New Kind of Drive Thru

On Tuesday a week ago I received my annual flu shot. This time, however, I didn't stand in a long line of people older than me. I sat in the front passenger seat of our slowly-moving car in the driveway of the Goleta Cottage Hospital and hung my right arm out the window while a woman who looked like a nurse vaccinated me. Bingo! Now that didn't hurt, did it? See you next year!

Making Your Calling and "Election" Made Sure

(Really posted 12 November 2008)
I met a lot of heroes in the 11 weeks preceding this year's election. Here is one of them:

Modern Proverbs

My son David recently posted to his blog a set of proverb-like rules for his household. Reading them, I was reminded of another set, this one penned ca. 1976-77 for a household residing at 7 La Paz Court. It took a half an hour of rummaging through my pitifully unorganized family history files, but I found a copy. Here goes:

1. Honor the father and thy mother, that thy days may be long upon the land (okay, I borrowed this one and a few others.)

2. Thou shalt not bear false witness ... or fib, or lie.

3. Thou shalt not get into drawers or cupboards or cabinets containing things not belonging to you, unless you hast obtaineth permission.

4. Thou shat keep thy mitts off Dad's clean windshield and his electronic calculator.

5. Thou shalt eat all thy dinner, and thy lunch, and thy breakfast.

6.Thou shalt not litter anywhere, anytime.

7. He who tattleth shalt not be listened to.

8. Thy bed is for lying upon and resting or sleeping; not for jumping upon.

9.Thou shalt not watch television amid litter, but rather thou shalt pick it up and putteth it away first,

10. He who playeth in water or mud without permission wilt surely receive many blows to his sitting down place.

11. Thou shalt not be quick to splash in the tub.

12. Quick to tantrum is quick to bed, or porch, or patio.

13. A wise child will inform his parents of his whereabouts.

14. Thou shalt not singeth loudly at the table, except on birthdays.

15. Swine and lowly beasts eateth sloppily; Hixon children shall not.

16. Thou shalt close the bathroom doors until Stephen learneth not to standeth at the toilet and stirreth the waters therein with his arm.

Oh, What Do You Do In The Summertime?

Well, if you're me, you harvest the fruits of your small garden and when the last picking nets far too many ripe and juicy tomatoes to consume in salads or sandwiches, your lovely wife scalds them, peels them and make them into Stewed Tomatoes! And one can enjoy Stewed Tomatoes for many weeks, even months if you're taste buds are not impatient. MMMMMM!

[Note to my readers: At least one of you has mentioned that most of my blog has to do with food and pictures of food. Well, he is probably correct, so if I have offended anyone, I apologize, but I do not repent! Food is important AND artistic.]  

The Scriptures Are Relevant

For several weeks now Maureen and I (and many others) have been working on a grassroots efforts to obtain passage of an amendment to the California state constitution that would make marriage between a man and a woman the only valid kind of marriage in California (Proposition 8). A state law to that effect was overturned last spring by a 4-to-3 majority of the state supreme court, even though 61% of the voters had approved the ballot measure enacting that law in 2000. The following scriptures from the Book of Mormon (Helaman 7:4-6) seem relevant to our times today, even though they were first written about 23 years before the birth of Christ:

"And seeing the people in a state of such awful wickedness, and those Gadianton robbers filling the judgment-seats—having usurped the power and authority of the land; laying aside the commandments of God, and not in the least aright before him; doing no justice unto the children of men;

"Condemning the righteous because of their righteousness; letting the guilty and the wicked go unpunished because of their money; and moreover to be held in office at the head of government, to rule and do according to their wills, that they might get gain and glory of the world, and, moreover, that they might the more easily commit adultery, and steal, and kill, and do according to their own wills—

"Now this great iniquity had come upon the Nephites, in the space of not many years; and when Nephi saw it, his heart was swollen with sorrow within his breast …”

Am I right?

Should Auld Acquaintance Be Forgot

Auld acquaintances should NOT be forgot, but that sometimes seems to happen when the auld acquaintance presents herself to you in the foyer of the Newport Beach Temple and says, "Brother Hixon, do you remember me?" and I stammer a bit and say something stupid like, "I think so," as my mind is scrambling for some cognition here and failing at it. "Do you remember my name?" she counters. And I have to say, "No, I don't." And she replies, "I am Shana ... Shana Woodruff! Rachel's friend!" 

And the lights go on in my feeble brain. I know this person, but she has grown up. I think she was in high school or just out of high school when I knew her before. She is still just as fun and energetic as I now remember her being then. The world of temple foyers is small, indeed. 

New Neighbors

About four weeks ago our next-door neighbors of ever since we've lived here, the Tom and Jennifer Hamilton's, up and moved to a smaller home a mile away from here. I say "up and moved" because there had been no "For Sale" sign on their house, no open houses, no nothing that would indicate an imminent relocation. It turns out that Tom's sister-in-law is a real estate broker in town and was able to get buyer and seller together without the usual things that precede such a transaction. So, with help from family and friends and a big U-Haul truck, they packed up in about two days and  .... whooosh!, Tom and Jennifer are are next-door neighbors no more. We will miss them and their boys (who were pre-teens when we moved in twelve years ago). Tom played basketball with his boys in their driveway almost every evening. I can still hear the thump of the ball being dribbled and bounced off the backboard, as well as the sound it made while going through the net. When Jeff was home, he would often join in their play. Tom is our primary care physician, so I will still see him from time to time. Unless he retires, that is. He is my age.

And today our new neighbors moved in. They are Tom (yes, another Tom) and Darin Hiilebrandt from San Diego. Very nice people. They have two darling daughters, Rose (age 9) and Emily (age 7). And they had Dominos Pizza for dinner tonight.  Tom was hired recently as the new chief financial officer of a company headquartered in Goleta named Decker Outdoor Corp. They market serious and casual outdoor footwear. Tom started his accounting career with the same firm I started with, only 21 years later, and in San Diego instead of Los Angeles. The sounds of teenaged driveway basketball has been replaced with the laughter of little girls. We do live in a nice neighborhood.

We Have An FDOS, Too!

FDOS ... that's First Day of School to you Oldies. Several weeks ago our kids started posting pictures of their kids going off to school after a long summer. Our little Moms often had teary eyes and hearts as they watched their little chicks head toward new teachers and new experiences. It's part of growing up, I guess.

Well, this morning Maureen and I had a similar experience. Our little one went off to school, too. Only our little one isn't very little any more. Jeff is 23 years old and a senior at BYU. He's been home since the end of April and we will miss him. He has blessed us with back rubs, enthusiasm, good humor, deep discussions and comraderie all summer. He is a good son, a beloved brother and a favorite uncle, all rolled into one.

At this time last year his Mom went into a two-week funk of mourning and depression, only to be resolved with the purchase of new carpeting throughout the house. I think this year it will be a new refrigerator, or something! 

Sweet Corn!

As you know, a few months ago I planted a small garden in a raised bed eight feet on a side. I planted corn, radishes, peas, tomatoes and beets. I started a little late in the season, so I wasn't sure everything would come up. Well, most came up. I had bunches of tender radishes, most of which found their way into a several sandwiches. We have been munching on sweet green pea pods for two weeks now, right off the vine. We have more tomatoes than we know what to do with. But it is the corn I have been waiting for. I have fourteen thriving corn stalks, each with one or two budding ears, growing fuller and sweeter each day. 

Today I could wait no longer. I decided to pick the largest ear. I did so at 2 p.m. An hour later, that ear had been photograph, shucked, cooked, buttered and consumed. It was very tasty.

As I examined the ear of corn on my plate before eating it, I noticed the kernels, fairly bursting with the stuff of life. I am grateful for seeds of all kinds. They are a gift from God, surely. If we nurture every gift from God, whether they be seeds or otherwise, God will bless us.  

When my repast was finished, however, I was struck with how quick the meal had been, almost fleeting. It was, for the most part, a temporal pleasure. I thought about the hours I and others had spent constructing the garden plot, planting the seeds, fertilizing and watering them. Then nurturing the tiny plants, watching them grow, anticipating the fruit thereof. Even though food for our bodies is a necessary condition of mortality, only food for the soul lasts for more than a moment. No wonder prophets have long counseled us to "feast on the word of God."

The Lie

I have been enjoying a small book titled, "Golf - Lessons I Learned While Looking For My Ball," by John Bytheway. Included in the book is a quote by golfing legend Bobby Jones, responding to a sports writer who was distraught with Jone's affliction with a crippling disease in the 1940's. Said Mr. Jones, "You know that in golf we play the ball where it lies. Now, we will not speak of this again, ever."

We Love the Fair!

Yesterday we did the Ventura County Fair. It was opening day and admission was only $1. The fair is a fun place to be, but it takes a certain mindset to really enjoy it: (1) accept the crowds; enjoy the throngs of people of all ages and from all walks of life who are there for the same reason you are ... to have fun;(2) know that food and drink will be over-priced ... just savor your $8 italian sausage patty on a roll with grilled peppers and your $4 fresh-squeezed lemonade; and (3) realize that you are going to be taken in by several hawkers of things that you would never buy at Wal-Mart ... enjoy their spiels and buy a few gadgets. Have fun doing it. We did. We came away with two bottles of Simply-Z-Best Car Wax, two packages of Keepeez Vacuum Food Sealers, a deluxe-sized jar of Show M-G-K Leather Cream, one Star Fiber Floor Mop (no chemicals, throw away the Swiffer!), and two Plumeria Starters. We did not, however, buy the Medi-Rub Foot and Body Massagers or the Retractable Awnings. Maybe next year.






Oh, and you must take two granddaughters named Hayley and Abbie on the Ferris Wheel if they have never been on one before, even if your are afraid of heights!

1930's Husband

156 As a 1930s husband, I am Very Superior Take the test!

Jiminey Crickets

Tonight I heard crickets for the first time this summer! I counted the chirps of one little guy who sounded close-by: 80 chirps per minute. According to A. E. Dolbear, a physics professor at Tufts College in 1897, that works out to about 60 degrees fahrenheit, where T=50+(N-40/4).  Well, I came in and checked my weather gadget ... it registered 68. Close enough.

Can't Have Too Many Radishes!

So ... we have lots of radishes from our garden. More than we buy from a grocery store in a year! So what do you do? You slice them into thin slices and make them into a yummy sandwich. No Kidding! Just add some mayo and a little gorgonzola, and salt and pepper to taste. Wonderful spring salad between slices of bread. You gotta try it! (Maureen substituted butter for my mayo and gorgonzola.)

More Produce!

Our raised-bed garden is flourishing. I have been harvesting crisp red beauties like these for about ten days now, and there are more to come. Maureen put some into a yummy cole slaw last week. I like to pop them into my mouth (after rinsing the soil from the root, of course) and listen for the "crunch" and wait for the flavor to fill my taste buds with piquancy or whatever it is that makes radishes hot.

Eagle Board

Here's how I am keeping track of my grandsons' scout rank progress. I sliced a thin slice from an oak firewood log, added rank patches, leather ties and leather arrowheads, each hand-stamped with grandsons' initials. The finished product is now hanging in my workshop where I may see it every day. I am duly proud of these young men, and always will be.

We're Graduating from Wii

We have enjoyed Wii bowling so much that we decided to begin doing the real thing. Jeff bought Mom bowling shoes for her birthday and Amy bought me shoes for Fathers' Day. We both bought each other bowling balls last week. Jeff gave us a bowling gift card. I have agreed to spot Mom whatever our total pin difference is the first time we use our new stuff!

Bounteous Harvest

The fruit in this bowl belongs to me in that I watered the fruit trees, dunged them, cultivated the ground around them, pruned them, carefully nurtured their branches, and then happily harvested the resulting oranges, limes and plums. But the real owner of the fruit and the trees is God, not me. He created the earth and it fullness. He provided the life-giving rain and the sunshine. And He allows me to care for a very small part of it all.  

He has given me more than fruit trees, however. He has given me a wonderful wife, the light of my life, and cherished children. He has given me friends and neighbors and he has asked me to love them as I love myself. This responsibility transcends a few fruit trees. It is my daily prayer that I can be worthy of that trust. 

Snakes Alive!

While watering my new raised bed garden this evening, I spied a pair of plant clippers that apparently had fallen out of my pocket earlier this morning when I was also watering. I stepped around the corner of the planter box and almost stepped on a 3-foot gopher snake, scurrying to get out of my way. In surprise, I jumped back and away from the gentle animal and almost stepped on its companion, who was following its mate by about four feet. Both creatures, very beautiful in spite of my phobia toward their species, quickly gained the relative safety and seclusion of the overgrown copse of trees/bushes at the corner of our deck. 

I finished my work at the garden and returned to the house. I then decided to walk out on the deck and try to find the snakes  on the ground under the trees. As I was peering over the deck wall, I heard a slight rustling sound, very close to my head. I looked up and found myself staring eyeball to eyeball, at one of the two snakes who was climbing the tree! Snakes can climb trees? This one could. He was about ten feet off the ground and two feet away from my nose. We looked at each other for awhile and then he turned away and proceeded to stretch himself somewhat horizontally toward an adjacent tree/bush. I ran back inside the house to fetch my wife and son, but when we got back, our reptile friend was not to be found. I think I am adding an item to my to-do list: trim the tree/bush back away from the deck wall about ten feet! I do not wish to find one of these creatures relaxing in my hot tub with me ... ever!

Mulch Anyone?

So ... Santa Barbara County offers free mulch and I needed some for my new raised-bed planter box, so I ordered some. The mulch guy told me the minimum order was 8 yards. Real men do not hesitate and carefully do the math, so I did the math quickly... and got it wrong. I thought I was ordering a pile of mulch 8 feet square and 1 foot high. Somehow, however, I got feet confused with yards. Boy did I ever!

Early Tuesday morning our street began to tremble as this HUGE dump truck rumbled toward our house. Ten minutes and one dumbfounded signature later there was a pile of mulch in my driveway ... 8 cubic yards of the mucky stuff. That's a pile six feet square by six feet high, or 216 cubic feet, three and a half times more than I really needed.

And it is decaying, or composting, warm mulch that smells like Eucalyptus trees and steer manure, from as far away as the bend in our cul du sac! One neighbor dropped by to say she really likes the smell. The other neighbors have said nothing (to me, that is).

So Jeff and I have been shoveling mulch into wheelbarrows and wheeled garbage cans in the early mornings and evenings and distributing it all over the top half acre of our property. Who knows, maybe the property values around here will drop as a result and our kids can afford to move in. 

Pain: Weakness Leaving Your Body

I saw the above title on a tee shirt last Saturday. I am not sure it is true, but it seemed to work for me today on the last three holes at Ocean Meadows Golf Club. I was terrible on the first six, but redeemed myself a bit thereafter, actually driving as far as son Jeff twice and making some commendable second and third shots from the fairway (as opposed to crummy shots from the rough). What could have made the difference? Well, for one thing, my legs felt like lead weights, my feet were killing me and I was generally out of breath. I was in pain, but was a stronger golfer. Don't get me wrong ... the word "stronger" in this context is pretty relative.  I didn't enter my score at the end of the round  because 1) the scorecard only accommodated two-digit numbers; and 2) I was ashamed.  Jeff carded three over par.

Enduring to the End, Happily

I can count thirty-one times in latter-day scripture where saints are constrained to “endure to the end.” The promised results of such endurance are glorious: we shall overcome; be lifted up, saved, blessed, and held guiltless; we will enjoy the remission of our sins, and shall inherit eternal life, receiving thrones and dominions. 

We are also told throughout scripture “to rejoice” and be happy, filled with joy. And well we should, given the reasons: the love of God, the plan of salvation, the Atonement of Jesus Christ, the blessings of the Gospel and eternal families.

I often struggle a bit to put these two gospel concepts together, probably because the modern definition of the word “endure” does not seem to me to be consistent with “rejoicing” as I understand the word.

Endure - verb

1 - to undergo (as a hardship) especially without giving in: suffer <endured great pain>

2 - to regard with acceptance or tolerance endure noisy crowds>

3 - to remain firm under suffering or misfortune without yielding endure>

 

Rejoice – verb intransitive

1 - to feel joy

2 - to experience gladness in a high degree

3 - to have pleasurable satisfaction

4 - to be delighted.

 

Not to worry, however, for my story has a happy ending. Yesterday, I discovered a better definition for this scriptural kind of endurance. It was furnished by one of our latter-day apostles who said, “ … in order to reap eternal salvation, [we] must press forward in obedient devotion to the truth until [we] make [our] calling and election sure …” (McConkie, Mormon Doctrine, pp. 216-217.) This gets me out of my dilemma. I like pressing forward in obedient devotion to the truth. Yes, I do.

 

$55 a Tank - No Kidding

Today we filled up the Avalon. The gas gauge had been in the red zone for several miles so it took 14.6 gallons to top off the tank. The tab was $55.71. I could hardly believe it, but it was true. More than $50 ... a half a hundred. As if to assuage my astonishment, there was a small note printed on the bottom of the receipt stating, "You saved $0.03 per gallon." I think that is because we are full-fledged members of Vons' Club, whatever that is. I have never been to a meeting of this so-called club, paid any dues or elected any officers, or anything like that, but, Gosh! today I saved the tidy sum of forty-three cents. I feel so much better.

We Are Not Alone

It was 3:00 a.m. Our room was dark, as it ought to be, or was it? Something else shared the room with us. From every corner tiny lights glowed and glimmered. I counted 19 of them ... red, green, amber and blue ... ubiquitous, silent, waiting.  

They were our LED's (light-emitting diodes) that adorn every electronic device that we own. They tell us that the device is either working or on stand-by, waiting for a mouse click or other switch to summon the device into its intended action, a call to serve as it were. Our LED's are here to stay, a presumptive, primal part of this generation of technology. The only way I know to to render them lightless is to power them down at the end of each day. But then we have to power them all up again in the morning ... all 19 of them. I guess we'll just share our room.

I Also Like Crab Legs

I have seen and passed up King Crab on many menus in my day, but today was different. I didn't know that I really even liked King Crab Legs, but when Maureen and I dropped in at the local Enterprise Fish Company for a late lunch and noticed that they were today's special, I decided to be adventurous: One and a half pounds for $30. I asked our server if Maureen and I could share an order. She said we could. That brought the cost of our lunch to $15 each ... not as winceable as $30 apiece. Soon a very large platter arrived at our table, bigger than the one in the picture here, laden to overflowing with huge crab legs, a bowl of cole slaw and a cup of drawn butter. We got bibs, extra large napkins, two shell cracking tools and tiny forks. What a delight! (I'd have said 'gastronomical' delight, but I don't know how to spell it.) The meal took us an hour to eat. Every bite was scrumptious.  I am indebted to my wife for her spur-of-the-moment suggestion that we do the EFC before our SBCC class. Thanks, Mo!

I Like Grits!

I really do! I like them more than Cream of Wheat. I like them more than Quaker Oats. I like them more (but not much more) than steel-cut oats. I cook my grits with raisins, brown sugar and a generous slather of "I Can't Believe It's Not Butter." I usually do not add milk. I always make two servings. That is because if Brian Steck happened to be in the neighborhood, I would share my grits with him. But he's usually not in the neighborhood, so I eat both servings myself.  As you can see, this morning I added a sausage patty, some canned pear slices and fresh-squeezed orange juice. It was delicious! And to add to the eye appeal, I served my breakfast in Maureen's Portmerion China that she purchased in The Potteries.

Pies & Cookies, Oh! My!

About a year ago, my daughter Cindy began baking pies for me, at the rate of one a month, for my birthday all year long. Soon after, my daughter Shauna began baking cookies, one batch a month, I think for the same reason.  Here are this month's treasures: a luscious lime pie (made with limes from my tree) and really good ginger cookies, made with lots of ginger. Each month brings a gift of a new and  different variety. I really look forward to these treats. Thank you, girls!

Another Stick

When the Westenskow's were here last, we went walking where the butterflies over-winter. Cindy espied a Eucalyptus branch that had fallen alongside the footpath and asked me if it might be suitable for a hiking staff (for her). I examined it and hefted it and agreed that I could probably find a stick in there. We brought it home and leaned it up against the side of the garage with several other potential sticks. I began working on Cindy's last week and finished it today. I think it turned out alright. When I make a stick, I like to know who its owner will be, sort of like Grandma and her quilted silk baby blankets. This stick has Cindy's name on it, not only stamped on the leather hand-grip, but in every whittle and sanding stroke, with each pass of the staining pad, and in all the varnish. I love doing this.

Beachside Bliss

I took a folding camp chair and a good book down to the sea shore yesterday afternoon. I seated myself about five yards from the water and let the sound of the surf and the feel of the fresh breeze relax me as I read several chapters and watched a few children play in the waves and some couples, young and old, stroll along the beach, mostly hand in hand or arm in arm. All the time I was there I did not once think about anyone named Obama or Clinton or McCain. I did not worry about Iraq or Iran. I did not ponder the sub-prime lending mess, or the declining housing market, or crumbling consumer confidence. I didn't even care that some idiot in the Air Force accidently shipped four cases of nuclear detonators to the Republic of China.  Today I may worry about those things, but not yesterday, in my folding camp chair and a good book down at the sea shore. No way.

Okay, Okay! ... I'm Enchanted! Three Times Already!

Last fall, my lady and some of her daughters took some of their daughters to a motion picture called "Enchanted." Afterward, my lady told me she thought I'd also like the film, and she promised to take me to see it. This past Friday she found the DVD on sale at Costco, and so we watched it from the comfort of our family room couch that evening (date night). I was not "enchanted" with the animation part of the story at the film's beginning, but I rather liked the rest of the flick. It was cute and had no swearing (even in New York!) or immoral behavior (if you look past the mayhem caused by the wicked step mom). 

So, today we went to our daughter Cindy's for Easter dinner, and lo and behold, Cindy had also just purchased the DVD. So, giving in to granddaughter Abby's persuasion, I watched it before dinner. After dinner, daughter-in-law Jamie wanted to see it, so we watched it again. For me that's three times in three days. I know all the songs by heart now. 

Clean Garage!

This afternoon, for the first time since mid November, we parked both our cars in the garage at the same time. Hooray! It all began like this ... We (and son Roger) moved a lot of "stuff" out of our house when we had new carpet installed in November. We made a pact that we would not move any of it back into the house unless it passed three tests: (1) have we used it in the past ten years? (2) is it more likely than not that we will have need for it in the next ten years? and (3) does it really need to be in the house? Any item that didn't pass the test was  either taken to the storage shed, discarded or given away. Getting all that taken care of has been on our mutual "to-do list" for about four months. With our mission-related time and energy demands, we haven't had the time or energy for the garage job ... until today. Well, we didn't have a lot of energy (we rarely do), but we had the time. We love spring break more than the students do!

How Many of Me?

So, I searched "How Many of Me?" and discovered that their are 10 Lawrence Hixon's and 21 Larry Hixon's in the U.S. , including yours truly. How fun!

Great Weekend in Gilbert-Mesa

Well, we went to Arizona again. We'd packed the car before Friday Forum and departed as soon as we got the dishes done. Several of our Institute students even helped us clean up the place so we could be on our way even sooner. So, we left at 1:45 and arrived at 11:45. What usually would have been an 8-hour drive became a 10-hour tussle with too many travelers  tying-up the turnpike on the eve of Spring Break! 

Granddaughter Katie greeted us warmly upon our arrival as she announced, "Grandma and Grandpa are here!" I was doubly pleased when she scootched herself right next to me on the family room couch and stayed there until her parents sent her off to bed.

Our principal purpose in going to Mesa this weekend was our son Mike's ordination to the office of high priest. He had been called by his stake presidency to serve as secretary to the high priests group in his ward, and had asked me to ordain him. So I did ... just before sacrament meeting. Thank you, Mike, for the privilege. It was a very special occasion for me. During priesthood meeting, I stood in the circle as Mike was set apart to his new calling.

We also did lots of other things while we were in town. We ate Belgian waffles for breakfast on Saturday morning. In the afternoon, we picked up Jacob and Hannah Hixon and took them with us to see Bronson in the role of Artful Dodger in Mesa's Young Actors' Theater. He was splendid! Then we hied ourselves to Amy's house for a nice fried chicken dinner cooked for us by a lady who also wanted to sell us some waterless cookware. We didn't buy any. I thought it was an enjoyable evening anyway.

On Sunday morning, Mike and Marilee gave us a tour of the house they hope to buy. It is under construction, but that didn't dampen their excitement. Both Bronson and Brennen gave talks at Church: Bronson in sacrament meeting; Brennen in Primary. Mike and I helped Bronson's bishop set him apart as president of his deacon's quorum. My favorite part, however, was having 10-year old Brittany's head on my shoulder during most of sacrament meeting. We had a fine steak dinner at Mike and Marilee's afterward.

Back at Sara's late Sunday night, I enjoyed sharing some of my i-Tunes playlists with Brian and Sara. And I danced with my sweetheart!

On Monday, I was invited to a chick lunch with Maureen, Amy, Sara, Rachel, Marilee, and Kristi (Baker) to celebrate Marilee's birthday. The girls made me feel quite welcome.  Maureen and I left for Santa Barbara after lunch and after a stop at the local Deseret Bookstore. We also paid brief visits with our kids in Simi Valley on our way home. It was a very nice weekend!

Cheers for Senior Missionaries

Sometime Thursday morning, as we were preparing at home for our assignments at the Institute that day, it occurred to Maureen that Kathy Turner, the Institute Secretary, might not have shown up for work, as she was out Wednesday with a cold of some sort. She usually arrives at 7 a.m. and opens the building for students. If she were not there this morning, the students would have no way to enter the building. Even though the class we teach on Thursdays doesn’t begin until 12:30, several students come to the building early in the morning for food, to study and to just hang out with each other. Maureen tried calling Kathy at home and at the Institute office, with no luck. So, we scurried about to get ready to leave home as soon as we could. We arrived around 10 a.m. As we drove up to the parking lot gate, we were greeted with happy cheers and vigorous applause from six or seven of our students, seated at or around one of the two concrete picnic tables on the lawn next to the building. It warmed our hearts and brought smiles to our countenances. 

Some Promptings for a Teacher

Tuesday, March 11, 2008 – I had been preparing my lesson plan for today’s Institute class since last Friday. The lesson, based on Hebrews chapters 7-10, was title was “By the Blood are Ye Sanctified.”  My outline included two major concepts: Paul’s delineation of the reasons why Christ’s solitary sacrifice was superior to the daily ordinances of sacrifice under the law of Moses; and a discussion of the definition of sanctification. I had to do a lot of research on the latter concept. By late Monday night I thought my outline was complete.

However, I guess I was wrong about that. Sometime in the early morning hours I had a dream. The only thing in the dream was a message to me something along these lines: “Do not teach them so much about sanctification; teach them more about the role of the Savior’s atonement in the sanctification process.”  When I awoke from my sleep this morning, I remembered instantly and clearly the message, and as I pondered upon what I had been told, it occurred to me that Paul’s audience probably already knew what sanctification meant. After all, they had been taught it for thousands of years (“For thou art an holy people unto the Lord thy God …” – Deuteronomy 7:6). What they didn’t completely understand was how the Lord’s infinite sacrifice made sanctification possible. So, I altered my lesson plan. It is nice to know that I am not completely in charge of what my students are taught.

Spring is Just Around the Corner

I walked my hillside half acre today with my little camera. I was enchanted by the tall green grass, the clover and the lemon flower. And then I came upon my plum tree. A week ago it was a stark silhouette against the sunset. Today its branches are filled with blossoms, a promise of delicious fruit in a few months from now. My tree will need pruning, however, if I want a bounteous harvest. I think I will prune my tree next week, however, because this week I want to enjoy all the blossoms.

Me and Joe Albertson

I am still getting tomatoes from the plants I started last spring! I picked five this morning. They are not large tomatoes anymore, (the tomatoes to the right of mine were purchased at Albertson's), but they are still quite flavorful. Now I am wondering if my plants will yield full-sized fruit again this summer. That would be great! I love fresh-picked anything.  Maybe I will make my own ketchup this year, or perhaps salsa!

Maureen the New Testament Teacher

Maureen invited me into her New Testament class today to answer a question about local priesthood leadership (who presides at a sacrament meeting when all three members of the bishopric and the high priests group leader are absent?). After I answered the question, I took a seat near the back of the room and enjoyed the remainder of her lesson. It was fun watching her work with the Spirit and her class as she guided them through the assigned scriptures to develop her theme. She is a fine gospel teacher, respected and loved by her students. 

Tag! You're it, Mom!

Tagged! Here are the rules:
1. Link to the person that tagged you.
2. Post the rules on your blog.
3. Share six non-important things/habits/quirks about yourself.
4. Tag at least three people at the end of your post and link to their blogs.
5. Let each person know they've been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.
6. Let the fun begin!

Six random facts about me...Mom:
1. When I was in grade school most all the girls wanted to be nurses, I only wanted to be a mother.
2. When walking home from school and it was windy, I would try to fly.
3. Until just recently I have wanted to sky dive...changed my mind because I learned I had to pack my own parachute and I don't want to do that!
4. Lately I have had a fear of getting old, grouchy and senile!
5. I was a Disneyland Tour guide.
6. I love being the mother of ten great children, 9 super in-laws, and 37 adorable grandchildren.

Quirky Things About Me (Dad)

1. I stick my tongue out fully when I am fastening a tight collar button because I think it makes my neck size smaller.
2. I also stick out my tongue a little when I am concentrating.
3. I lather my face with a shaving brush and shave soap and shave with a razor.
4. I say "criminey."
5. I straighten and/or slightly rearrange things that seem askew to me.
6. I  fill my glass with water and drink it just after finishing the milk that was in the glass first.
7. I watch departing children's cars until their brake lights come on at the corner.
8. I whistle a little tune when I run a red light.
9. I like grits with brown sugar and butter.

These are from my loving sweetheart:
1. He likes to get the last word.
2. He likes to delegate.
4. He puts my things where he thinks they belong but does not remember where he put them.
5. Loves to volunteer to do any church assignment.
6. He coughs when he is nervous.
7. He pinches his "cheeks" when standing on a ladder.

Asher's Blanket

Jeff purchased the fabric from Mom's favorite store in Provo and shipped it to Santa Barbara. Mom laid it out on the dining room table. But before she could even think about beginning to work her magic on it, Dan placed it on the floor and then placed Asher on it. Asher LOVED it! His eyes lit up. He cuddled up in it. He petted and patted it. He scrunched it up and he put a lot of it in his mouth. He smiled and even laughed a little. He rolled over and gave his daddy some serious and sweet smooches. And when he took his mommy and daddy home, he left it with his grandma so she could do what she always does ... fill it with love.

Rat-a-tat-tat

I was seated at my desk early this morning, working on a lesson plan, when my concentration was interrupted by a loud "Rat-a-tat-tat." It was so quick that I could not discern what it was or from whence it came. I dismissed it as an abberation only, but before I could re-focus on my task at hand, the sound came again. Rat-a-tat-tat!. And again, very quickly this time and almost insistently. Rat-a-tat-tat! Now it had my attention. The second sequence seemed to resonate with a slightly different tone. "You know," I said to myself, "I'll bet it's those woodpeckers!" So I rose quietly from my chair, walked quickly to the window that looks out on my deck, and slowly raised the blind. There they were! Not one, but two red-headed, white breasted Acorn Woodpeckers, very common birds around Santa Barbara. But these creatures were not pecking food storage cavities in a palm tree or telephone pole; they were drilling holes into the top rail of my redwood deck! Tat-a-tat-tat! Rat-a-tat-tat! One of the birds looked up at me as if to assay any imminent danger and then nonchalantly resumed his act of vandalism on my private property. His comrade didn't even bother to look up. Rat-a-tat-tat!

Winter Harvest

Seven weeks of on again, off again rainfall here in Santa Barbara has brought an early crop of limes and lemons to the trees on the hillside behind our house. Maureen and I harvested "two bags full" of the former, and we left all but three of the latter on the tree, for another day's picking. The grasses have grown to knee length almost overnight and the soil is still moist enough that the gophers and ground squirrels must think they're in heaven ( I wish they were!), Their brown mounds of freshly bored earth seem to poke up everywhere. It was a gorgeous day today ... no clouds anywhere, clear blue skies as far as you could see.

Gilbert Get Away

Thanks to Allegiant Air's great rates ($59 round trip), we spent two week-ends on a row pestering our kids in Mesa-Gilbert. We came for Jacob Hixon's ordination to the office of Teacher; Simon Hixon's baptism; and Jacob Hixon's Eagle Court of Honor. Thanks go to Mike and Merrilee for providing airport transportation the first weekend, and to Alamo Rental Car for the second. Attending the Mesa Temple with our kids was a highlight.