The Land of Our Fathers!

Thanks to Keith and Robert Mortensen for their memories and Howardism's. It's gonna take some time, but I'm going to put them together with photos and illustrations from Ryan and Ray (he doesn't know it, yet). I must admit to becoming emotional after reading some of their memories. I've got some fishing stories to tell in the compilation. I remember traveling to Blythe from Mesa on weekends to do my laundry (when I was still single) and we'd wake up and go fishing...me, mother and Howard. Howard loved to fish, but Ethel was obsessed with it. We fished for anything that would bite. Anyway, here's quick story about Howard's fishing prowess. After Mom died and he was living with us at the Islands in Gilbert, he told me to go to the Famer's co-op and buy a big bag of chicken scratch. I told him we didn't own chickens and that the Homeowners Association wasn't going to allow any. He said, don't worry, buy it anyway. He also said to find an old coffee can somewhere. After I bought the scratch and got the can, he told me to thow a can of the scratch into the lake by our house every morning before I went to work and then throw another can in as I came home. He wanted the scratch thrown in the same spot everytime. After about a week, he was ready to fish. He was training the fish he said.

Sure enough, he would take a bucket to the lake with his pole and a chair. It was about 300 yards from our house. Pam would carry Chadrey down to him and he would fish and babysit Chad...mostly making sure he didn't fall in. Howard would sit in the shade in his lounge chair and watch Chad crawl everywhere and reel 'em in. Pam would come back in a couple of hours to get Chad. Everday day we had fish for breakfast, lunch and dinner for months. I should say Howard had fish. We got tired of eating them.

Also, I am posting aerial photos of "the land of our father". These show the ranch and the canal that Howard dug down to the river and the amount of acreage he cleared from brush. It's amazing if you think about it how much he put into that place. Also, if you look in the first photo, some of you can recognize where Uncle Marvin and Fred were killed in the plane crash. Alot has changed over the years but it's still recognizable.

I was talking with Chet and Spencer Arnett the other day and they want me to take them over to actually see the place where their father died. They've never been there. I told them I would, but in true Howard fashion, only if I could spend some time fishing there.

I'm going anyway!!!!!

I'm going to Lake Powell in June, no matter what. It might be lonely, it might be hot, it might just be me, but I'm going. The photos show why!!!!

Questions of the day?

Got a phone message from Keith Mortensen. Is he being friendly--catching up on old times, or does anyone know if someone is sick or died in his family that I should be aware of? Russians reading this, please respond before I track down his phone number and call him back. Maybe, he has some Howardism's to share. He and Robert were the recipients of several real zingers if I recall.

Next question: Is there a temple anywhere close to Ireland? Just asking...not for any particular reason, but just wondering. Are they beautiful temples that offer the same ordinances as the other ones, or are they temple-lite versions without sealing ceremonies?

Does anyone know for a fact if a prospective missionary has to have his wisdom teeth out before he can send in his paperwork to be called, or does he just have to have the appointment to have it done? This is important to Chad as this will determine when his papers can go in. If he only has to have the appointment, his paperwork via online will go in on March 30 and he could recieve his call by April 7th. If he has to actually have them out, he'll have to wait until school is out to have them done here in AZ. and then his paperwork couldn't go in until the end of April.

What's the latest on Reid? Someone post an update? When does Megs get back? It'll be fun.

Were taking a poll on where Chad will get sent on his mission. I, as his father already know, so I must recuse myself, but the rest of you can put your two cents in. To make an educated guess, you need to have some facts at your disposal. First of all, he was 4 year seminary graduate, which means he could go to Brazil which requires that to obtain a ministerial certificate. He also was a high school graduate which allows him to go in the first place. He took one year of German in High School thinking he could drive a Mercedes on his mission, if called there. He knows zero Spanish but is fluent in text messaging if they ever open up that mission. He enjoys the water and being around water so he could be sent to a place where they drink water. His father left alot of work to still be done on his mission and since we have relatives that have never heard the gospel in that mission field, maybe he could do some mop up action for his Father Lacy says that he needs to go stateside because it takes stronger missionaries with stronger testimonies to teach in their own culture and environment. I wanted to debate her on that point, but she probably is right. So there you have it. Background info. for the possibilities of where Chad might be called. Let the voting begin. I vote Monteal, Quebec...seems to have been great for Megs.

Everyone says I'm mean!

I posted photos of my dogs. They are real dogs. They sleep outside, eat outside and poop outside. Look how well behaved they are. Junior has really been coming on strong in the good behavior department (see post below as to why). Also, I've posted a Christmas pic of my family..Pam, Chad and Cam. They are also well behaved even though they don't have to eat, sleep or poop outside.

Okay, so I've been off my mind altering meds for awhile now and it appears that I'm mean, or depressed, or both. Everyone tells me I'm not my usual self. I admit to being a bit short with people. But, I come by it naturally because I am short, 5'9" to be exact. To those of you whom I've offended, I apologize. To those that don't care, I say way to be. This new year I've got some things I'm waiting for. Here they are:
Us or the U.S. to get out of Iraq. Divide it up into 3 countries and be done with it. Let the bloodletting begin. Heresy, you say, well Saddam's dead and nothing has changed nor will it. We should've never fought an offensive war in the first place. Remember, I voted for Al Gore.

I'm also waiting for, The Second Coming...I've been reading "Prophecy: Key to the Future" and old Mormon banned book from the 50's. When Israel elects a President named David get ready, that's all I can say without giving away the ending.

'm also waiting for some sheet music from C.S. Arnett -- some medley or Abide with me stuff.

I'm always waiting for H.B. to want to talk when I call him. He's either on the poddy or really busy and has to go. By the way, he sometimes seems depressed and no one says a word about it. Why can't I get away with it?