006-07-19T18:00:00.000-06:002006-07-19T22:06:15.380-06:00

I was reading Mullings, a web site/blog that I often read by Rich Galen, who pointed out this headline from Space.com:NASA Clears Discovery's Left Wing for Landing, Rest of Shuttle to Follow HOUSTON - Shuttle managers cleared the Discovery orbiter's left wing for landing Saturday, with the rest of the orbiter expected to follow after a late-night analysis by engineers and flight controllers.

David B.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13858323507338581539noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9669688.post-1153110504850658292006-07-16T22:13:00.000-06:002006-07-16T22:28:25.300-06:00

Small miracles happen in in our lives all the time. Oft' times, these gifts are the tender mercies of the Lord, which are evidence of the Lord's love and concern for us. These are very personal and individualized blessings that we receive from the Lord. They come in a very timely manner, and provide us just he help and support we need – just when we need it most. Such blessings might include:

David B.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13858323507338581539noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9669688.post-1153111993693244002006-07-15T22:37:00.000-06:002006-07-19T22:11:18.903-06:00

Yesterday, my son Bryan went away on an overnight scout camp. My daughter Amy wanted to go camping too, and was feeling left behind.We decided to go on a daddy-daughter picnic up Big Cottonwood Canyon. Dawn Ann and Amy met me at my office, and we left at about 5:00 pm to go up the canyon. It was 104 degrees in the valley. At the top of the canyon, it was only 81 degrees. By the time we came back

David B.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13858323507338581539noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9669688.post-1152594771018480382006-07-10T22:49:00.000-06:002006-07-12T11:11:57.233-06:00

Recently we had our annual ward Father and Sons Outing. This year the camp site was the Ghost Town of Iosepa, Utah. It is located in Skull Valley, and is about an hour’s drive from our home.The land is very barren and desolate in Skull Valley. Not much water. Just a lot of sage brush and jack rabbits. – And I would be remiss if I didn’t duly acknowledge the gnats and mosquitoes too!The cemetery

David B.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13858323507338581539noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9669688.post-1156233891881695792006-07-10T22:23:00.000-06:002006-08-22T02:04:52.113-06:00

On March 13, 2006, I was hospitalized with diverticulitis, and severe infections to my bowel and liver.Below are posts regarding some of the health issues I have confronted in 2006. Well, No Wonder - January 30, 2006Health Update - February 8, 2006May The Best Bug Win - February 23, 2006All Is Not Well - After All- March 17, 2006. This was a guest post by my wife, Dawn Ann, written by her

David B.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13858323507338581539noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9669688.post-1152498133929072272006-07-09T20:05:00.000-06:002006-07-09T20:22:13.960-06:00

It's time to close one of the more harrowing chapters of my life. Thursday, I went in for a colonoscopy. Evidence was found of the diverticulosis that I suffered from earlier this year. There was still a little pocket of infection there, but it was healing up nicely. The rest of my colon was in good shape -- and no signs of cancer.The big question going into this procedure was to determine if I

David B.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13858323507338581539noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9669688.post-1152496497151827012006-07-09T19:44:00.000-06:002006-07-09T19:54:57.180-06:00

I came home from church today to find my 11 year old daughter, Amy, crying her little eyes out. I asked her what the trouble was. As it turns out, the owners of a cockatiel that we have been taking care of the last 3-4 weeks called. They were able to identify the bird. They will be coming over to our house to pick him up within the next hour.It was actually one of our neighbors who found the

David B.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13858323507338581539noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9669688.post-1151447907362147832006-06-27T16:11:00.000-06:002006-06-27T16:38:27.393-06:00

This past weekend was our annual ward Father and Sons Outing. This year the camp site was the Ghost Town of Iosepa, Utah. Iosepa is in Skull Valley, located in Tooele County. It is about an hour’s drive from our home.Iosepa was a settlement of Hawaiian members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. They came from Hawaii in 1889, in order to receive their Temple Ordinances. Iosepa is

David B.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13858323507338581539noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9669688.post-1150082126024583072006-06-11T21:15:00.000-06:002006-06-11T21:26:11.063-06:00

I saw this video on S'mee's blog yesterday. It shows a couple of guys dropping mentos into 2 litre bottles of Diet Coke, and then watching the chemical/physical reactions take place. We have really had a blast looking at it, and I thought I would share it here as well. My son wants to watch it 3-4 times a day now. It really has a way of cheering you up, and leaving you a little awestruck as well.

David B.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13858323507338581539noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9669688.post-1150000315690082232006-06-10T22:23:00.000-06:002006-06-10T23:01:02.146-06:00

Note: This post was written on my Palm Pilot while in the waiting room at the hospital (again).It's a beautiful day today. Sunny and clear. Not too hot, not too cold – just right! A Goldilocks day! So how am I spending this beautiful Saturday afternoon? Why at the x-ray dept of Cottonwood Hospital, of course.Two weeks ago I came here and had to swig barium for an hour-and-a-half. Then I had at

David B.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13858323507338581539noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9669688.post-1149997811544382422006-06-10T21:48:00.000-06:002006-06-10T21:53:02.416-06:00

It has been a busy week. At work, I spent most of the week with a consultant from IBM, named Marvin B. He and I go way back. He helped me set-up the computers for the 911 center where I used to work. That was back in 1989. He helped me through many tight situations ("hand-holding" is the technical term -- which is a figurative term only!) My nickname for Marv is "Marvelous Marvin"Anyhow, Marv and

David B.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13858323507338581539noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9669688.post-1149612715708216262006-06-06T10:50:00.000-06:002006-06-06T10:58:23.356-06:00

Last week was a pretty rough week for me. Earlier in the week, I attended the funeral of a friend and former colleague. I appreciated him, and the many contributions that he has made, yet I couldn’t help but be saddened as I attended his funeral. The only spiritual message at the funeral was from the Bishop conducting the service at the funeral home. The lifestyle choices he had made, and the

David B.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13858323507338581539noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9669688.post-1149024049501759872006-05-30T15:20:00.000-06:002006-05-30T22:00:00.126-06:00

I went to a funeral today of a friend and former colleague. Jeff was a very interesting fellow. Although he did not hold any formal degrees from a college or university, he was one of the brightest people I’ve ever known.I was part of an interview committee that hired him to work at the 911 center back in 1989. (I was in management there at the time). He worked as one of our police dispatchers,

David B.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13858323507338581539noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9669688.post-1148785127172108362006-05-27T20:58:00.000-06:002006-05-27T21:59:10.813-06:00

It was Easter weekend, 1985. It was a time in my life when I was struggling with my faith. I had taken offense at an incident that happened in the Spring of 1983, which then caused me to go into a state of rebellion. I had slacked off in my church attendance and activity.I had taken a job as a police dispatcher in the Fall of 1983. In that job I found myself in a completely different environment

David B.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13858323507338581539noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9669688.post-1148678004963281742006-05-26T14:55:00.001-06:002006-05-26T15:13:38.223-06:00

Well, here I am. Back to where it all started 2 1/2 months ago. I am in the C/T waiting room, drinking that evil barium solution at Cottonwood Hospital. An 8 oz. cup, every twenty minutes for the next hour and a half.Last time I drank barium, they performed the C/T scan, and whisked me away to be admitted to the hospital. I had a total of 5 abscesses on my liver and bowel. Two of the abscesses

David B.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13858323507338581539noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9669688.post-1147736472297646322006-05-15T17:30:00.000-06:002006-05-15T17:56:06.500-06:00

Recently we made a quick little weekend trip to Capitol Reef National Park. We all needed a break after the last few months of being homebound and dealing with medical problems.We booked a room in Torrey, Utah, and headed South on a Friday evening. We arrived at about 10:00 pm that night. Fortunately the motel accepts pets, so we were able to take our little dog with us.The next day we started

David B.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13858323507338581539noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9669688.post-1147734586507125602006-05-15T16:52:00.000-06:002006-05-15T17:09:46.536-06:00

Now that the tubes are out, what's next?The first order of business is to continue to heal and remain infection free. I have a C/T scan scheduled in two weeks. Unfortunately I will have to drink that evil barium solution again. The purpose of this test is to make sure that I am infection free, and to make sure that any openings in the bowel or liver have fully closed off.In early July, I will

David B.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13858323507338581539noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9669688.post-1147733516102906392006-05-15T16:48:00.000-06:002006-05-15T16:51:56.120-06:00

Its time for another health update. Things have been progressing along pretty well, for the most part. Last week the bowel drainage tube was removed, as well as the PICC line for IV’s. I’m tubeless at last!I have been weaned off the antibiotics. For the past two months, home health care has been sending a nurse out to our home to draw blood, and change the dressing on the PICC line. Now that the

David B.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13858323507338581539noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9669688.post-1145587526915714682006-04-20T20:24:00.000-06:002006-04-20T21:24:41.806-06:00

I have some good health news this week.Tuesday I went in for my weekly "Tube Check" at the radiology Dept. The tube connected to the liver had drained practically nothing all week. We had good hopes going into the exam that the abcsess from the liver had closed off. I got positioned on the x-ray table, and they focused in on the liver tube. The Dr. injected the dye, and voila! No dye traced into

David B.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13858323507338581539noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9669688.post-1145585829091979602006-04-18T20:10:00.000-06:002006-04-20T20:23:36.030-06:00

Sunday I went to church for the first time since leaving the hospital. I was worried about having tubes and drain bags hanging out all over the place. However, we discovered that I have lost enough weight that the dress slacks I usually wear to church, could now fit all the tubes and drain bags inside, with plenty of room to spare. Those pants were really baggy (Kind of like ankle-length “Hammer

David B.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13858323507338581539noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9669688.post-1145251856294328962006-04-16T23:22:00.000-06:002006-04-16T23:37:48.753-06:00

This past weekend our son went on a scout camp to Antelope Island. Antelope Island is the largest island in the Great Salt Lake.Earlier in the week we got all of his supplies ready. I even made one of my first ventures outside the house, to go to Sportsman's Warehouse to shop for a new tent. Our old tent was 20 years old and was literally falling apart at the seams. So we got a tent that both of

David B.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13858323507338581539noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9669688.post-1144735845455979412006-04-10T22:54:00.000-06:002006-04-11T00:10:45.516-06:00

We had another "tube" check today. I was hoping that one or both of the drain tubes could be removed today. The drainage had really slowed down, which gave me cause for hope. My pain had virtually disappeared. All good signs.However, the truth comes out in the X-ray lab. I was placed on a table, and Dr. K., a radiologist, scanned me with a fluoroscopic X-ray. This type of x-ray allows "live"

David B.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13858323507338581539noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9669688.post-1143786700127196762006-03-30T23:31:00.000-07:002006-03-31T00:13:50.663-07:00

Just a quick update. I'm still at home, with my wonderful nurse, who happens to be my wife. She and the family have been so helpful, and so thoughtful. This has been quite a humbling experience. Except for getting my tonsils out when I was a 6 year-old, I had never been hospitalized before. I've always been pretty independent, and have been able to take care of myself. Now I have to depend on

David B.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13858323507338581539noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9669688.post-1143094282485415002006-03-22T23:09:00.000-07:002006-03-22T23:18:15.200-07:00

Henry and Mary (not their real names) are a nice couple in their late 70’s who are originally from Holland. Mary came to America as a 21-year old woman in 1949. Henry came a year later, in 1950. Each of them would have endured the horrors of the Nazi occupation of the Dutch people. Mary told me of one of her relatives who died of starvation during those years. Both were members of the Church of

David B.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13858323507338581539noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9669688.post-1142922655939576202006-03-20T21:21:00.000-07:002006-03-20T23:38:05.346-07:00

I got home from the hospital on Sunday afternoon. There is an old Simon and Garfunkel song that starts out:"Gee but its great to be back home, home is where I want to be!"That just about sums it up for me.Today I've had really good day. I have been resting, and catching up on a few things. I have felt reasonably good, and am beginning to get my new home-routine down. I really don't miss the

David B.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13858323507338581539noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9669688.post-1142665670265540382006-03-17T23:15:00.000-07:002006-03-18T00:07:50.286-07:00

Guest Blogger-- His wife, DawnAnnDave has been in the hospital since Monday with infected absesses on his liver and bowel and he is one sick puppy. Don't you love these cowboy types-- They never let on they are about to die. They kind of do this "Oh, by the way I have been shot" kind of moves. Man I hate surprises. He has been struggling for a while now but he still forced himself to be about

David B.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13858323507338581539noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9669688.post-1142051909144640352006-03-10T21:38:00.000-07:002006-03-11T11:14:48.346-07:00

Yesterday we woke up to snowy weather.  In the mid morning hours, we had a blizzard come through our town.  The snow was coming sideways, and was sticking to the windows. By the time it was done, We had about 4 inches of snow on our driveway. Our house faces South -- which is a very good thing!  In the winter time, the sun shines mostly from the South.  Oh, it still crosses the sky form East to

David B.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13858323507338581539noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9669688.post-1141694453150147152006-03-06T18:20:00.000-07:002006-03-07T11:52:31.820-07:00

No, that's not my height! The tallest person I know if in my ancestry was about 5'10". Needless to say, I and my poor children got the short end of the stick!What this is really about, is a meme, that asks you to list 4 things, on seven different topics. I was tagged by S'mee over at Knot in the String. So here it goes:Four Jobs I Have Had in My Life:1. Cattle Ranch Hand. I spent the summers

David B.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13858323507338581539noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9669688.post-1141445927738498092006-03-03T21:18:00.000-07:002006-03-03T21:37:36.856-07:00

I saw this quiz over at The Sisters Bourne Identity. I thought I would give it a try to see what Harry Potter Character my personality matched. I was pleased with the result. (Warning, the quiz is rather long -- 112 Questions. It might take 10-15 minutes to complete.)(Click on image for larger version) You scored as Albus Dumbledore. You are very wise, observant, andanalyctical. You have a

David B.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13858323507338581539noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9669688.post-1141189008731969162006-02-28T21:56:00.000-07:002006-03-01T09:41:01.496-07:00

In a recent post, I mentioned in comments that my marriage had brought more purpose and meaning to my life. Téa asked in comments if I would elaborate more on what I meant by this.Both my wife and I were older when we were married. Each of us were in our mid-thirties. It was a first marriage for both of us. We each had completed our education, and were working full-time. We were supporting

David B.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13858323507338581539noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9669688.post-1141101114852560462006-02-27T20:59:00.000-07:002006-02-27T21:46:40.336-07:00

As you may have heard, actor Don Knotts, (aka Barney Fife) passed away this past weekend at the age of 81. I can think of only a few other actors who have brought me as much joy and laughter over the years. I have many happy memories watching the Andy Griffith show. In fact we still watch it when we can. It pops up often on TV Land, and on some of our local channels as well.I never really liked "

David B.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13858323507338581539noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9669688.post-1140808628834872122006-02-24T11:53:00.000-07:002006-02-25T22:19:13.096-07:00

I got tagged yesterday by Sarebear at Pi-Bolar. This meme wants you to list 7 songs that you are into right at the moment.The rules:List 7 songs you're into right now. No matter the genre, whether they have words, or even if they're any good, they must be songs you're really enjoying right now. Post these instructions in your blog along with your seven songs.The rules want you to tag 7 other

David B.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13858323507338581539noreply@blogger.com7