Getting closer!

Chad is home for a few days. While he is here, he's getting his missionary physical done. He can put his papers in March 30, so we're trying to pace ourselves accordingly. Pam has put up a "where is he going" chart on our wall. Everyone that visits is supposed to write where they think he'll go.

He and a few of his friends when snowboarding at Snowbowl in Flagstaff yesterday. They still aren't home because they got snowed in.

It appears my little trip to Cibola to show where the old farm was has turned into a full fledged reunion. People are flying in from Nebraska and Missouri to participate. I hope they won't be dissapointed as there is really not a whole lot to see.

I appreciate all the old stories I got from everyone.....none. I figured as much. So, I'm gonna just make a bunch up like the time Howard wrestled with a bear and HB lost a foot race to Potter. Oh wait, that one is true.

Anyway, back to Chad, we have to send in a photo with his missionary papers. I'm posted a few for you (my loyal readers) to choose from. Number 1 is the Castro look if he goes to Cuba. Number 2 is I don't care where I go. Numbers 3 & 4 are generic how do I become an assistant looks and number 5 is I can hang in the ghetto if I get sent to Detroit look.

I need some help!

Next weekend, the 23-24th of February, I'm taking several of the Arnett cousins to Cibola to campout and view the old hacienda. It appears that several of the sons and grandchildren of both Marvin and Fred are coming to see where the the plane crash happened, etc. I have worked out a deal with the Cibola National Wildlife refuge to hook us up with a guide to take us back into the places we need to be. They are also writing a history of the Cibola area and need photos and information. It's part of the trade off.

I also spoke with Sharon Marriott, formerly of Orem, and Louie Bishop's granddaughter, she is going to allow us to stay and camp on their place. She also asked for any photos we have showing her family, land, etc. It appears that she really would like to see something on the old Skip's camp and Bob and Zetta Bishop.

So anyway, here's what I need and I really am appealing for help. I need any stories, photos, history, home movies, etc., that I can make copies of and get to the refuge people and to the Marriotts. Hb's story of the shooting of the rat on the wall written up would be great. Any other stories would also be appreciated. Stories aout Fiddler, Machata, Potter, the Beaver Bros, etc. I know the old fogies don't read this, but the younger ones do. Could you please use your influence to help me. It's important to me and to others that we do this.

As I mentioned in an earlier blog, I really want some sort of marker or plaque with Howard's name on it to show what he did. This refuge has thousands of people go there every year to hunt and bird watch. They do it on land that was cleared, farmed and homesteaded by your father and grandfather. He put his life into it. It just seems to me he deserves some recognition for what he did.

I'm not asking for anything other than photos, etc. I'll do the rest.

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?

Health news and views!

Pam has torn cartilage in her right knee. It's torn on both sides of the knee so she really can't compensate for one side or the other. She has decided to put off any cartilage removal until Chadrey is on his mission. Incidentally, I've had torn cartilage in my right knee for over 30 years. It still locks on my once in a while. For those of you without knowledge of my football prowess, my knee was torn up in the first home game of PVC against the ASU JV team which was comprised of Bob Breunig and Mike ????. Geez, I can't remember his name, he is an all-pro cornerback who played in the Super Bowl with the Oakland Raiders and New Enland Patriots. Maybe I have torn cartilage in my brain. Anyway, I was the starting slot receiver against Mike Haynes and on the first play from scrimmage I went to block him and my knee blew. Subsequently, I decided a mission was less dangerous. So, I gave up my PVC scholarship (which by the way, I am the only college scholarshipped athlete in the family) and took up Australian rules football in the land down under.

Oh, and I'm supposed to get my sleeping machine soon. I will be assimilated shortly.

Tales from Christmas 2006...

Some notes and oddservations on Christmas this year. Cameron joined us for Sunday and Monday. We enjoyed him immensely. It's interesting how priorities change. While Chad was excited getting new snow board boots and bindings, Cameron was like a kid in a candy store when he got new underwear and socks. He was genuinely thrilled and even more so when he found the receipts for them. These were greatly appreciated by him and later by us as we saw his happiness. My main gift received for Christmas was a "cold". Cameron spent some time at Cliff's on Christmas day.

I caught the same one I got rid of two weeks ago. At the Epperson family Christmas eve program each of us told about our most memorable Christmas. Much to Pam's consternation, I told of the following:

When I was 27 years old, I was single, alone and living in Heber City, Utah. This was pre-Jordanelle, pre-growth and expansion. Anyway, I was alone for Christmas as I had to get the Wasatch Wave out on Christmas day.

I remember thinking how bad off I was. I was feeling sorry for myself because I wasn't married, had no prospects, had no Christmas, had no food, had no money, had no...okay it wasn't that bad, but when you are feeling sorry for yourself anything counts. (Incidentally, I think people who have no feelings like feeling sorry for themself because it is at least, a feeling).

So, back to the story. After putting the paper to "bed", I went to bed myself. Soon, in my slumber, I literally had visions of sugar plums dancing in my head. I suddenly awoke realizing that there were bright lights coming from out my window. I got up and saw that the house across the street was completely engulfed in flames.

Being the newspaper editor that I was, and sadly not necessarily the good samaritan, I went out to assess and report on the damage. Fire engines were coming, it was way below freezing with 3 feet of snow on the ground and there to the side of the house was a father, mother and two chidren about 3 and 6 years old. Their entire Christmas was detroyed along with their home.

Somehow, I didn't feel as sorry for myself.

Anyway, back to this year's Christmas story. After dropping off Cameron in south Phoenix and picking up Lex at the airport, we drove Lex to her car in a very posh area on Camelback. While driving there, Pam said she wished so much she had the "wherewithall"(is that a word or a saying?), to help strangers.

No so coincindentally, at the parking lot of Lex's salon a young lady approached us to see if we could help an older lady put gas in her car. It didn't matter that she was wearing Prada and driving a BMW and slightly full of Christmas cheer, Chad, Lex, Pam and I got to fulfill Pam's Cristmas wish.

After, borrowing a knife from the corner coffee shop, (I'll be waiting for the comments) we succeeded in helping a stranger. There you have it, a Christmas wish come true.

Howardisms illustrated by Ryan...

Okay, Lance and Ryan have started something. I hereby stake claim to the official Howardism blog. Here and now. I need all your Howard quotes. Ryan as so graciously offered to illustrate them. I want either a quote or an episode (short). I will compile them and distribute them to you all. Here are a couple of my quotes from Howard....When asked how do you ride a horse, he said just keep you cheeks over the middle of the saddle. And, when asked how are you doing...he said just barely. Of course this was pre-parkinsons. Okay, it's your turn. Someone needs to come up with the most famous ones. We all know them, but they need to be contributed. But, not by me. If you have any personal ones they need to be shared for posterity. Start now.

So after attending a family group meeting for Cameron at the Salvation Army on Wednesday, I went to the sleep center for my big "slumber party". I had to show up at 9 pm for induction. After filling out the paperwork, they proceeded to hook my up to about 100 wires all over my body. The lady told me that she'd let me sleep for two hours, and if I showed signs of not breathing while snoring, she'd come in and hook me up to the "borg machine".

They let me watch TV to get sleepy, but there was no ESPN. What a disapointment. Anyway, lights out at 10:30 and then my typical tossing, turning, thinking and 15 minutes of sleep.

Two hours later she came in and hooked me up. What a machine! When you open your mouth air comes pouring out. Anyway, I'll be getting mine this week. The lady also told me that I scream in my sleep. It appears I yelled, "It's none of your business", and "get out of here".

Pam says I've yelled worse. Much worse. I just know that when Chad has to take care of me and I'm senile, I'm gonna cuss like a sailor. That's my worst fear about senility. So, just to prepare you all.....oh, damn.

Which reminds me of the time back in Blythe when I had a sand buggy. Candy came home from Provo and I gave her a ride. I turned off the road and did some dicing and my, oh my, guess what came out of CS's mouth. Hint..."it" happens.

On a more serious note, I'll be going to a meeting for Cameron again tonight. I've never really experienced anything like these meetings before. I talked to Kathleen and HB about it and for anyone who reads this who has been affected by our loved ones addictions, I never really understood what you have endured. To Larry and family, HB and family and Cliff and family, I can only say I'm so sorry for your heartache and pain. And, to those who suffer the addiction, my prayers are that you can overcome them.

Lex gone, Chad coming home, I'm not sleeping

News update: Lex has moved into her new home. We loaded her brand new Ikea bed into my truck and put it in her beautiful blue bedroom. Derek put it together for her. She's got him wrapped around her little finger. Her house is really better than expected... a nicer neigborhood than I thought and nicer house too. She still has no idea who are her roommates, though. They could be serial killers.

I did have to use the bathroom and broke it in for Arnett use. I used up all their toilet paper. Hope they don't mind. I also noticed they have huge spa in the backyard. Makes you wonder, huh. Okay maybe not.

So Lex is gone, now Chad is coming home this weekend to attend winter formal at Highland High School with some girl who asked him and paid for his ticket home. Guess who that could be?

Also, tomorrow, I will be spending the night at the Banner Health Sleep Center to determine why I don't sleep at night. They think I stop breathing while I snore. I know Howard used to do that, maybe it's hereditary. Come to think of it maybe that's why Candy can't sleep either.

Lex got a new haircut! She's moving out!! So sad!!!

Here's kind of what Lexi's hair looks like...both the style and coloring. This will have to do until I get something different.

Lex got a new haircut! She

Missing photos!

Some photos!

Holiday Happenings!

Cameron was with us for Thanksgiving along with Lexi, Chad, and Lexi's friend Derek (Zoolander) Johnson. We started off the week with a Taco night for Pam's niece Lauren and her husband Christian. They're in from Norway. It was an unusually fine vintage of taco's and salsa. Then we went to the Danny and Francie's sealing and reception. It also was an unusually fine vintage of temple going and wedding finery. Then we had Jantzen join us Thanksiving night and weekend. We all festiva'd together, including fishing, crawdadding and making fun of each other in true Arnett fashion.

It appears that Lexi is somewhat competitive as she had to catch the first crawdad and was quite amazing in doing so. Jantzen caught the most and the had the most weight by volume also. It was a good thing he had some jerky left over from his travels or we would have been baitless for the crawdads.

Fishing wise, it was a bust, as the small pond we were gonna fish was nearly empty and we couldn't fish where the golfers were playing, although Lexi really didn't care. She can be rather pushy when she want's something or when she "thinks" she is right.

By the way, does anyone know if missionaries must have parts in there hair?

Chad, it seems, doesn't live in Arizona anymore. He lives in Utah and can come and go as he pleases at our house because he doesn't live there. Uh huh, right.

Cameron will be coming over for the weekends as soon as I attend a couple of classes with him. That will be fun for Lexi, because it seems they are both avid movie goers. I'll post some photos later. For some reason they haven't been posting lately.

Memories, Honors and more......

Remember this blog is for me, not for you that's why I have an obsession with Cibola. I've taken a few of the newer Arnetts there to show them the scenery and needless to say they have been underwelmed. Lex, Syd, Kensie and Megs tried to act interested, but somehow I could sense that they just wanted to get back in the car to turn on the air conditioning. I also took Lacy and Dave and while they feigned more interest than the aforementioned Arnetts, they still weren't totally captivated by the wonderment know as Cibola.

I'm sorry, I am obsessed. So much so, I have begun conversations with the Cibola Natl. Wildlife Refuge about compiling a history and maybe some sort of marker or plaque to one Howard Arnett -- without whom much of the refuge wouldn't exist as it does today.

First, a little history. Cibola was home to the Yuma Pima Indians and was thought to be the famed cities of gold. de Coronado made his way through this area and discovered it not quite up to his "gold standards".
In the early 1900's, steam ships made their way up the Colorado River from the Baja gulf and stopped in Ciblola to offload goods. There was a Post Office (remember seeing that, children) run by one Louis Bishop, probably the father of Bob and Zetta. Incidentally, he became very ill and the closest doctor was in Yuma so they just put him in a small wooden dingy and let him float down. He died on the way.

Anyway, our ancestor, Howard M. Arnett (maybe some of you knew him), homesteaded some of this land, clearing it from brush, trees et al. He also dug the famous Arnett canal (as it is now known) which spans several miles to the old path of the Colorado River and now is the main water source for Cibola Lake.

There are many memories in the minds of the Arnett boys (like picking up stumps and sticks in the fields while cooking beans for breakfast with some of the stumps as firewood). We would have to throw the stumps on a flat bed trailer. Howard said he needed it done, to clear the fields, but we knew better, it was to keep us busy. It was that or dig a hole and fill it up again.

But I digress, I'm posting some photos of cibola to spark some memories in the older generation. The refuge people want a history of how the land was cleared and such.

Lessons learned from Abinadi....

Tonite I gave a FHE lesson for our monthly Epperson get together. It was on Abinadi -- his message and effect he had on Alma and subsequently thousands of converts through his son Alma, the younger. Anyway, I was informed after the lesson, I really didn't make much sense and the lesson wasn't lucid and concise. The truth be known the lesson didn't go well and it went about 15 minutes too long and I was rambling and raving. But, nevertheless I have learned a few things from Abinadi, namely that I should make my lessons shorter or be thrown into the fire.

On another note, I've been told by some of my nieces that I might be too shallow and too critical when it comes to how a person's looks. I'm learning that as long as someone is symetrical they are considered cute. So, after careful consideration and self-inspection (don't ask), I've decided to get a nose job. I've always had a big nose and it's just not symetrical. I'm gonna get it altered to make it more symetrical to my face. The plastic surgeon has told me to make it symetrical he might have to enlarge it more, so there is my quandry....to become symetrical or no to become symetrical. Check out the photos and tell me what you think.

Are there any old fogies that read this?

While I appreciate the newer Arnetts reading my blog (and, please continue), most of my prose is to enlighten the more mature Arnetts with my musings on life. I know Larry reads this, what else is he gonna do in Russia. H.B. would never claim he reads this, but he does, and Candy lives on the internet, so how can she not read this.

Heidi, you need to clue your father into these. It's truly a purging experience (to quote my niece) to write your inner most thoughts. What's more fun is to comment on someone else's thoughts.

FYI, I read in the PV Times where Gladys Hamilton died (Clois' wife). She was 82. We lived next door to them for a few years on Acacia Street. That was where we lived when Candace was born and where I was in a cast and Cliff killed my parakeet by slamming the bathroom door on it. I believe that's why to this day Candy keeps the bathroom door open when she is, well you know. Wait, she was just a baby then. Maybe I told her about the parakeet and she was scarred for life.

I don't think Gladys was her name, was it? What did we call them? ____ and Clois Hamilton. I can't remember. I remember going to Disneyline with them and someone burning down the entire field behind our houses. I think that was H.B. or was it Larry?

O.K. here is the trivia challenge for this entry? Name all of our neighbors that Howard and Ethel helped to convert to the church. I'll give a hint, one wasn't Mozell. Okay, another hint, one was the Pratts. Go from there. Lacy and Chad, there is no way you'll know these without getting help from the old fogies.

What ever happended to?

The older I get I seem to reflect more on the past...probably because there's more of that than the future now. I also admit to reading my old newspaper, The Palo Verde Valley Times. I was once the publisher there many moons ago. I feel bad for H.B. because he was only a cub reporter while I ascended the ladder from ace reporter (the police beat) to advertising manager and then grand poobah. It also seems that Larry coveted my esteemed position because he started his own newspaper so he could be a publisher.

Anyway, one of the things I read the most in the old PV Times is the obituary column. I read recently about the untimely death of Johnny Mae Lilly, mother of Billy Lilly. That's right, that Billy Lilly. I wonder where Billy is today? Of course, I'm wondering only in the platonic sense considering the sexual preference of Mr. Lilly.

Well, I've done some research and discovered that Billy is 53 years old and living in Riverside, California. That's all I know about Billy, but it's more than I did. Larry and I used to share rides with Billy to school in our 1963 Chevrolet Impala (the sweat hog as we affectionately called it). We also rode in his nicer 1967 fast back Chevrolet Impala. Billy always did have better taste than we did. I wonder why? He also had a higher singing voice and prettier too if I recall, but not as soulful as Leonard Wiley's. I wonder where he is now? Maybe someplace close to Riverside?

Wow, what a college choir we had back then. It was me, Larry, Kathleen, Leonard Wiley, Billy Lilly, Karen and Roger Morgan, Jody John and our director. I can't remember his name, but Billy used to make fun of him for wearing lime green bikini underwear under his white pants. I never was sure if it was to entice the girls in the choir or Leonard or Billy. Or maybe Larry. Larry always did get better grades than me in that class.

Some trivia questions for all of you: (You'll have to ask the original Arnett's about this). Where did Billy Lilly live? What was his ethnic origin? and, What was so unusual about his house?

In closing I'd just like to say, "God Bless The Child That's Got His Own".

More input on Lake Powell needed!

I've yet to hear from the Russians or the Sportsline Arnetts. I know what the Shakespeare Arnetts want. Heidi, inform the desert Arnetts and let's get a consensus. I posted some photos to see it you can put a name or description or title to them.