April
1 April 2022 Friday
Well, it’s my birthday month. The 1950 federal
census was released today. Back then 89 percent of the population identified as
white. The total population in the 1950 census was 150,697,361. More than 26
million of them are still living today including my sister Donna Jones born in
1949 and my cousin Marilyn Stevens born in 1948. My 2nd cousin
Barbara Danforth Nadsady who was born in September, so she was not included in
the census that was taken between April and June. I was only a bun in the oven
in July 1950, so mom wasn’t even pregnant with me yet.
I
posted in my Utah Stonewall History site a lengthy article I wrote on the
formation of the Gay/Straight Alliance in 1995 and all the hate it generated in
Utah from the right-wing Mormon legislators. The same arguments used against
Gay kids back then are the same bigotry used against Trans kids today. It’s the
same fight just different players.
I
finally cleaned the refrigerator in the garage of the liquid from thawing
chicken that had accumulated at the bottom. I wanted to do so a while ago, but
I have been kind of busy.
Kyle
Foote called and wanted me to drive the Sonoma down to Sutherlands to pick him
up. He had the Chevy Traxx there to go out this afternoon. We then drove out to
the landfill and emptied the bed of the Sonoma so that was the last of what
Kyle didn’t want from his storage unit.
It
was a beautiful day this April Fool’s Day compared to yesterday. The bulbs are finally
starting to bloom, the grape hyacinths, the daffodils, and the regular
hyacinths. The tulips still haven’t budded, however.
I
went to the movie room to figure out what to do with the bed. I saw that the
slats for the bed frame were missing bolts to hold it together, so I just had
the foam mattress sit on the box spring on the floor. The mattress is a deep
memory foam mattress, so the bed is still high off the ground. I made the bed
up and rearranged some of the furniture and night stand to make it all fit. I
now have two full size beds in the old movie room. I will have to go buy a good
mattress cover and probably queen size sheets. I had plenty of blankets.
I
went grocery shopping for chicken for the pups and looking for Lactaid Milk but
after going to three stores all were out of the Lactaid Whole Milk that Kyle
preferred although I noticed he is using the Darigold Milk I bought for him
last time. Also, eggs have really jumped in price. Where they used to be
anywhere between 99 cents and $1.50 per dozen, they have jumped to $2.40 for
medium size dozen. I am sure President Biden will be blamed for that too.
I
also went to Deseret Industries for the first time in months to buy some short
sleeve shirts for the spring and summer. It’s time to put away all my winter
pull overs hoodies.
I
started watching the HBO series Deadwood the other day since I finished OZ, and
I am almost done with Rome. Kyle was out ubering as it is Conference Weekend,
and the Mormons are meeting for the first time in person in two years. It
should be a busy weekend.
He
came home at one point to say someone was coming over between 8 and 830 to buy
two of the small rolling wire shelves for $40 and he wanted me to deal with it
as he wanted to be out ubering which I did.
I
had been going to bed way too early lately and waking up in the middle of the
night, so I stayed up until at least 10:30 before hitting the sack.
Some
employees of Amazon in Staten Island voted to unionize. The first in the
country saying if Betzo can afford to fly into outer space he can afford to pay
his workers more.
2 April 2022 Saturday
I scrubbed and cleaned my bedroom today by
changing the bedding, sweeping, and mopping the floors, doing laundry, putting
away clothes, and organizing my scattered papers. It’s nice to have a really
clean and organized room. I wonder how long it will stay that way.
Kyle
Foote was gone all day. I suppose ubering. When he called, saying a couple of
folks were coming by the house to buy some things, he said he was up in Ogden.
A couple came and bought three shelves for $60 and later a cute couple from
Gunnison came and bought the shower partitions for $175. The husband from
Gunnison was one of those cute long-legged boys that are all over Richfield. So
damn cute. His wife was a cutie too, a young couple in their twenties. They
will have cute babies.
Cleaning
wore me out, and I never left the house today, not even to get a Dr. Pepper or
take the pups for a walk. I need to buy a mattress pad but was too weary to go
out.
In
the evening Kyle came home with a young lad he must have met tricking, who was
going to help his take the Nissan Rogue to the airport, so he didn’t need me.
Kyle said I could have the money from the sales for April’s payment. I added it
to the funds I have, and I now have $1300 in cash in the house. More than I
ever have had before. I am not sure why I want the money in cash rather than
put it in the bank, but I think after living hand to mouth for most of my life
it’s a bit of a comfort. The credit union doesn’t pay enough interest to make
it worthwhile keeping it in savings. The Visa card and line of credit are
completely paid off now and together they allow me $12,000 if I really had an
emergency.
Last
October after paying off the $23,000 owed to Lowes, I was so broke that I was
so afraid that I wouldn’t have enough money to pay living expenses, but I have
tried to be thrifty and so far, things are getting better.
Kyle
must have spent the night elsewhere because he didn’t come home.
I
guess The Pride Center had their reopening celebration yesterday. I don’t know
of anyone who went. There was a blip about it on the evening news and it didn’t
look like many were there. The commentator said the Pride center had been
around 30 years when it has been 31 but perhaps 30 years if one counts the time
between the closing of the Utah Stonewall Center and the Gay and Lesbian
Community Center.
3 April 2022 Sunday
I only saw Kyle Foote at 12:30 this afternoon
when he stop by the house after being out all night so we could go get out Dr.
Peppers. The price jumped up by 50 cents each adding a dollar to our Dr. Pepper
habit. Earlier in the morning I went to the Centerville Walmart as I wanted to
buy a mattress pad and pillows for the new bed. I also bought a large doggie
pillow for Buster and two smaller doggies beds, an individual blender, a case
of canned dog food, a bed skirt, pillow cases and some canned spinach I haven’t
seen for months at Smiths or Lucky’s. Altogether It came to $130 which is the
most I have spent in a long time. I wanted to replace the old doggie beds that
the dogs had peed on, and I didn’t dare put in the washer for fear of over
loading it.
Then
I went to Quick Quack to wash the Honda FIT and while there, Kyle called. After
getting our drinks he was off again. He didn’t mention the boy he was with last
night, so he was simply a lie. Kyle is really a prude when it comes to sharing
his adventures with me. Oh well.
I
spent the rest of the afternoon stripping the new bed and remaking it with the
mattress pad and skirting. I put the new pillows on my bed and my old ones on
the other memory foam bed. I wouldn’t doubt that that mattress, box springs,
and frame was nearly a $1000.
I
took the pups for a walk two by two as it was a gorgeous day. I saw a neighbor
named Andy who lives on Niles Street with his dog. I didn’t even know he still
lived in the neighborhood as, like me, he is one of the originals.
Dealing
with the new guest bed took all the energy I could muster for the day so mainly
I watched television and fixed the pups their supper. I finished HBO’s Rome
series and started watching HBO’s Julia about Julia Child the French Chef. It
was pretty good. I also watched a couple of episodes of Deadwood.
Buster loves the new
doggie bed I bought for him today. I think Taco likes his bed too.
Kyle
Foote, after coming home from seeing Dr. Stoneburner for his checkup, called me
from downstairs and said he was not feeling well. He was feeling feverish and
achy. I brought him the thermometer which didn’t read high. He did need me to
pull out eight of the rolling shelves for someone coming by at noon to buy
them. I think Kyle probably wore himself out after all that heavy work last
week and not taking any time off to rest.
I took the pups for their walk, and it was cooler today
then yesterday. Earlier this morning I am trying to create a new blog to post
my research on Blocks 63 and 64 of Salt Lake City. I’ve finished with
researching Lot Six of Block 63 finishing with Dell’s Café and what is there
now The Artspace Bridge apartments and retail space.
I made him some chicken and rice
soup for his supper. He said that Persephone has earned her keep by catching a
mouse downstairs. I should not try to personify mice nor squirrels for that
matter, but I do.
I mopped the front room really well
even with the steam mop because I thought it was beginning to smell. Having
five dogs, even small ones in the house is part of the problem but their
companionship means more to me in my old age.
I made a cheesecake today. The first
time in ages to use of some cream cheese for quite a while as I had bought a
walnut crust pie shell the other day.
In the evening I called Mike Romero
to invite him to Long Horn Steakhouse next Sunday for my birthday. He said he’s
not wearing his glasses anymore as his cataract surgery was healing. He goes in
on the 14th to have the other eye done. He said that the townhouse
next to his is up for sale for $370,000. Amazing and I bet they will get it
too.
I watched several episodes of
Deadwood this evening before going to bed.
5 April 2022 Tuesday
Kyle Foote said he was so much better today and
whatever bug he had must have lasted only 24 hours.
I
went down to the city county building this afternoon to look up property
transactions there on Lot 6 where Dell’s Café once stood on Second South. They
only had on line transactions until 1980 so I wasn’t able to find out what
happened after Willa Mae Walker lost control of it. So, I guess I am not done
with the research on 511 West Second South
I
stopped at WinCo on the way home to look for Lactaid but like everywhere else I
have been looking they had none. I just bought some tortilla chips and a few
other items.
At
the house Kyle needed me to set up an account on Amazon so he could sell some
of his high price items like his 3D camera that is worth over $2000.
In
the evening Kyle was out uber driving when he called and said some guy was
coming by to buy one of the tall wire office shelves. But Kyle had them packed
in so tightly that I told him I could not do it alone, so he came home for a
bit, and we rearranged items in the garage for easier access for selling.
It
was a much colder day and in the forties. I had to wear a hoodie outside. This
morning I even woke up with a dusting of snow on the ground.
I am being trotted out
this Friday for a Zoom interview for a cold case program out of Indiana on the
unsolved murder of Tony Adams in 1978. At first, I wasn't going to do it, but
Kyle guilted me by saying I have a responsibility to his memory. So many of my
friends who knew him better are long gone now. The woman named Jacey Williams
who is doing the Podcast mostly wants to ask me more about how his death
affected the Gay community at the time. That I can do. She will interview me
over zoom at 1 my time as she is in Indiana.
It's what I get for
being a historian for Gay Salt Lake for 35 years. It's a specialty niche that
there's not too many of us left to fill. At least I can lie, and no one will
know the difference.
I had my Roseman Dental appointment this
morning at 10 and had two cavities filled with a scheduled appointment to have
two more done on April 20. Coming back into town I stopped at Lucky’s to buy
more chicken for the pups, and they had their Easter hams on sale, and I bought
a large seven pound one for $7. I bought other items and also saw that Lucky’s
had in the Lactaid Milk that Kyle prefers so I bought two cartons because they
will last until May 12th, and they are so hard to find.
In the afternoon Kyle
and I went up to the Petco in Bountiful. I wanted to get some harnesses for TJ
and Taco as when I take them walking, they get so tangled up with their neck
collars twisting around. I also wanted to get Lulu Belle a new harness too, as
the fabric one she usually wears is worn out and the Velcro that holds it
together is about useless. Kyle bought the new Easter harnesses from money he
has received from selling items. The harnesses are much better for walking the
pups. Maxx has a perfectly good one, but Kyle feels bad we didn’t buy him a new
one but oh well; he gets plenty of other perks.
Kyle called me at a
quarter to 5 saying he needed my help as that he was out ubering and the Nissan
Rogue was coming back to the airport at 5 instead of 6 so he asked that I go
down to the airport and met the people and stay with the vehicle until he can
get there. So, I did.
I texted TJ Otaka and
asked whether he and Jim would like to meet Kyle and me for my Sunday birthday
lunch at the Lone Star Steakhouse in Midvale. He hasn’t responded back yet.
Chuck Whyte surprised
me by calling around 8:45 tonight. He called to ask me out for a birthday
lunch. I said we could go this Saturday at noon. He wants to go to the Other
Place. We visited for a while. He’s 64 years old himself. Will be 65 come
October.
While visiting, Kyle
came back to the house with his young boy toy before leaving to go spend the
night at the kid’s place. I texted Kimball Edwards to let him know I was
thinking of him, and he said he would find a time for us to be together soon.
I
finished the first season of Deadwood but fell asleep watching an episode of
Perry Mason, so I went to bed.
7 April 2022 Thursday
Kyle Foote came home around 10 this morning
after spending the night somewhere else. I didn’t have any places to be today,
so I worked in the front yard, planting flower seeds and mowing for the first
time this year. I did take TJ, Taco, Lulubelle, and Maxx altogether for a walk
today. It wasn’t too bad although at times their leashes got tangled.
Mike Romero dropped
Coco off while he went to renew his driver’s license and get a haircut.
Kyle
needed my help with a Turo pick-up, and delivery and one was at 10:30 at night
but I had taken a long nap in the afternoon.
All
the trees that bloom in the Spring here in Westpointe are in their full glory.
My yard looks pretty with the forsythias all showing their yellow blooms. My
tulips are just now trying to bloom. It all seems late this year. While raking
out some leaves a young guy walked by and complimented me saying my yard was
the nicest in the neighborhood and said keep up the good work, and I replied
I’ll try. I wonder how much longer I will be able to do so.
Russia
was kicked off a United Nation’s Human Rights commission for the war crimes
committed in the Ukraine.
Enjoying watching right
wing wackos heads explode that Senators Romney, Collins, and Murkowski decided
to put country before allegiance to Donald Trump.
Bobby Rydell the pop
singer from the early 1960’s died the other day. I always enjoyed his songs.
8 April 2022 Friday
I was rather anxious about the podcast I did at
1 with Jacey Williams from Indiana on Tony Adams’ case. I am not sure why.
Perhaps because it was a zoom interview, and I am not that familiar with it. I
also don’t think I am as articulate as I used to be as I don’t use my voice
much anymore. I don’t teach nor given my history lesson and Kyle Foote is about
the only person I talk to any more when he is around and it’s not like we
actually converse.
He’s
working on making the hot tub curtain hang so that it doesn’t blow as much in
the breeze. In the evening Persephone’s owners Fernando and Jake or is it Josh,
came over for a visit with Kyle here while I worked on cleaning the dead leaves
and weeds around the mailbox curb and the triangular spot between the driveway
and the neighbors yards that I started the other day. I worked for a good hour
raking and pulling. It looks better I suppose.
I
received a birthday card in the mail today from my previous teacher’s assistant
Kathy Jasperson. She included a kind note. “Edd, As I’ve been collecting
information for writing my autobiography, I’ve recalled what a blessing it was
for me to be working with you during the time of the passing of both of my
sons. You were very considerate and helped me in several ways-one of which was
allowing me to more indulgently assist young Ed with the construction of his
volcano. That was such good therapy for me! I couldn’t help, once again, as
your birthday rolled around to wishing you happiness. Sincerely Kathy J.” Kyle’s nephew Morgan Fultz was in my
class at Washington back then.
9 April 2022 Saturday
I went out and had a nice luncheon with Chuck
Whyte this afternoon at the Other Place. He wanted to treat me for my birthday
but instead I bought our lunch as I know I can afford it more than he can. The
Other place is not one of my favorite places but it’s an institution and Chuck
suggested it. The place was filled with Gay couples and old people or as in my
case a combo of both. I order the souvlaki pork lunch and mainly ate the salad
and French fires. It came with a huge pita bread, and it was way too much food,
so I ended up taking most of it home. Our two meals came to $33. But who knows
how many more birthdays or dinners we will have together.
We then went driving
around to show Chuck all the construction going up on Second South and noticed
the Sun Trapp is back open for business. Chuck said one of the parties in the
dispute bought out the other from what he heard. We went looking for Milk the
new Gay bar that Chuck thought was on 9th South and 2nd
East, but we never located it. Ninth South in front of the Tryangles bar is all
torn up and blocked off. That must really be hurting Gene Geiber’s business.
I tool Chuck to the
grocery store before heading back to the house. So many changes in the new Salt
Lake. The Tribune reported that the Greeks voted to quickly demolish the
LaFrance Apartments due to fires set there and vandals.
Back
at the house I took the hounds for a walk, but Lulubelle was so hyper that she
kind of was twisting the leashes all up making the walk a hassle. I then helped
Kyle Foote with his project on installing a curtain to go down in front of the
hot tub deck. The Chevy Traxx vehicle came back early so I took him to the
airport to retrieve it.
I
fed the pups and then stayed in for the evening watching several episodes of
Deadwood. Alan Anderson said their plans had changed and that they would meet
us for a birthday dinner at Long Horn Steakhouse in Midvale. He will turned 69
tomorrow and I will be 71. Old and Gay.
10 April 2022 Sunday
Well, I am 71 years old officially today. I was
born 71 years ago in Amherst, Texas. My folks were married in Olton and farmed
in Hart Camp, a place too small to be on maps but near the Double Mountain Fork
of the Brazos River on the caprock of the high plains of the Texas Panhandle.
Thirty-Four friends on Face Book sent me birthday greetings.
I
had a very special birthday lunch at Long Horn Steakhouse in Midvale with
friends I consider family. It was Alan Anderson’s birthday as well. He turned
69 years old today. Kyle Daniels was sick and didn’t attend so there were six
of us in all, Kyle, Mike Romero, Alan, T.J. Otaka, Jim McMullin, and me. I just
ordered a bowl of onion soup and a sweet potato and filled up on bread and
butter. I did have a bite of Kyle’s steak. He ordered steak and lobster. Mike
and TJ had the grilled salmon, Jim had ribs, and Alan had steak and shrimp.
Kyle was kind enough to buy us old geezers our dinners and I am sure with tip
it was close to $200. It was good to be out again among friends after two long
years of Covid restrictions and worries. We were there for about two hours and
while cool out it was a beautiful day. TJ and Jim bought me a beautiful yellow
calla lily and some jelly beans.
Afterwards Kyle drove
Mike Romero and me to the capitol to see the cherry blossoms in bloom. Hundreds
of others had the same idea this beautiful spring day. I don’t think I had ever
been up to the capitol to see the blooms that I can remember.
So, I have made 71
trips around the old sun and now heading into my 72nd as Kyle informed me to
make me feel even older lol. I have my health, a home, enough money for my
needs, and good people in my life. For this I am truly grateful.
11 April 2022 Monday
Busy morning before the storm blew in this
evening. I went with Kyle Foote to pick up the Nissan Rogue at the airport then
went with him down to South Jordan to get the Chevy Traxx repaired and later to
get a box to ship the 3-D camera that someone bought through the internet.
While out Jim Dabakis messaged me saying he isn't coming back to SLC anytime
soon. He just left Peru and on Easter Jim's heading off to Paris then Budapest
for a month before going to India for two months. I am glad it's him and not me.
There’s no place like home especially one filled with pups. I heard on NPR that
San Francisco has more dogs than children lol.
This
morning at 730 it was clear skies and pretty out but by noon it was overcast
and around 7 in the evening it began to snow. Kyle was out driving for Uber
tonight, so he wanted me to help with selling two computer monitors to someone
coming to the house while he was out. He sold the two for $100.
I
was binge watching Deadwood for much of the evening before going to bed around
10 tonight.
12 April 2022 Tuesday
It was a very cold day with the temperatures
not getting out of the 30’s. The pups were all sleepy for much of the day. It
also snowed on this day in 2018 and 2019. It likes to snow on April 12 in Utah
I suppose. The freezing temperatures are going to hurt the fruit trees.
I agreed to foster a
little chihuahua named Zeus 6 years ago today. I had just adopted Maxx a few
weeks before. My schnauzers Daisy and Lucky had died earlier in the year, and I
wanted to honor them by taking care of some dogs in need. Bill Poore renamed
him TJ and he’s sleeping by my side this morning. He’s been a treasure to me as
has been Maxx
When Kyle and I went to
get our drinks, we also went down to China Delight as we hadn’t had Chinese in
a while. It sounded good but in reality, I guess I was just not that hungry for
sweet and sour pork. While I was driving Kyle was on the phone with the
Chevrolet dealer in South Jordan who he was getting frustrated with as their
customer service was always cutting him off or putting him in hold when he just
wanted to find out if his car was ready. He was in one of his anxiety moods, so
I just left him alone. He wanted me to take him down there at 3:30 and we
didn’t speak the whole time. I know not to do so when he is so frustrated. I
guess he must have gotten through to them finally but whether he took the Chevy
Traxx back or they fixed it, I never learned.
The weather was weird
as we hit a blizzard in Midvale but was out of it in South Jordan. I guess it
was that way all over the valley. The news said that Daybreak received 6 inches
of snow, but we only had a skiff here near the airport.
13 April 2022 Wednesday
I worked a lot this morning trying to create a
blog for my writings on Second South. I created one using Google with the
address “west2ndsouthslc.blogspot.com.” I spent much of the time adding the
research on what used to be 509 and 511 West.
In
the afternoon I went with Kyle Foote on a lot of errands of his, just to be
with him. He had a flat tire on the Nissan Rogue, so we first went to Discount
Tires to have the tire repaired, then to Costco for his eye examination for a
new prescription. From there to Office Depot to buy some shipping containers as
he had sold a watch and the defibrillator.
Michael
Romero called and said his eye surgery is for 7 tomorrow morning so I told Kyle
that I wouldn’t be able to help with delivering the Nissan Rogue to the airport
tomorrow at 10:30. We took the GM Terrain down to Sutherland’s and then went to
Taco Bell for dinner. I just had two tacos which was plenty.
Kyle
went out ubering and I spent the rest of the evening making oatmeal raisin
cookies and working on my new Blog for Second South. It was still a cold day
with scattered snow flurries.
The day after I took in
TJ six years ago, I fostered two more dogs from Hearts 4 Paws. The old boy I
kept and adopted. I named him Farley. He must have been much older than the
pound said as he died four months later. I am glad I gave him a good home and
off the streets and out of the pound. The younger one was adopted out to a
family who loved Schnauzers and renamed him Wiley.
14 April 2022 Thursday
I was up by 5 this morning and Michael Romero
came over with Coco at 6 so I could take him to South Jordan for his second eye
surgery at 7. Surprisingly, he was done by 9 so I could help Kyle Foote this
morning with his vehicles. We took the Chevy Traxx and Nissan Rogue to Quick
Quack then down to Sutherlands. I had to sit and wait there while he cleaned
the Nissan Rogue and Traxx and took pictures. It was really cold out.
Kyle had a bit of a
panic when he couldn’t find his wallet. We were afraid he may have dropped it
at Quick Quack but after driving back to the house he found it on his bed. I
have no idea why he takes his wallet out, but I know not to say a thing when he
gets so anxious and frustrated. It all ended well. We took the Nissan Rogue to
the airport, went, and got our drinks, and went to Hacienda grill for lunch.
Kyle said he ordered 3 pair of glasses for $200 with his new prescription. Mike
said he bought himself an $80 pair of sun glasses. I am good with my $1 pair of
glasses.
15 April 2022 Friday
I couldn’t sleep past 5:30 this morning so just
rose and made coffee and ate a bran muffin. I wasn’t all that hungry. I then
wrote in my journal and then added more information to the Second South Blog I
created. I worked on it until 10:30 this morning then thought I better go get
some chicken for the pup’s supper as I used up the rest of it last night. I
filled the Honda FIT up too as it was about empty. It cost $37.00 for about 8
gallons of gas.
After
coming back to the house as the weather was clearing, I went into the back yard
and started pulling weeds that had grown up between the flag stone pavement. It
felt good to be outside, but it was tiring so ended up taking a nap in the late
afternoon. Only got up so I could fix the pups some supper.
About
6:30 in the evening Kyle Foote asked me to go with him to Quick Quack to wash
the Sierra Truck and the GM Terrain. We had to go to the one in Bountiful as
the North Salt Lake one was out of commission. After cleaning both vehicles we
went out to the airport where Kyle parked the truck for delver later and then
went out ubering in the GM Terrain.
I
watched a couple of episodes of Deadwood before calling it a day and went to
bed. Then about midnight TJ started barking, so I got up and looking to see
what he was barking at, Kyle was outside with a flashlight fixing the curtain
for the hot tub. It then dawned on me that he must be having someone coming
over as he was lowing the curtain. I shut the doggie door so he and his
encounter wouldn’t be disturbed by the pups.
I did see a young guy
come up the hot tub steps with just a towel on then dropped it to reveal his
naked butt followed by Kyle who did the same before getting into the hot tub.
It was the first time since I have known Kyle that I have ever seen him naked
in the flesh. I was happy he was getting some action. Funny when TJ woke me, I
was having a sex dream myself with someone fucking me. It must be the full
moon.
In
the news the Ukrainians sank one of Russia’s top battleships that had been
firing missiles in Ukraine from the Black Sea. Here at home Mike Lee’s emails
to Mark Meadow regarding Trump trying to overturn the 2020 election were made
public. He was one of the chief Senators supporting Donald Trump’s big lie that
there was widespread fraud in Biden’s election.
16 April 2022 Saturday
I have always maintained that a change is as
good as a rest but for some reason I feel discouraged by all the changes in the
world around me.
After working on the
computer, I decided to go out into the back yard and work some more doing some
cleaning up and mowing. I worked for three hours pulling weeds, rotor tilling,
and moving stones and bricks. It felt good to be doing something besides sitting
alone in the house. When I started to rotor till, I discovered that the workers
last year pour off some slag from the concrete which I had to pull up first by
hand before I could rotor till.
Kyle
Foote came out around 1 to see if I wanted to go get a Dr. Pepper, which I did.
While talking about the yard he related this grandiose idea of reconfiguring
the front and back yards this fall that took the wind out of my sails. I
thought why bother with cleaning up the back yard and working so hard when it
will be for naught? The pups don’t care what the yard looks like and days of
yard parties are long gone. And if it’s as hot this summer and dry as last year
I doubt very much that I will be outside very much either.
Then
I was a little bit discouraged after America First sent me a notice of low
funds in my checking account. The state took out the $2500 they claimed I owed
them in taxes today so my line of credit, that I had just paid off, docked me
$500 to pay it. I transferred $900 to my checking, paid off the line of credit
and still had a $1000 in savings but I still feel overwhelmed even though I
know I am better off than millions of others.
I
am watching the last season of “Deadwood” and it turned out to be a much better
series than I originally thought years ago. Ian McShane was brilliant as a
villain with humanity.
17 April 2022 Easter
Sunday
I had a very quiet Easter this year, no Easter
dinner, no gatherings. But I am in good health, the pups are well, the people I
love are still around, so life is good, if different. Easter is more a time of
nostalgia and memories anymore. But I am glad I have them. I made some deviled
eggs. It was as “Eastery” as I am going to get.
I
put on a pot roast this morning so Kyle Foote and I could have a semblance of
an Easter Dinner as he doesn’t like ham. Then I worked until 10 on the research
before going outside and working for a couple of hours on the backyard moving
paving blocks and rotor tilling until I was tired out.
Kyle needed me to take
him to the airport to retrieve the Nissan Rogue and in the afternoon, we went
to get a Dr. Pepper. Kyle bought us insulated 32 ounces containers to use as
refills for our drinks rather than waste using plastic and foam products. Mine
is bright yellow.
Back
at the house, as it was such a pretty Spring-like day, I took all the pups for
a walk while Kyle worked most of the day on building a pathway for Persephone
to be able to leave the downstairs into the garage. I haven’t seen it yet to
know what it looks like. Around 2:30 he finally came up to eat and I made gravy
and mashed potatoes, candied carrots, corn, and spinach to go along without
meal.
After
he left to go uber driving, I decided to use the hot tub for the first time
since Kyle installed the huge curtain. The lowering of it gave me a bit of
trouble but I worked it out and managed. The water in the hot tub was down
about six inches so afterwards I had to refill it back up to full level.
I
didn’t see Kyle for the rest of the evening, and I watched a dumb, but kind of
entertaining movie called “Game Over Man,” about three hotel housekeepers who
saved the day when the Los Angeles hotel where they work is taken hostage by
terrorists. Adam DeVine had full frontal nudity in it which was surprising. I
finished the last season of Deadwood and I suppose it ended as well as it
could, but I would have liked to have seen a fourth season as I am sure others
would have. I finally watched a movie called “And Starring Poncho Villa as
Himself” about the Mexican revolutionary contacting a movie studio to make a film
with him in it. Antonio Banderas played the general.
I
noticed that Taco began chewing on his harness tonight and when I took it off
of him, he had chewed part of the ribbing up. We just bought it a few weeks
ago.
18 April 2022 Monday
I went to Smith’s grocery store to buy dog
treats as the pups were all out and while there, I bought a Marie Callendar
Strawberry Rhubarb pie. I never seen them have those before, so I thought I’d
try one. I refilled the hot tub this morning and did some yard work as it was
really nice out today. Even took the little shits around the block for a walk.
Mike Romero went to his
urologist in South Jordan today and brought Coco over for me to babysit. He
came home around 3 with bad news that his bladder is enlarged and that he will
probably have to have a catheter for the rest of his life, but it shouldn’t
prevent him from traveling and so on.
Kyle was out ubering and he called at 3:30
saying that the Sierra truck was coming back early at 4 and he’s taking a
passenger down to Lehi, so he asked me to go met the Sierra at the airport and
wait for him to get back up to Salt Lake. So, I did and sat for about an hour
at the Turo location until Kyle showed up. It was actually rather warm out
while waiting around 75 degrees.
In the evening Kyle was
gone again and I just tried to find something to watch on television. I
subscribed to Hulu, Amazon Prime, Paramount Plus, the Disney Channel, Netflix,
HBO, the Curiosity Channel and Criterion but I couldn’t find anything that interested
me to watch. So, I just called it a night around 9:30 and went to bed.
19 April 2022 Tuesday
Kyle Foote came up around 8 this morning and
said that he had been out all night and if I would keep the pups quiet so he
could sleep. So, I kept them in my bedroom for the morning while I typed and
worked on my research.
I
didn’t let them out until around 1 but still kept them quiet. I wanted to work
outside but the weather was much cooler than yesterday, so I put it off for
another day.
Mike
Romero had a doctor appointment with his Kidney doctor at the University of
Utah medical center, so I watched Coco for him. When he returned to retrieve
her, he said that the doctor was pleased with test results for his kidneys, and
he wouldn’t have to go back to see her for six months.
About
that time, around 4:40, Kyle called from downstairs and asked if I wanted to go
with him to get a Dr. Pepper and then to Trolley Square where he had a haircut
appointment at. I think he needed me as a sounding board as he had broken up
with Nick his Seattle infatuation. He said he’s too much of an introvert to
have a long distant relationship especially one that wasn’t going anywhere. I
just listened and let him talk about his feelings. He said he canceled his
flight to Seattle this weekend due to the break up.
After
Kyle went Ubering I tried watching some television and ended up watching a show
on the history of food industrialists like Henry Heinz, Will Kellogg, and the
Coca Cola company. It was interesting how General Foods began with C.W. Post
stealing the recipes from John Kellogg’s sanitarium and created Grape Nuts.
20 April 2022 Wednesday
I went to the Roseman Clinic this morning at 10
thinking I was getting some cavities filled but instead they just did a
periodontal checkup and a cleaning. So, I just made an appointment for May 9th
as that my teeth aren’t hurting, and I should have more money by then.
Came
home and took the pups for a walk before Kyle Foote called to go get a drink.
While out he said the GM Terrain needed an oil change, so he asked if I wanted
to go with him to Centerville’s Walmart and of course I said yes. I enjoy just
being with him.
At Walmart he did some
shopping and also bought me an auxiliary CD player for the computer so I can
read all the CD’s I have information on. While at Walmart I noticed they had a
doggy collar for $12 which I may have to buy to replace Taco’s. I also saw that
they had small evergreen arborvitae shrubs which I may have to also go buy.
On
the way home we stopped at Zupa’s in Woods Cross as Kyle hadn’t eaten and I
ordered a small chicken noodle soup and Kyle had a salad. It turned into a warm
spring day around 75 degrees so I rotor tilled and cleaned up the space I plan
on having a small garden this year. I also sawed up the dead willow tree branch
that had broken off into the garden space.
Kyle
spent much of the rest of the day working on the hot tub porch installing
lights and working on the curtain.
After feeding the pups
I made a shepherd pie with some of the left over from Easter because I knew
that it would be gluten free and lactose free for Kyle.
21 April 2022 Thursday
It was so windy today and it’s been so dry that
dust obstructed the view of the mountains. I imagine when the Great Salt Lake
dries up it will be the same only with all the chemicals that had been poured
into the lake for decades unleashed.
Kyle Foote needed help
with taking the Chevy Traxx and the Sierra Truck to the car wash this morning
and then dropping them off at Sutherlands. We then went and got our Dr. Pepper
and Kyle said he needed some groceries, so we went to Smith’s in Rose Park.
I
did a little yard work sweeping up the bark that dogs have kicked out of the
parking strip when Kyle called me and said to drive the GM Terrain to the
Maverick on Fifth South and Fourth West and to hurry.
I didn’t ask why but I did and then he had me
follow in the Traxx to the airport as he dropped off the truck. Only afterwards
did I ask what happened. Evidently the people who rented the Traxx couldn’t get
the air conditioning to work, and they were vacationing down at Capitol Reef
for a week however when I drove the Traxx the air conditioning was working
fine.
That
was the adventure of the day. I know to just leave Kyle alone when he’s anxious
like that. He even forgot his wallet, so I paid to have the GM Terrain filled
which was filled most anyway. That was $27.
Kyle
worked some more on the hot tub deck wiring in lights and switches while I took
a long nap almost two hours. I didn’t think I was that tired.
The Caesar dog food
came today that I ordered so Lulubelle and Maxx had their preferred supper. I
wanted to go looking for a new collar for Taco and perhaps to Walmart to look
at the evergreens but never left the house this evening.
I tried to watch an episode of Paramount’s
series Halo but was not interested in watching an intergalactic war when a real
one is going on in the Ukraine.
Florida, the skin tag
of America, has taken on Disney World the largest employer in the state over
the “Don’t Say Gay” controversy.
22 April 2022 Friday
It was a rainy day, lightly in the morning, but
more consistently as the day progressed.
This morning I went to
Smith’s in Glendale and bought Kyle Foote two containers of Garlic Hummus he
likes that Rose Park Smith’s was out of. I then went back to Walmart in the
afternoon to buy three more arborvitae shrubs as when I showed them to Kyle, he
suggested three more. However later in the evening he thought 2 more would be
idea and I said I’s go tomorrow to get some. While at Walmart I exchanged the
dog harness that was too small for Taco.
Kyle
sold the last of the wire shelves today plus the extension ladders and some
other tools. He gave me $100 to buy the shrubs with. I put the cash with the
rest of the money hidden in a box in my room and I now have $1260 in the house.
I know that doesn’t seem like much to many, but it is to me.
Kyle
also said that on Monday he wants to rent a chainsaw and take down several
trees in the back yard, primarily the old Globe Willow that is past its prime,
another flowering tree that I had planted when I had the patio on the south
side of the yard, my plum tree that ironically just stated producing fruit
about two years ago after having it for at least 15 years. Some smaller
volunteers near the house will also go. The biggest mess will be the Globe
Willow
I
made some chicken and rice soup for us as that Kyle is sick again with a cold.
He didn’t go ubering as he was coughing too much. However, at nearly nine we went to the airport to drop off the
rogue.
23 April 2022 Saturday
We had a much-needed
good soaking raining rain today and at one point while driving on the Freeway
it was hailing slightly in the downpour. I started this morning working on the
unfortunate Italian Marine family and became distracted research the original
Franklin School that was once located at 809 West Second South which opened on
my birthday in 1893.
It
was too wet to do anything in the yard but it was a busy day driving around
with Kyle to Walmart in Centerville so I could buy two more Arborvitaes bushes
and then to Harbor Freight in West Valley. On the way down there, we were hit
with a deluge so glad Kyle was driving.
In the evening I called Mike Romero to come
over tomorrow and move his trailer as we will need to get in the gate this week
when the trees come down.
I had emails about voting for the Kristen Ries
Award nominations and yesterday was the last day to vote. It’ the first time
since I was eligible to vote 30 years ago that I didn’t bother. I only knew two
people who were nominated: Deb Hall, Tonya Hawkins, and Arlyn Bradshaw. I
texted Alan Anderson and asked if he voted and he said he voted for Arlyn. I
said he was a good choice, but I didn’t care.
Kyle has been sick with
a cold, or something so hasn’t gone ubering. Orrin Hatch, the old carpetbagger
is dead. The few good deeds he did for AIDS funding cannot not redeem him. He
was an enemy of progress. Before people get sappy eye about carpetbagger Hatch
remember in 1988, he called Democrats the party of homosexuals and abortion
advocates. He even voted against a "Ronald Reagan-backed bill that would
have required corporations to pay a minimum income tax on profits above
$50,000." "At that time, any Utahn who paid even $1 in federal income
tax paid more than some of the biggest, most profitable corporations in this
country. Some of these corporations, with multibillion-dollar profits, were
even getting rebates from the government." The bill would have raised $10
billion" according to the Deseret News.
24 April 2022 Sunday
It was a much more beautiful day today with
brilliant blue skies and white summer-like clouds. I posted on the Salt Lake
History site information I found on the old Franklin School that once was at
809 West Second South.
Then Kyle Foote said he
wanted to go to Home Depot to buy a chainsaw and other items he would need to
cut down the globe willow. We spent the late morning there before working in
the backyard.
I pulled some more
weeds along the west fence line before Kyle was ready to commence the felling
of three trees in the back yard the largest being the Globe Willow, which was
probably 25 feet tall. The other two he removed was my plum tree and a
flowering crab apple tree. My old Globe Willow was diseased and branches
constantly falling off. There’s an eastern redbud in the front yard that has
died also and needs to come down.
There’s gonna be a lot of dump runs this week
It
basically took all afternoon to cut down the Glove Willow and Kyle just had me
video record it on his phone rather than be in the way. He was so concerned for
my safety in case it fell wrong, but it landed perfectly where he wanted. I
know it must have been exhausting for him even though his cold is breaking up.
Mike
Romero came over around 2 to pack his trailer to take it to Coalville for a few
days and to remove it from in front of the southern gate which we will need to
open to remove the trees tomorrow.
Mike said the townhouse
next to his sold for $401,000. Unbelievable. I think Mike paid $170,000 for his
back in 2009 which I thought was really high then. I told Kyle that when he
inherits my house it might be worth over a half a million dollars.
The
Sierra Truck came back this morning and the Nissan Rogue came back at 9 tonight
which I stayed up for to take Kyle to the airport. On the way Kyle talked to me
more about his relationship with Danny Montoya, more than he had before. He
said he thinks it was too soon after being released from the half-way house and
wanting a relationship because he wondered if anyone would love him after being
in prison.
I just said it was a
learning experience for him and I said for 8 year you had no one with which to
have a relationship with, although he says he never had sex while in prison I
can’t believe that. He wrote about certain guys that I could tell from his letters
he was intimate with. He said he knows now that he really doesn’t want to deal
with a relationship as he’s too much of an introvert and enjoys being by
himself.
Kyle had two guys over
tonight to use the hot tub, so I kept the pups inside as not to bother them. I
could see all three were naked in the shadows as they got into the hot tub, and
I am glad that Kyle has that sexual release.
The
position of the hot tub partially can be seen from my bedroom glass door even
while privacy screen is lowered and with the glow from the hot tub lights, I
could slightly view the three men kissing and having sex. I was a naughty
voyeur I suppose but it made me feel slightly more intimate with Kyle, knowing
he is being pleasured.
It's been about a year
since that dreadful day when Kyle lost his temper at Bill Poore, and I have
never seen Bill since. I still feel guilty over how I handled the situation,
but I didn’t feel like I had much choice. If Bill insisted on sending Kyle back
to jail, I would have had an unfinished house with no ability to finish it
myself.
25 April 2022 Monday
While I was getting ready to mow the front yard
this morning, I met Kyle Foote coming up the stairs and he said that the Sierra
Truck got rented out and he and the Logan boy named Tabor were going to take it
to Sutherlands, so he didn’t need me.
So, I met Kyle’s trick
and shook his hand. Kyle remarked that he never saw me shake hands with anyone
before. He seemed nice, young I suppose in this twenty, and cute in a twink-fem
kind of way that Kyle prefers. He reminded me slightly of Marty Alder Kyle’s
old boyfriend from 11 years ago. So, Tabe spent the night, while the third in
the “Menage a Trois” must have gone home after getting off.
After
they left, I mowed the front and pulled weeds until 11:30 then the pair
returned. They went into the back yard, and I sat on the steps with Tabe who,
unlike Danny Montoya was very friendly to me and asked about the pups. Somehow
medical marijuana came up in the conversation between Kyle, Tabe, [rhymes with
Gabe] and me because Kyle said I should get a medical card because Tabe has one
for PTSD. He said most young people get the card for various reasons.
Then Tabe asked me if I
wanted to try a gummy, as he had one with him, and I said sure. I took just a
small bite of it as I knew I had a lot to do today with Kyle working on the
yard.
Tabe had to leave to
get back to Logan so for the rest of the afternoon I worked cutting and
stacking tree branches and limbs into the back of the Sonoma.
We
filled one load to take to the dump and on the way home stopped at Culvers
because they had gluten free buns for Kyle, and I just had an order of onion
rings which we ate back at the house. The only effect that little bit of gummy
seemed to have on me was that I seemed unusually verbose with Kyle, and I had
to force myself not to just be chattering.
Kyle
told me a little about Tabe and that he had been to the house a few times,
which I knew, but what he liked best about him was that he lived in Logan.
Danny Montoya seemed to have been on Kyle’s mind lately and the spoke of him
too, not that he is remotely interested in getting back with him.
I
gobbled my lunch down and went back to work cutting up limbs and branches to
take to the dump which closed at 5. We actually did extremely well and managed
a second load by 4 o’clock. So, Kyle took out three established trees, the
plum, the flowering crabapple, and the globe willow and today he also cut down
two volunteer trees, a mulberry, and eastern redbud that were growing near the
gas meter. All that is left is the main tree trunk that will need to be cut up
in smaller chunks.
I
could tell Kyle was really tired by the time we were done taking the second
load to the dump as he probably didn’t get much sleep from his sex romp last
night. I didn’t see him the rest of the evening although I think he went
Ubering. I am not sure because I ate the rest of the gummy to observe its
effects on me. I never got a buzz, but it made me really sleepy, and I fell
asleep in the lazy boy at 7.
When I got up a few
times I was really dizzy, like slightly drunk. I had a few vivid images pop
into my mind but otherwise I didn’t feel high like when I had smoked marijuana
years ago. I finally just decided to go to bed rather than fall asleep in the front
room.
I tried the Marijuana
gummy to see how it affected me and what were the effects. All it did was put
me to sleep and being a little dizzy getting up. Hell, that's no difference
than usual for me so I guess I won't ask for a medical card if I can't get a buzz.
I might as well stick with candied orange slices. So, scratch that off my
bucket list... I just wanted to smoke dope and wear floppy hats in my old age.
I guess wearing floppy hats will have to do.
The
experience made me realize I really wouldn’t be of much use to Kyle if I went
on medical marijuana because I would be too dizzy to be of much use and right
now besides my pups, Kyle is the most important person in my life.
I wonder why I love
this man so much. Maybe he reminds me slightly of John Cunningham and I can
pour my affection onto Kyle that I never was able to do to John. Analysis is
paralysis so they say.
26 April 2022 Tuesday
Another exhausting day with yard work. But
before that Mike Romero called and asked if I’d go pick up a package that was
delivered to his townhouse and I did. It was his 10 pair of reading glasses he
had bought for $20.
The
hardest job this afternoon was lifting and putting the tree stumps from the
globe willow into the bed of the Sonoma. The heaviest one weighed I know a good
200 pounds and there was no way we could lift it, so we rolled it up some poles
which was hard enough. I did as much lifting as I could, but Kyle did most of
the work but with my extra muscle, what little there is, it was helpful. I
don’t have the upper body strength I once had to lift things up. I told him
that in the year 2050 when he is my age just remember how much I was still able
to do. Anyway, we got the first load to the dump and then took a break for a
Taco Bell lunch.
Back
in the yard, I worked on cutting down the honeysuckle that’s been on the west
fence for 25 years as that Kyle wanted it gone while he cut down the eastern
side fence that fronted the pad for the trailer to open up the space as he
wants to extend the pad to the southeast corner of my lot. He took down the
chain link and wooden fence, but I had to help him with the metal poles that
were concreted in really deep. That was hard work also.
We
made a second trip to the dump and after we came back, and I fed the pups we
went up to Centerville to buy 15 more arborvitae shrubs from Walmart as that
Kyle wanted them all along the western fence as a privacy screen. They are
about a yard tall now so it will be a few years until they manage to do that,
but you got to start someplace. I took $220 from my cash stash to buy them, and
Kyle paid the other $60. The price on them at $18 apiece, which is so good that
we knew we ought to buy them now while in stock.
I
now have to dig up all the rose bushes and plants along the western fence line
and see what can be saved. Then Kyle told me of his grand vision of enclosing
the entire perimeter of the back yard with arborvitae shrubs which means more
transplanting and a lot more work. He also wants to pull up the patio of paving
stones and slate rocks I had just put down two years ago. I am tired just
thinking about all the work to be done. Well, I suppose it keeps me active if
it doesn’t kill me first. I am not sure where Kyle plans on getting the money
for the grand design as I certainly don’t have it any more.
Kyle Foote posted on
Facebook, “I made Benedgar Williams work extra hard today! The trees that I cut
down are now in their final resting place far away from the yard. It only took
4 trips to the dump. Now it's time to clean up the planting beds and get ready
to do some stump grinding. After that we can level the side yard and lay down
some drought resistant sod.”
Yes, we both worked
extremely hard today.
27 April 2022 Wednesday
After working on the computer doing research
until around 9:30 this morning, I went out to finish cutting back the honey
suckle. I also began preparing the ground on the south side of the house for
transplanting rosebushes and other shrubs I wanted saved that Kyle Foote wanted
removed from the western fence. It was a tree chopping day again. Kyle chopped
down my Eastern Redbud tree that had died and my purple leaf plum tree that was
in the way of where he wants to extend the Trailer pad. I had the Redbud tree
for about 15 years and the purple leaf tree I planted it when I first moved in
over 25 years ago.
I have lived here a
quarter of a century or 1/3 of my life and trees grow old after time so they
had to go. I chopped down the honey suckle bush I had for 25 years as well as
Kyle started in on removing my grapevine. There’s lots of changes to Fernleaf here
on the old homestead. Every tree, shrub, or flower on my lot, I planted. It
will be easier to take care of if I don’t croak first.
We made another dump
run after loading up the two-tree debris and we were back home by 3:30. We were
both exhausted, so we called it quits for the day.
I thought Mike Romero
was coming home today but he hadn’t by the time I went to bed. Kyle went out
ubering this evening and I relaxed in the lazy boy mainly watching several
episodes of 30 Rock before calling it a day. I’ve been too tired to care much
about the news, but Elon Musk bought Twitter for 43 billion dollars. How
obscene is that? A person could spend $200,000 a day since Columbus landed in
1492 until today and still have not spent all of Musk’s wealth.
28 April 2022 Thursday
There must still be a bit of a farmer in my
genes as I was outside most of the day transplanting tulips, irises,
hollyhocks, and other plants to save them as we reconfigure the front yard.
Kyle Foote said he wanted to extend the sidewalk from his door downstairs out
to the main side walk which would go through the middle of my flower garden. I
also cleared a pathway through the dirt for whenever he get to having someone
pour it.
I love grubbing in the
soil with my hands; although I feel like I am on a chain gang while moving the
rock pile. Sometimes when I think I am too old for this shit I think of Grandpa
Johnson and if he could plant fruit trees at 65 and dad put in an entire yard
in Cottonwood Arizona at about the same age, I guess at 71 I can still manage
to do what I can.
According to research,
“getting your hands in the soil and contact with a specific soil bacteria
called Mycobacterium Vaccae” “triggers the release of serotonin in our brain.
Serotonin is a natural anti-depressant and also strengthens the immune system.
It is the Lack of serotonin in the brain causes depression.” Also, there’s
endorphins associated with exercising muscles.
Kyle Foote and I loaded
up the Sonoma with the honeysuckle and grape vine debris with other yard waste
to go to the dump again. We stopped at KFC/A&W Root beer for lunch to bring
back to the house. I finally took the pups for a walk around the block even
though I was dead tired, but they were so excited and hadn’t been out for
several days
Kyle also trimmed the
Ash Tree of a few limbs that were hanging over into the neighbor’s yard as well
as trimming the bottom branches of the front yard blue spruce. Because I now
can clean beneath it, I spent some of the late afternoon pulling weeds there as
well as starting to move the stones that I had as a border along the sidewalk.
I need to clear that area as Kyle wants to extend the RV pad further out.
So, it was a very busy
day and after Kyle went ubering and I fed the pups, I settled in to watch some
television. I kind of watched a Spanish series called ELITE which was okay but
was a lot like teenage porn. I fast forwarded through most of it to the homosexual
couple and the bisexual scenes. I was just tired and couldn’t get into the rest
of the teenage angst.
When I went to bed at
10, the winds had kicked up and I think we had a brief rain shower. Mike Romero
still hasn’t returned from his trip.
29 April 2022 Friday
Another super busy and exhausting day doing
yard work. It was really cold for much of the day as it was 20 degrees cooler
than yesterday but there was a breeze that made it even chillier. It definitely
was a hoodie day.
Kyle
Foote said it was “stump grinding day” so we went to Home Depot’s tool rental
on 21st South. There were two choices and I told Kyle to go with the
heavy-duty grinder that would make it much easier on him. It cost about $200
more to rent but I said I’d put it on my Visa that I had just paid off. All in
all, it was $370 dollars to rent the tractor like grinder, but it was so much
easier on Kyle as the grinder blade could be swung right to left with a
throttle.
I
went to the front yard and started moving the stones and rocks that were on the
corner of my lot that I had placed years ago when I was a much younger man.
That was like working on a rock pile and very tiresome, but I got it all mostly
done. The only break I had from it was when Kyle wanted me to video his working
with the grinder for his Facebook posts.
Kyle
ground down about seven stumps left in the backyard from the Globe Willows, the
Poplars, and two others. Actually, he was surprised how quickly it went and
although we rented the machine for 24 hours, I think Kyle was done in six.
We
took a break to go wash and clean the Sierra truck that goes out today and we
stopped at China Delight to get a little something to eat. I just had egg drop
soup and a spring roll from China Delight as I really wasn’t all that hungry
but knew I should have something on my stomach.
I’ve had belly pains
for the past couple of days, feeling really gassy. In fact, it woke me up at 4
this morning and couldn’t get back to sleep. I fixed me some Zoom hot cereal
and coffee, but I only took a few bites as I really wasn’t hungry. I have a sore
or blister on the roof of my mouth that also made it uncomfortable to chew
anything.
While
taking a break, Mike Romero called and said he was in Rawlins Wyoming. He left
Coalville and decided to take the trailer on a road trip. It was snowing and
there was a blizzard in Rawlins he said. I guess his niece is having her baby
on Monday by being induced if she doesn’t go into labor before that and Mike is
going to go to Denver to see his brother John. Sounds like he won’t be home
until sometime after the middle of next week so there’s no hurry to clean up
the RV pad for him.
Later
in the afternoon, Kyle cut down the Scottish pine that I planted back in 1996.
It looked like it was dying anyway so I’ve said goodbye to a lot of my trees
and shrubs this past week. I sat in the hot tub around 5 and then decided to
drain it and clean it as it’s been a while and if Kyle is going to use it for
his sex romps, I want it cleaned, so no one gets a skin rash from using it.
Afterwards
Kyle and I took the grinder machine back to Home Depot which took us nearly 20
minutes or more to be waited on as they were shorthanded and there were lots of
people returning equipment. Kyle paid
$70 of the cost, and I put the rest on my credit card.
We
called it a day after that, came home, and Kyle went out Ubering while I
watched some television mainly two episodes of Under the Banner of Heaven,
Dustin Lance Black’s series about the Lafferty brothers murders back in 1984.
One of them was still on death row when Kyle was first sent to prison at the
Point of the Mountain. He was housed above death row to serve inmates their
dinner, so he met Ron Lafferty and got to know him. Strange.
30 April 2022 Saturday
Kyle Foote and I went to the dump this morning
after lading up the debris from cutting down the Scottish pine tree and other
shrubs that would be in the way of his grand scheme to extend the RV pad. It
was a really pretty day around 70 degrees. Back at the house Kyle wanted to get
rid of the two stumps from red leaf plum and the Scottish pine. We Dugged
around it and Kyle thought he could pull them out using the Sonoma, but they
wouldn’t budge and actually I was afraid he was burning up the engine on the truck.
Finally, we gave up on it and he went ubering and I went in to rest. My stomach
has been hurting lately and I am not sure from what. I’ve tried giving it a
rest from ingesting much.
After
Kyle left for the evening, I went and started pulling up paving stones and
bricks from the area I laid them two years ago. I thought I never would have to
move them again, but Kyle wants the entire backyard cleared. I worked until about 7 and then called it a
day. I am just exhausted. Well, another April has come and gone, and it’s been
an extremely busy month with clearing the landscape for my lot. It’s been a lot
of work and I am doing it mainly for Kyle as I know I won’t live long enough to
enjoy much of it.
May
I
was so sick last night with sharp pains in my stomach that I didn’t get any
sleep. I was gassy and hurting that I barely fell back to sleep from exhaustion
when Kyle Foote called and needed me to following him to the airport to drop a
vehicle off. I barely could get going. Later in the morning I went to Smith’s
and bought some peppermint tea, Maalox, Pepto Bismo, and Alka seltzer for my
stomach. I didn’t do anything else today except rest and sleep. I haven’t been
this sick in a long time. I think I am plugged up.
All I could think of today was dying
and how best to leave the house to Kyle and take care of the pups. I haven’t
been this sick with stomach pain since I went to the ER a few years ago for it.
I am too sick to wish everyone Merry Beltane; the
cross-quarter day between Spring and Summer that ushers in the lusty month of
May although all my lust has turned to rust soon to dust.
I
slept for most of the night in the lazy boy, as when I tried to lie down in the
bed, I would get such pains that it was easier sleeping somewhat upright
although I didn’t get much sleep with Taco and TJ wanting to be with me the
entire time.
I was feeling less pain later, so I went to my own bed and
slept until nearly 9. I was kind of dizzy and tired for most of the day and
mainly stayed in the lazy boy watching lots of television, Frankie and Grace,
Big Love, and Left Behind. I just don’t have any strength but probably because
I don’t eat anything. My appetite is completely gone. I finally was able to
have a bowel movement so perhaps I am on my way to recovering.
I am as far from the year I was born, as the year 1880 is
from 1951. That blows my mind but kind of puts life in perspective. Do as much
good as you can while you can. It will be over in a blink of an eye.
It was really windy today.
A draft memo was leaked from the
Supreme Court written by Samuel Alito proposing to overturn Roe Vs. Wade. If
five right wing justices can overturn Roe vs Wade what is to keep them from
overturning Obergefell v. Hodges 2013 marriage equality and Lawrence vs Texas
2003 sodomy decision? Theocracy is at war with Secular America.
I
had a dream that I couldn’t remember how to get to my apartment, so I stopped
at the old Juel apartment that had been converted into classrooms and new
apartments. There I began talking to a girl telling her how that my old
apartment was where so many Gay organization were started back in the 1980’s. I
suppose if I should die now my life has been useful, if soon to be forgotten.
I am feeling a bit better but not
100 percent, but I did feel well enough to do some yard work even though we had
a good rain shower last night. Before that I went over to Michael Romero’s and
emptied his freezer of all the ice cubes that accumulated while he’s been gone,
and it was a mess. I filled both his sinks full of ice. Then I went to Lucky’s
to buy two chickens to cook for the pups’ supper tonight. I have been cooking
barley in chicken broth to supplement their diet and they seem to enjoy it. I also
bought Kyle Foote some more of his Lactaid Milk he likes that will be good
until the middle of June.
I began with transplanting a lilac
bush next to the stairs then cutting down the barberry bush that had been next
to the front gate for most of my time here. I also transplanted two flowering
bushes to the front yard hoping to save them.
When Kyle Foote joined me, he
started in on getting the grapevine root pulled out which was such a chore
while I started moving the bricks and paving stones to the RV pad. We worked
until about noon and then I had to quit because I still am not up to snuff.
Kyle took apart the railing around my vegetable garden and moved everything to
the patio behind the house. I have no idea where he is going to get all the
soil to level the back yard or how to pay for it.
When we went to get our Dr. Pepper,
I encountered Jon Michael who fostered Harleigh before I adopted him, and he
asked if Kyle still built decks. I said I would ask him. Kyle wanted to take me
to lunch because he was worried that I have stopped eating and I had. I’ve lost
my appetite since have this belly pain, but he took me to Chubby’s, and I ate
one of the three tostados that Kyle ordered for us.
Kyle said he just
wanted to spend time with me as I know he is concerned about me. He shared that
he and Gabe broke up last Saturday because Kyle said he thought Gabe was a bit
of an alcoholic, but I think that was an excuse that he was just tired of him
and perhaps he was getting too clingy. He said that Gabe didn’t take it well
and called him all sorts of names. Oh, the drama.
I was tired afterward and went to
bed to take a nap and ended sleeping almost until 5. When I saw Kyle again, he
said I missed some more drama as that he had forgotten we had rolled this stump
onto the parking strip and when Kyle drove the Sonoma off the pad, he ran over
it and high wheeled the truck in the middle of the street. He had to jack the
truck up to remove it.
Outrage is growing over the leaked
draft regarding overturning a Woman’s choice. Perhaps people will finally wake
up to what is going on within the Republican Party and how Republican
Candidates to be viable must support Trump’s big lie.
My
stomach is feeling a bit better, not completely, but at least not in such
intense pain. I tried eating some pancakes this morning as that my lower left
side gum is inflamed or something and it really hurts to chew anything. I think
it is infected but I see the Dentist next Monday.
Michael Romero called with some bad
news. His truck needs a new engine from the block being ruined by a misfiring
spark plug. Fortunately, his friend Troy Ryan was able to help him get the
truck and trailer to Cheyenne, but Michael will have to replace the engine if
he cannot buy another truck. It’s always something and because of the supply
chain delays it may be a while before he can get a new engine. He’s going to
leave the trailer in Cheyenne when he comes back to Salt Lake for his doctor
appointments at the middle of the month. He may have to take the train home if
the truck doesn’t get fixed in time.
Kyle Foote worked hard this morning
cleaning the Sierra truck that had been taken out on the Salt Flats so it could
go out to the airport. I followed him and then took him to Common Cents to get
our drinks.
At three this afternoon Kyle asked if I wanted to go on a
road trip to Nephi which of course I said yes. I had no idea why he needed to
go to Nephi, but we took the Sonoma down because he wanted to buy a 20-foot
cast iron pipe for 90 dollars that would have cost $400 up here. He wanted a
pole to string lights across the Terra cotta patio as one of his visions for
the back yard. It was probably the first time I had been really out of the city
in two years if I don’t count the trip to Park City last winter when Kyle had
to retrieve the Sierra in a snow storm.
The trip down revealed all the
growth I hadn’t seen since I used to drive down to Gunnison and that was about
4 years ago now. It was a really nice day for a trip after all the rain we had
last night and this morning. However once in Nephi I was surprised how long and
heavy the cast iron pipe Kyle bought and was worried that Sonoma would not be
able to carry the weight and the metal rack would let it fall off, even though
Kyle secured it. It stuck out about five feet in front of the truck and about 5
feet behind the tail gate. But on we went, the intrepid adventurers.
We stopped in Santaquin to get some
gas because we were on empty, another reason I was anxious, and Kyle secured
the pole more with some straps. We then walked over to the Dairy Queen there to
get an ice cream and Kyle also got some fries as I knew he hadn’t eaten since
breakfast. The people in the Dairy Queen were rural families all wearing farm
hats and the young boys had pocket knives on their belts. I said to Kyle we
aren’t in Kansas anymore.
Actually, the trip home was
uneventful, and I was so relieved that the Sonoma made it without breaking down
as it is a 25-year-old truck with only 4 cylinders.
The next trick was to get it off the
rack when it had been placed up there by a fork lift. Kyle kind of just pushed
it as I drove forward until it dropped where Kyle wanted it and could be cut it
to the length he wants. It was after 7 before I was able to feed the pups.
Later in the evening a kid came by
and bought the huge six-foot wooden beam that was in the garage so that is
gone.
5 May 2022 Thursday
When I got up at 6:30 this morning I was so
dizzy I thought I’d fall down so I went back to bed where I stayed until 10:30
half sleeping and half being on Face Book. Feeling dizzy every time I got up, I
remained in bed for much of the day. It could be low blood sugar I suppose.
It seemed like a pretty day outside. TJ and Lulubelle are
comforting me while Taco and Maxx are guarding the front from intruders telling
people and dogs and squirrels to stay off the sidewalk.
Every time I tried to get up and
move around, I kept getting dizzy, so I stayed in bed until 12:30 when Kyle
Foote called asking if I was well enough to go get a drink. I was still feeling
low, but I did get up just to be with him. He asked if I would go with him to
Sutherlands and then we would stop to get something to eat at Taco Bell.
Back at the house the pups all enjoyed sharing a Taco Bell
bean burrito I ordered for Cinco de Mayo, even Lulubelle, my one pup with no
ties to South of the Border. Kyle didn’t come up to get his burrito and when I
went to take the trash cans to the curb, I saw that there was a car parked in
front of the house so Kyle must have had someone over for a little afternoon
delight.
After the boy left, Kyle came up to
see me and realized that he shouldn’t have ordered a burrito anyway as that the
flour tortilla had gluten so we went back down to Taco Bell so he could order a
Nacho Grande to take back to the house to eat and there I fed the other burrito
to the pups.
I noticed that Jim Dabakis left a
message saying that he has Covid and will be staying Europe longer. He wanted
to know if I still wanted the Jesus Christ Superstar Eccles tickets which I
did. However later when reading the reviews and one that said this is not your
grandmother’s Superstar, I decided to just let Kyle have the tickets to give to
some young people who might enjoy it as much as I did the album 50 years ago,
which as much as anything led me on a mystical quest that brought me to Utah.
Kyle then asked if I wanted to go to
Lowe’s in Bountiful and of course I said yes but sat in the car the entire time
resting. He’s on a quest to get all the material he needs to erect the iron
pole we brought home from Nephi yesterday. They didn’t have a tool he needed so
we also went to Home Depot in Centerville.
Yesterday Kyle said that he didn’t
believe that there was any after death that we simply ceased to exist. I told
him while driving around today that since we won’t exist after this life I want
to spend as much time by your side as I can. He surprised me by saying that is
what I believe but maybe what you believe is right. In any case it’s enough
that we are together in the here and now.
After feeding the pups, I rested in
my lazy boy watching television. I tried watching the third episode of Under
the Banner of Heaven, but I don’t think I will watch anymore of it as I have
really put all that Mormonism behind me and don’t wish to reexamine it.
My stomach was slightly upset so I
took some Maalox, and it made me retch. I barely made it to the sink in time. I
did feel better, however.
I thought about taking a Covid test
but after reading the instructions it seemed like too much work as weak as I
feel today. I was barely able to take the wheel barrel that was full of yard
debris out to the curb to empty into the yard waste bin.
I did make an appointment for
Lulubelle to be groomed at the Groomers for this Tuesday at 9:30.
Hope people enjoyed Cinco de Mayo today...
The Right-Wing Theocrats don’t care a fig about human life
just being in power. They are out to destroy individualistic secularism on
which this nation was built to replace it with despotic theocracy
6 May 2022 Friday
Merrill
Crosby, a Facebook friend, suggested I check my blood pressure as I have a cuff
at home. I usually have high blood pressure as I take pills for it but checking
it, I was at 82/59. I then waited a while, and it was 83/60... that probably
explains my dizziness when I stand up. Not sure what caused it to be so low.
This morning I went and had a beard
and hair trim by my Vietnamese barber. I had my beard cut short. I only had it
long for Kimball Edwards, but I think that affair is over.
Kyle Foote put in a
new garden pathway leading from the sidewalk to the basement entrance using the
paving stones I had for over 20 years in the backyard. We may replace it with
concrete someday, but I think it looks pretty inviting just the way it is.
After finishing that project Kyle
went to work on the cast iron pole in the backyard. He cut it and in the late
afternoon needed my help setting it into the hole he dug for. I don’t know how
we managed to set it upright, but we did, and it was extremely difficult. Then
I helped him with cementing it into place before I had to quit as I was wore
out. I did take my blood pressure again and it was up to 104.
Long after the pyramids have turn to dust the pole Kyle
lifted and cemented into the back yard will remain through the ages long after
I return to stardust. The pole must have weighed a thousand pounds as it was
forked lifted onto the Sonoma utility rack in Nephi.
We have mostly cleared the back yard to be leveled. The
fruit trees we will save, I imagine.
About 9:00 tonight,
Kyle was in the mood for a strawberry daiquiri after all his hard work and I
said I would go to the downtown liquor store with him, which we did. It has to
have been ages since I’ve gone into downtown on a Friday night and the liquor
store on Fourth South was hopping. Fortunately, we found a space up close but
there was a long line to be permitted into the store and once in another long
line at the check-out.
Kyle bought all the individual Daiquiri pouches, about 11
of them which surprised me, but it was kind of exciting being out. I couldn’t
help but notice how the demographics of the patronage of the store had changed
since I had been in there maybe 20 years or more ago. Back then it was mainly
young white heterosexuals and gays but tonight I would say 70 percent of the
people in the store where young black people.
It was early around 10 when I went
to bed but saw that Kyle was lowering the hot tub curtain, so I suppose he was
planning on company tonight.
7 May 2022 Saturday
About
2:30 this morning I got up to take some Pepto Bismo, but it was an unopened new
bottle, and the damn child proof lid would not open no matter how long I tried.
I finally was able to pull it off and was wide awake by then. I had belly pains
all night so when Kyle Foote came up after 5 to wake me, I was sound asleep.
Even though my phone was charged evidently it wasn’t turned on.
We had to be at the airport at 5:30 to pick up the Nissan
Rogue but I was back in bed by 6 and was able to sleep at 8:30 still with
stomach issues. I tested my blood pressure, and it was 141/70
Later in the morning Kyle really hurt my feelings again. I
don’t know whether I should even care anymore. After returning from the airport
a second time to get the Chevy Traxx at 10, I went back to bed as my stomach is
still troubling me. Finally, around noon I got up and tried to have a BM as I
feel part of my problem is being constipated. I gave myself an enema which
resulted in like black liquid sewage coming out of me, so I know something
ain’t right in my guts. I then took a shower and at 1 in the afternoon I asked
Kyle if he wanted to go get a drink.
I still was feeling crappy literally but wanted to be with
him. In the car he said that he was really sore from yesterday. Kyle then asked
if I was hungry which I wasn’t but said I'd go with him if he was. He suggested
Hacienda Grill, which sounded good, so I went in with him. I don’t know what
set him off, but he became enraged at how the server was doing his meal;
something about cilantro and onions and demanded his money back and we left. He
said he was never going back there again.
Bewildered, I was feeling too poor myself, to get into it
but I patted his shoulder to let him know I cared and then he said he didn’t
need me touching him and that it irritated him when I pat his arm or knee. It
was like a slap, and I felt so rejected; like what is wrong with me that my
touch annoys him.
He knew I was really hurt but I didn’t say a thing after
that, and we went to Common Cents. As I was paying for our drinks, like usual,
Kyle jumped all over this one kid working behind the counter because he didn't
acknowledge us, even though we come there virtually every day. At that point I
just withdrew into myself not knowing what was going on with him.
He then drove out to the airport where he went to Costa
Vida to get something to eat but I was too tired, to upset, and too wounded to
eat anything. I just closed my eyes and sat in the car feeling defeated.
On the way home, Kyle was kind of chatty to me like he knew
he had been a dick to me, but I just didn’t care and back at the house I just
went back to bed.
I wanted to cry but no tears came, so maybe I am done
caring for people who won’t or can’t love me by giving me any physical
affection which in my old age is all I desire.
All the pups laid with me knowing I was upset. I woke
around 3 in the afternoon hearing Kyle lower the hot tub curtain, so I knew he
was having a trick over. This young good-looking man dropped his towel, and I
could see from my bedroom that he already had a hard-on. He got into the tub
with Kyle who was also sporting a hard-on. It was so surreal to me, as this was
the first time I ever saw Kyle with an erection. The curtain restrained much of
my view, but I saw them kiss passionately and this boy began sucking Kyle as he
sat on the edge of the tub. Then Kyle tried to fuck this boy but was having
difficulty, so they exited the hot tub to go back down to Kyle’s room.
I was partially jealous and partially resigned that Kyle
has no intention of sharing a bit of affection on me, reserving all that he is
capable of, as lust for young guys. It is what it is. I never saw or heard from
Kyle for the rest of the day, nor did I want to.
In the evening I left the house to go over to Mike Romero
to clear out his refrigerator as I said I would and unplugged it so the ice
maker would stop making tons of ice cubes. I brought home anything that needed
refrigerating and put them in my refrigerator in the garage.
It is time to change the air filter for the furnace but
noticed that the opening is blocked by all of Kyle’s crap so I can’t get to it.
I am not sure what I am feeling. I just have to stop caring
about what Kyle wants to do with the yard. I am just feeling really old,
unloved, and unwell.
My mind was so agitated that I didn’t want to watch
television or do anything. Not sure I wanted to even exist. I just returned to
my bed at 7:30 in the evening and then woke up at 11:30 at night. I couldn’t
sleep any more as my mind was racing with thoughts of Kyle and how he cannot
give me love and affection so why are we even living together? I think it’s
mainly the fear of being alone without anyone to take care of the pups, if
something happens to me, and I have to be hospitalized. I have no family here,
and I have no friends anymore whom I could rely on to help me. Mike Romero will
be out camping most of the summer, so I have no one anymore.
I should just charge Kyle rent and be done with it if I am
not family. I don’t care anymore about doing anything with him with the yard or
doing anything more with him. I would stop helping him with his vehicles if I
knew it would do any good but be spiteful. My heart is weary, and I don’t know
how many more blows I can take on my bruised heart.
I thought Kyle and I would be together until my end, and I
would have someone to depend on, but I now don’t know if that is any more than
a fantasy. I am too old to make new companionships and why would they want to
get involved with me? I know I will never fall in love again. I know I am just
being maudlin, an old man’s fancy. I have my pups for love and affection
nevertheless the people who once loved me are all gone.
I wonder why “I linger here where all is drear?” I can’t even park my car in the garage to end
it all like Kathy Worthington did and I don’t have the pills like Chad Keller
had. I am just weary living in a world in which I feel out of place. I have had
a good and long life. When it’s all over I wonder if I will ever see John
Cunningham again.
8 May 2022 Sunday
Mother’s Day
My emotions can turn on a dime. I was ready to
cut Kyle Foote more out of my life when he asked me to go with him to put
flowers at his mother’s mausoleum at Larkins Sunset Cemetery. I could hardly
say no, and his actions soften my hard heart some. It was cold and windy today
but at Least we are talking somewhat, and Kyle called me family.
Back
home I didn’t do any yard work or housework but just watched television into
the evening. I finished the Frankie and Grace series and watched a little 30
Rock when Kyle came up to shut up the doggie door, so I knew he was planning on
having company over to use the hot tub tonight. He had two different guys over
one at 10 and another at midnight but the wind blew so fierce during the second
escapade they had to get out and pull up the curtain when a storm blew in.
I
Know I am just crazy in love but it’s more than that. I don’t have the luxury
of time to start over with someone else. Kyle is who he is, and I said I would
always love him and so his needs are different than mine. Do I give up what we
do have? Family? A weird dysfunctional family I suppose but family never the
less. Still, I know that my melancholy will pass, and I know a lot of my hurt
is that I am physical hurting and wish someone would just hold me even my hand.
Isn’t that what we all want towards the end?
9 May 2022 Monday
I had to help Kyle Foote this morning with his
Turo business before driving down to Roseman for my dentist appointment at 10.
I took my blood pressure, and it was fine and down there it was 126/82 which
was the lowest it’s ever been at the clinic. I had them look at the gum that is
so sore and rather than do any fillings, they suggested just having an
extraction. However, they were so booked today in surgery that I had to
reschedule for tomorrow at 1:30 in the afternoon. So back in town I stopped at
the Grooming School and rescheduled Lulabelle’s appointment until Thursday at
9.
Kyle
had a last-minute quick request for the Chevy Traxx, so I helped him at the
airport and then came home to rest as I was still really tired from being kept
up late last night from Kyle’s sexual shenanigans with the noise of the curtain
going up and down and dogs barking and my own frustrations. I was up early also
at 7 so I needed to nap but instead Kyle needed my help stringing the party
lights he was putting up across the patio. He needed me to steady the ladder as
he was standing on the very top and to help keep the strings from being
tangled. The little I had to do really tired me out so I must still be weak.
Kyle was frustrated as that the string of lights he was sent were not what he
ordered and did not have a connection to string them together like Christmas
lights.
I
went and took a nap until the late afternoon when I fed the pups their supper
of chicken and rice. Kyle was out in the garage cleaning and organizing as he
said someone was interested in the desks that were in the back of the garage
that could only be reached by removing all junk piled in front of it.
I
stayed with him, but it was really cold like March instead of May and I sat in
the car some to stay warm. I noticed a man driving slowly by following a mother
goose and her goslings and then stopping in front of Carlos Bahena place next
door where he pulled up the storm grate. One of the goslings must have fallen
through the grates. He came down to us and asked for help retrieving the little
thing. Kyle Foote was the hero this evening for the mama goose by rescuing one
of her goslings that fell into the storm drain through the grate. Mama Goose
and her other goslings were so anxious, but Kyle came to their rescue, and all
is well as they waddled away.
Later
afterwards, Kyle retrieved enough unused material that he thought could be
returned to Lowes and Home Depot for store credit, so I went with him to
Bountiful and Home Depot. All in all, he managed to get $300 in credit between
the two stores.
I
was a bit hungry as I hadn’t eaten much all day, so I had Kyle stop at Taco
Bell where I ordered a bean burrito with extra onions. I was surprised that the
cost of a burrito was $2 when just a year ago it was not a bit much more than a
buck and in 1970 when I first worked at Taco Bell, they were 25 cents. Today’s
inflation is driven by the cost of diesel gas, which cost truckers nearly a $1
a mile in costs which is of course passed on to consumers of everything that is
transported. Kyle was hungry too but ordered dinner to go from Chubby’s. The
single burrito was more than enough for me.
When we came back to
the house, I asked Kyle to hug me although it wasn’t awkward. I don’t care who
he fucks or who fucks him as long as I can hug him and feel his soul next to
mine.
Back
at the house I watched two episodes of The Offer about the making of the Godfather,
which extremely good I thought, before calling it a day.
I
haven’t worked on researching Second South for nearly a week or more. I don’t
have the mental concentration right now for it. I can hardly keep up with this
journal. I am not sure if it’s simply fatigue from helping Kyle so much or
something to do with my stomach pains that keeps me from sleeping through the
night. Maybe it’s a little of both, but I hope it’s not a mental issue. I am
physically to tired also just to keep up with the house so maybe it’s just
fatigue.
Outrage
over the leaked Roe Vs Wade decision is the main topic in the news along with
of course the Russian war on Ukraine.
10 May 2022 Tuesday
It was a harrowing day today between the
afternoon and the evening. Kyle Foote said he was going down to Nephi again to
get a get a pole he wanted to turn into a flag pole for the front yard. He left
around 12:30 but I had a 1:30 appointment to have a tooth extraction at Roseman
Clinic which went okay but stressful like with any surgical procedure. It
wasn’t too painful as I had lots of local anesthesia, but I could still feel a
little as they worked on getting the tooth to move so it could be pulled. I was
out of there by 2:30.
When the anesthesia
began to wear off, I was hurting some, but I worked in the back yard a bit,
even getting into the hot tub to do some cleaning. I am finding I just don’t
have the physical strength in my legs that I used too as I decline. I spent
much of the rest of the day cooking a chicken for the pups and resting.
Kyle was back around 5
and the diameter of the pole was much smaller, so he didn’t have the concern
getting it back home like we did the other one. After feeding the dogs he asked
me to assist him while he dug the post hole in the flower bed in front of the
house. He was all jazzed about perhaps starting a sideline business of putting
in flag poles but the reality of him thinking I could assist him in erecting
the pole came crashing down when I could hardly help him carry the 30-foot iron
pole to the front yard as I had no strength to help him erect it into the hole
he dug. I tried and thought I would collapse. I didn’t have the strength, nor
the height and I just gave up. He would have to get some younger and stronger
man or men to help him as I am too frail.
Sometimes I think he
either forgets how old I am or just exploits my labor as he has no one else. I
said I would pay to have someone help him, but I couldn’t help any more with
this project. I can’t risk serious injury to me. He said he would get someone
to come help him and I just went back into the house my heart racing from the
exertion. Between have my tooth hurting and my body hurting I just collapsed
into the lazy boy. I was also extremely hungry as I hadn’t eaten anything since
before the procedure. I ate some baked beans and some cottage cheese as I
wasn’t supposed to eat anything hard.
I started watch two
more episodes of the Offer when Kyle came up a quarter to 10 saying he had
forgotten that we had to pick up the Chevy Traxx from the downtown Motel Six.
So, we went quickly, both in our night clothes. I have downtown more lately at
night with Kyle than in years. Seemed kind of surreal but exciting.
Back at the house I
realize I didn’t have my phone with me and was worried that it may have fallen
out of the car when I got out of the passenger seat to drive home. I went
downstairs with a flashlight and luckily found it on the car floor. Then I
heard some rustling in the mungo pine near me and I looked and saw that it was
Taco. The little shit must have followed me downstairs and out the door without
me noticing. Thank God, I saw him and made him get his butt back upstairs, but
I was so scared how I might have easily missed him.
But all’s well that
ends well and I stayed up until almost midnight watching episode 4 of the
Offer. What an exhausting day. Kyle is going to have to realize I can still
assist in little things, but he cannot depend on me for heavy lifting of
anything. He can dream and scheme all he wants but I can no longer physically
help him anymore than I can financially.
The pole never went up
so the people he called to come help never did. Perhaps he knows what he’s
doing but it seems easier to pay someone $25 for the half an hour it would take
to help him list the pole in position. As for me it can lay in the front yard
until kingdom come for all I care. It’s beyond my abilities. I never asked to
have a flag pole in the front yard. That was Kyle’s idea.
11 May 2022 Wednesday
When I finally was up to let the dogs out, I
noticed the back gate was open and was frightened that Taco may have gotten out
since I didn’t see him. Fortunately, he was still asleep under lap blankets in
the lazy boy.
Another adventure with
Kyle Foote. I had to help him with the Chevy Traxx going to the airport but for
much of the morning I just rested from yesterday. A distant relative on the
Williams line contacted me to see if I’d be willing to let him explore my DNA,
I have through Family Tree DNA as we both descent from John Williams of Bertie
County, North Carolina. I said certainly but my password for FTDNA wasn’t
working and couldn’t get them to send a recovery through my email so I will
have to deal with that later.
Around noon I went with
Kyle to this landfill place to look at filler dirt for when he gets ready to
level in the back yard. In the later afternoon I took apart the small castle
bricks holding up a ledge of dirt and cleaned off the patio. That nearly did me
in strength wise. Kyle worked stringing more lights across the patio.
Kyle said he was having
this fellow name Tim Hunter who is big and strong to come over to help him lift
the flag pole at 7 in the evening. When Tim came between the two of them, they
still could not erect the 27-foot Iron pole through all the ways they tried.
Kyle wanted me to stand by the hole and push down with my foot but at one point
the pole popped up between my legs and knocked me in to the mungo pine,
bruising my inner thigh. At that point I was done and limped upstairs and slid
onto the floor by Buster not having the strength to even make it to the lazy
boy.
Kyle and Tim, I later
learned, went to Home Depot and rented a cherry picker equipment truck to
continue working on it through the night. All I know I was finally able to pick
myself off the floor and make it to bed so very anxious that Kyle might hurt himself
or Tim or the house with his obsession of putting up this damn flag pole. If
the pole was aluminum, it would have been difficult enough but being cast iron
it was nearly impossible to do it simply by man power. I think Kyle’s
inexpensive pole from Nephi is going to end up costing a lot more in the long
run and I doubt he now could have a business setting up flag poles if they are
this difficult to lift.
12 May 2022 Thursday
I was still achy and rather tired when I
started stirring around 6:30 this morning. I saw that the huge cherry picker
that Kyle Foote used to install the flag pole was still in the driveway. I
wonder how much that cost him. Lulubelle had her appointment at the Grooming
School at 9 and Kyle had to get the cherry picker back to Home Depot by 9 so we
both left the house at 8:30. It had rained pretty heavily last night, and
everything was still wet from the precipitation, which is a good thing.
After dropping
Lulubelle off I came back home. I think when Kyle came back, he must have gone
back downstairs to rest as I know he’s exhausted.
I spent much of the morning, nearly 3 hours,
grubbing in the front yard, digging up grass and rearranging my flower beds to
accommodate a pathway from the sidewalk to the studio apartment. It was a chore
to remove the grass around the planting beds so that I could lay down red
pavers. It will be much easier to mow over them than edge around the planting
boxes in the long run. The earth was still moist from the rain, but down about
3 inches it was bone dry.
In
the afternoon I asked if Kyle wanted to go get a drink and take his package, he
was returning to Fed Ex downtown which he did. He was so tired that he didn’t
mind me doing all the driving.
I
asked how did he know Tim Hunter and he didn’t mind sharing that he was a man
he met on Grindr who was more enamored with him than Kyle was with him, but he
was a good guy. As we were coming back home the dog grooming school called and
said Lulubelle was ready, so we swung by there to pick her up.
While picking up
Lulubelle from the groomer, this young man must have seen the rainbow sticker
on my car and remarked to Kyle and Me, “Are you going to Pride Day this year?
It’s going to be huge.” I am glad he was excited, and then he said that I
looked familiar. “I replied I used to write a regular history column for the
QSalt Lake, and he said oh that must be where he recognized me from. I didn’t
Want to dampen his enthusiasm by telling him, no I was not going this year.
My first Pride Day was
in 1986 at Pioneer Park, probably before this kid was born. My last one was in
2019, 50 years after Stonewall and that is good enough for me.
Besides, I am kind of
pissed that the Pride Center blocked Roy Zang, a good friend of mine from their
FB page for speaking his mind that he was disappointed that the board would not
address why they didn't recognize World AIDS day last December. Oh well the
world wags on.
Back at the house Kyle
worked on getting the flag pole ropes ready to raise an American flag and a
Rainbow flag. When He was ready, he wanted me to raise them so he could film
the flags going up as a video. He posted “It nearly killed Benedgar Williams, me,
and my friend Tim... But the flag pole has been installed and the flags have
been raised!” He played It’s Raining Men as background music. I took a video
later of the changes to the yard and posted “Kyle erected his huge pole with
help from a friend last night and hoisted our colors to fly over the House of
the Barking Dogs. I am a Celtic architype and like to grow things. Kyle is a
Roman architype and likes to build things.”
For supper Kyle hadn’t
eaten all day so we went down to China Delight, I had Hot and Sour Soup and two
spring rolls, and He had his usual Orange Chicken and White Rice.
Michael Romero left a
message saying he will be back to Salt Lake Saturday or Sunday as he has a
doctor’s appointment Monday and a colonoscopy on Tuesday next week.
This is 15th
anniversary of John Cunningham’s death. He was only 56 years old. No one ever
meant as much to me as John.
President Biden
commemorated the fact the one million Americans have officially died from
Covid19 and the Guardian News reported that Trump officials “collaborated” with
the meatpacking industry to downplay the threat of Covid to plant workers and
block public health measures which could have saved lives.” Meat industry representatives “lobbied
government officials to stifle “pesky” health departments from imposing
evidence-based safety measures to curtail the virus spreading – and tried to
obscure worker deaths from these authorities.”
“At least 59,000
workers at five of the largest meatpacking companies – Tyson Foods, JBS USA
Holdings, Smithfield Foods, Cargill and National Beef Packing contracted Covid
in the first year of the pandemic, of whom at least 269 died.”
13 May 2022 Friday
I spent most of the
entire day outside working in the front yard pulling up grass and making a new
flower bed. I carried smaller castle blocks to build a retaining wall for the
raised bed. I also brought some more rocks from the back yard and later in the
late afternoon helped Kyle Foote with the stringing of his party lights across
the backyard patio.
I had a nice message
from a young man named Taylor Jack Nelson who is doing a fair amount of queer
Utah history research for various projects. He wrote "after getting a good
idea of just how much of our history is accessible specifically because of work
you’ve done, I wanted to reach out and thank you. It’s incredible and important
work, and I’m very grateful for it."
I’ve spent 35 years
recording and preserving Salt Lake's Gay history the best I could and written
most of it for the QSalt Lake and blogs...it’s for the history nerds like me
who need to know how we got here from being a despised and criminalized minority
to nearly mainstream. I guess that will be my legacy if I have one.
14 May 2022 Saturday
Another day of yard work and another day of
belly pain from being gaseous. I had been well for a couple of days but now it
seems to be back. I went to Sutherlands early this morning and bought some hot
tub clarifier and some petunia flowers to put some instant color into the front
yard. Kyle needed me to pick him up from Sutherlands around noon after he had
dropped the Sierra truck off to go out.
He
said he was having company coming over and asked if I wouldn’t be out in the
front yard as that it is “awkward” when his tricks come over. I guess I am a
mood killer. I think it’s more awkward for Kyle than for any trick as in many
ways Kyle is very prudish. So, when the boy came over, I just took a nap while
they fucked, or whatever they were doing, as a bit of afternoon delight.
When
Kyle’s sexual tryst was over, I was in the back yard looking at the stones and
rocks. I needed to move to the front yard if I wanted to save them. Kyle came
out and since I saw that Peter and Brittany Nash were in their yard working, I
had Kyle open the side gate and I had Brittany come over to look at any of the
stone slate that she might want.
We visited a bit, but
Kyle was really hungry as he hadn’t eaten all day and his blood sugar was low.
I am sure his ravenous sexual escapade burned a few calories, so we left and
went to Costa Vida at the airport to get him something to eat. His blood sugar
must have been really low as I never seen Kyle so impatient to go get something
to eat.
I
ordered a bite to eat also but because of my stomach I wasn’t very hungry even
also I hadn’t eaten any breakfast. Kyle suggested we might go to the dump today
but as the afternoon wore on, I didn’t hear from him. I was glad as I thought
he needed some R and R after all the work he did this past week putting up the
flag pole. He had, I imagine, a relaxing time having sex in the afternoon and
needed just to rest some.
I
didn’t rest, however. I went back to work hauling rocks out to the front in my
trusty but beat up yard cart that I know I have had for 20 years. It’s so much
easier for me to use than a wheel barrel that tips. I was working in the yard
when Carlos Bahama my next-door neighbor came over and brought me this
beautiful cake his wife had made. How delightful to have good neighbors. I
didn’t eat any until later in the evening and it had a mocha icing over a
strawberry and chocolate cake. It was moist and delicious.
However,
before that, Kyle said he finally sold the two storage cabinets that had been
taking up so much space in the garage to some people in Murray that he said he
would deliver the cabinets to them. So, I went with him just for the ride and
after he went out ubering I just watched some television. It was a productive
day with a nice surprise with the cake.
It
Doesn't seem like it was 6 years ago that Ninth South was renamed Harvey Milk
Blvd. Salt Lake City is one of the few cities that has a street named for him.
Still fewer people today, I imagine, know why.
The dedication was held
at 9th and 9th and 9 men from the group I started called Gay Men Aloud went to
volunteer as a service project. There was a good turnout at the dedication, and
it almost felt like Pride Days of yore.
Jim Dabakis told these
cute guys there that I had slept with Harvey Milk. They seemed so impressed
that I hated to disillusion them.
15 May 2022 Sunday
This morning I went out to tackle pulling up
the slate paving stones to put on the parking strip for Peter and Brittany Nash
to have what they want of them. That tuckered me out.
Kyle
Foote went out to lunch with some guy to the Cheese Cake Factory and while he
was gone a guy came over and bought the last of the white boards stored in the
garage.
Mike Romero came over
about noon having driven the truck from his father’s estate down for his
appointments tomorrow and Tuesday. We visited and he said he was feeling
better, and he’s been getting his marijuana from Colorado. What he has to pay
$60 for here in Utah only costs him $16 in Colorado. I gave him back all the
food I had retrieved from his refrigerator and some of the cake the neighbors
made for me. Told him just to eat a bit of it not to raise his blood sugar
levels.
In
the late afternoon Kyle wanted me to go with him to clean the Chevy Traxx that
we picked up from the airport this morning. Back home he told me what he
envisions about raising up the front yard nearly two feet and bracing it with a
rock filled wire retaining wall. I said I didn’t care what he did on the south
side of the front yard but wanted him to leave my flower gardens in front of
the house alone, but he insisted that they would be part of the raising of the
yard, and I felt so not listened to. My garden is the only thing I have left of
my original landscape, and I just worked so hard last week building a castle
brick wall and putting down paving stones as a borderer and all for what? He
thinks that all those plants can be saved but I know better and who is going to
replant them all? I surely don’t have the energy. Actually, I was rather upset
and discourage to know that all the hard work and planning I made to make sure
my yard was colorful will be for naught. Nothing lasts forever.
16 May 2022 Monday
I wasn’t feeling well today, gassy, bloated,
and constipated but I started going through my old cassette tapes to find
recordings I made of my Danforth family to send to my second Cousin Barbara.
Michael Romero had his
doctor’s appointment with Dr. Stoneburner, so he dropped Coco off at the house
and Kyle Foote went back down to Nephi to buy a cattle guard that he wants to
build to make a gate to keep the pups away from the patio and hot tub area.
Listening
to some KRCL tapes when I did Concerning Gays and Lesbians, it reminded me when
I used to be someone in this community, active, and not just a historian. I
staffed a booth at Pride Day once where the Youth Group auctioned off pies to
throw at me. Dale Sorenson said, “Who doesn’t what to hit Ben Williams with a
pie?”
When Mike came to
retrieve Coco, we visited some. He’s cancelling his colonoscopy for tomorrow as
he hasn’t had a bowel movement either. He rescheduled for September when he
comes back from traveling with his trailer. He said Kyle could sell a lot of
his stuff stored in his garage like a leather recliner set that he was just
going to call Got Junk to take anyway. I kept a slice of the cake my neighbors
made for me and gave the rest to Mike to take with him.
When
Mike came over, he said that all of 17th North was blocked off and
the North West Middle School was locked down with cop cars out in full force.
Only later did I hear that someone committed suicide after a sexual assault and
a swat team had been sent out to the subdivision north of 1700 North. Rough day
in our neighborhood today.
In
the evening Kyle Foote went out ubering but said that someone wanted to buy all
the tricornered paving stones that Mike and I first bought at Lowes in the late
1990’s to build a patio. He sold them for $75. He came back to the house about
8:30 as the people arrived to retrieved them and he had in the Chevy Traxx, 25
more arborvitae shrubs jammed backed in that he bought from Wal-Mart at that
good price of $18. I helped him carry them into the back yard and watered them
before going to bed.
17 May 2022 Tuesday
I finally hooked up the portable CD player to
the computer so I could read my writings that I thought I had saved by putting
them on CDs, but that technology is becoming obsolete. I spent much of the day
retrieving my journals and writings.
I am still kind of
under the weather but in the evening, Kyle Foote began building a gate to go
across the veranda to keep the dogs from pooping and peeing all over it rather
than going down the stairs into the yard. Buster probably will still poop in the
small area as he is so old, but I will try to carry him down into the yard in
the mornings.
Kyle
was proud of his handiwork as he posted pictures of it on his Facebook page. I
went to bed around 9:30 but TJ woke me with his barking and then I noticed that
Kyle was sitting in the hot tub by himself. I suppose relaxing from all his
hard work lately.
President
Biden visited Buffalo, New York to comfort the families of the victims of the
white supremacist massacre. Am I the only one wondering where the Buffalo
monster's parents were in all of this? Kyle Rittenhouse’s mother enabled her
son to bring an assault weapon to use against black people in Wisconsin. I know
when I was 18 my parents would have known if I had assault weapons and
militarized clothing and was traveling hundreds of miles from home.
18 May 2022 Wednesday
Kyle Foote and I went to some farm supply
equipment company on Redwood Road in North Salt Lake so he could buy heavy duty
hinges for the gate he plans on installing at the edge of the patio to keep the
pups out. Afterwards we went over to Mike Romeros to look at stuff in his
garage that he said Kyle could have and sell. He was outside when we got there
trying to string his weed whacker as his yard was a mess with overgrown weeds
and dandelions.
Kyle
offered to cut the weeds himself for Mike and while Mike and I were visiting I
told him that I was going to leave the house totally to Kyle and Mike was okay
with that. Actually, Mike has no financial interest in the house anymore after
I paid him off years ago. I was just going to do it for the affection we once
shared but I also know that he is leaving everything he has to his brother
John’s family also.
After
Kyle was done with the yard, we all went to Chubby’s for lunch which Mike
offered to pay.
Back
at the house I finished digging up all my tulip bulbs as I know Kyle has plans
for that section of the front yard and I need to start saving what I can for
that eventuality. In the evening Kyle decided to use a bunch of wooden fence
slats to cover the old cedar fence on the west side of the yard. I mostly
helped bringing the boards out to him and taking pictures that he could post.
It took much of the evening, about two hours, but it looked really nice when it
was done.
I
went to bed about 9:30 but was wakened when Kyle brought a boy into the hot tub
for some well-deserved R & R.
Kyle
wanted me to find out whether the Pride Center was going to give out Pride
Passes for Kristin Ries recipients. I said I hadn’t heard a thing, so I called
Chuck and he hadn’t either.
19 May 2022 Thursday
I talked to Chuck Whyte and Roy Zang on the
phone today. I called Chuck just to see whether he heard anything about Kristin
Ries recipients receiving any passes to Pride Day. Not that I am going but Kyle
Foote said he would like to use them if I get them. Chuck, like me, has no
interest anymore in attending what has become more of a diversity festival than
a Gay Pride Day from back when we showed up in numbers to support each other.
Roy called also just to
visit and to tell me what was going on with his issues with the Pride Center.
He said that Deb Hall didn’t quit but had been forced out and that is why she
started a new organization for Seniors called Seniors Out and Proud [SOAP].
I
took old Buster to the Dog Groomers to have his nails trimmed. I had let them
get way too long and they were curling back on him, but they did a good job on
them, and he seemed happier.
Kyle
wanted me to go with him to Lowe’s in Bountiful to buy more fencing slats for
the back yard. He worked most of the day framing in the patio and now wanted to
cover the old wooden fence with new slats. I dug a trench along the fence line
and cut back the Virginia Creeper to make it easier for him when he started
putting the boards up. We were just short maybe six so will have to get more
anyway because he wants to do the east side fence also.
Kyle
said, while checking the hot tub, that the temperature of the water had really
dropped which was concerning but I said that it may have kicked into what is
known as sleep mode. If that isn’t it, I guess I will have my guy from Soakers
come out to look at it. I know Kyle has been using it lately for relaxation and
romps.
We
went to Chunga’s a Mexican joint over on 9th West to try it out as
they served black beans and Kyle prefers black beans over pinto, but he said
later that he didn’t enjoy his meal at all, so we won’t be back.
The
weather turned cool in the evening into the 50’s and it was breezy as a cold
front moved in. Tomorrow the high is only supposed to be in the 50’s.
In
the news the Stock Market had a major drop. There’s a critical shortage of baby
formula and Sweden and Finland want to join NATO because of Russia’s aggression
against the Ukraine. Closer to home I read where the city has a 15-year plan to
revamp the State Fair Grounds on North Temple, putting in a baseball field, a
permanent Ferris wheel, and a year-round farmer’s market as well as keeping it
as the State Fair in September. I might not live to see all the changes, but I
am happy about it.
20 May 2022 Friday
I had my doctor’s appointment at 8:20 this
morning and I told Dr. Stoneburner all my ailments and how I was not feeling
well. I lost 13 lbs. since my last check up so he said I was no longer
considered obese. He thought that most of my gastronomical issues had to do
with constipation. I told him that I hadn’t had a bowel movement in 5 days, and
he suggested that I add MiraLAX and Prunes to my diet. He took me off my blood
pressure medicine as that was probably what was making me dizzy. He wants me to
start taking vitamins to help with my fatigue.
I
asked for a handicap sticker for the Honda FIT and he wrote one out for 6
months, but I will have to go to the DMV at some point to get it. Dr.
Stoneburner wants to see me again June 21st.
Kyle
Foote was waiting at the airport for me to come get him so after the
appointment I picked him up to take him home while I went back to the Redwood
Clinic to have some blood drawn and a urine sample. From there I went grocery
shopping for prunes and drugs I needed.
Kyle
was working on the cattle gate in the back yard sanding it and getting it ready
to be painted. I helped him lift it up and placed it on the hinges he had
installed.
I
figured out what was wrong with the hot tub. It was in sleep mode which made
the temperature drop so I reset it by pushing the temp then light button back
to standard mode and it started heating back up.
I
called this man named Benjamin Carr about the Pride Day passes and he said he’d
mail out two VIP to me. Of course, I will give them to Kyle to use. He is one
of the three co-directors of the Pride Center.
It
was a very cold morning and cool all day with it only getting up into the high
50’s. I spent some time cleaning the drawers in the kitchen of mice droppings.
Hopefully, Persephone the cat will help keep them under control.
Kyle
went off ubering for the evening and I tested out the hot tub which was back up
to 102 degrees. Then I watched some television for the rest of the evening
before going to bed at 9:30. I woke up around midnight and saw that Kyle was
soaking in the hot tub alone.
It's funny how certain
choices, when young, leads one down path never dreamed of as a youth. I was
raised in Orange County, California in the 1950's and 60's and never thought
I'd be anything but a Californian or perhaps maybe even move back to Texas.
However, 50 years ago
today I joined the Mormon Church while a student at Cal State Fullerton. Little
could I have known that decision would spirit me away to Utah where I would
spend nearly 49 years of my life.
While I repented of
being a Mormon 40 years ago, I remained in Utah, became a Gay activist and a
recorder and preserver of Gay history, probably more than anyone else in the
state. I even received recognition by the state historical society for
preserving our history.
So, a moment of
religious fervor and zealousness fifty years ago kept me in Utah longer than
Brigham Young lived here and residing in a cozy little home on Fernleaf Street
for 25 years.
I taught hundreds of
Utah children over the years and hopefully made an impact on the Gay Rights
struggles here in Zion with all the support groups and organizations I formed
or were involved in.
I had no outside
connection with Utah other than converting to the Mormon Church 50 years ago by
cute Missionaries. I wonder if they would be appalled at what their actions did
so long ago that brought this Gay radical liberal Democrat to the Everlasting
Hills.
"For God remembers
still His promise made of old That he on Zion’s hill Truth’s standard would
unfold! Her light should attract the Gays Of all the world in latter
days."
21 May 2022 Saturday
I
heard the dogs all go scrambling into the front room about 3 this morning and
getting up I see this collie Shepard type dog in the hall way. I thought what
in the world! How did he get into the house? He was as friendly as could be and
followed me out into the backyard. I thought maybe the gate had blown open and
he had come into the yard but nope all were closed.
I went into the garage
thinking perhaps it was left open but no it was closed. The pup started
scratching at the door to get back into the house when Kyle came out sheepish.
He had a boy over who had asked if he could bring his dog, who was super
friendly, and Kyle agreed and said he thought he had blocked the doggie door
but hadn’t. Well, that solved the mystery of the canine intruder. Actually, it
was rather funny, but I could not go back to sleep after that.
I
got up at 7:30 and decided to start my day after the little adventure last
night. I had some breakfast and ate my prunes, had my juice, and MiraLAX and
worked a bit in the back yard. Kyle Foote didn’t emerge from downstairs until
noon so he must have been tired from his late-night escapades. He never brought
up the subject of the pooch, so I didn’t either. I think because he is rather
prudish, he hates talking about his having guys over for sex.
The
big project for the day was that he wanted to remove the lilac bush by the
south steps and build a raised box to replant it. He worked on for it hours,
needing my help at times. It was not finished until after nine at night with
the lilac bush being replanted. I hoped it will survive.
The
Pride VIP passes came today which surprised me that they came so fast. I
messaged Ben Carr and thanked him for his efforts. I think Kyle was quite
pleased that I am still important enough to this community to warrant a perk
here and there.
This is a homemade
enchiladas sauce recipe that I want to save. It makes enough for a dozen
enchiladas... Tip- soften your corn tortillas in hot oil and then let cool
before stuffing them and rolling... Pour gravy over the tops and bake 25
minutes or more.
Enchilada Chili Gravy:
add all
the dry ingredients then add oil then broth and micro wave until thickens ...
About 4 to 5 min.
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon white pepper (or black)
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper optional
2 cups beef stock
22 May 2022 Sunday
Today is Harvey Milk Day but I doubt whether
young people even remember him. After all the work we did yesterday it was more
of a relaxed day. I have a dentist appointment tomorrow and Kyle Foote has his
Prep AIDS prevention labs at the U of U.
Roy
Zang sent me pictures of the LaFrance and Delmar Court yard being demolished.
While driving around I also saw that the old KRCL studio on 8th
South where I taped so many shows with Becky Moss for Concerning Gays and
Lesbians was also demolished for some apartments that were going up.
Back at the house, Kyle
Foote had me help him put the wire mesh across the cattle guard to the entrance
to the patio to keep the pups out. He did an excellent job and now I can raise
sheep and goats lol. It should keep the five pups from doing their business wherever
they want instead in the yard.
I
was really tired today but did not work as hard as Kyle. I haven’t heard from
Mike Romero, so I imagine he’s already left to go back to Cheyenne.
I
have really neglected the housework with all the yard work Kyle has had me
doing. I am just too fatigued but at least the MiraLAX, Prunes and juice seems
to be working some. You get old your digestive tract gets iffy.
President
Biden is in Japan building alliances against China and ordered the war time
defense act to ramp up production of baby formula.
23 May 2022 Monday
Kyle Foote woke me up at 5:45 to take him down
to the airport to retrieve the truck. I was so tired as I had some bug bites on
my foot last night that kept me awake for much of the night. I really couldn’t
go back to bed because of my dentist appointment.
I went to my Roseman
dental appointment at 9 to have two cavities filled on my lower front teeth. I
have four more cavities that need filling over the next few months and probably
another tooth pulled. The total came to $168 today.
I stopped at Deseret
Industries on 8th South coming back home and bought two pair of
walking shorts. I was surprised that they were doing a complete remodel on the
store after all these years and weren’t taking donations at that location for
the time being. Their inventory was very minimal.
Dr.
Stoneburner said that my labs for my blood work say I am anemic and quite low
in iron and vitamin B12 so I will have to have some booster shots. It’s no
wonder I have been craving spinach and am so fatigued otherwise I guess all is
good. My A1c is 6.1
Kyle
Foote wanted to get some work done in the back yard while he had use of the
Sierra truck. We took one trip to the dump and then we went to this site on 4th
South way out by 40th West to get a load of top soil. It filled the
bed of the truck and was only $10. We paid $15 for fourth as much at
Sutherlands. We wanted to fill in the planting bed on the west side of the
patio and while Kyle shoveled in to wheelbarrow, I raked and leveled. We were
short some so Kyle went back to get another load while I cleaned up the back
yard and raked the mulch left over from grinding the tree stumps.
After filling in the
planting bed we planted 12 arborvitaes and we both spread out the mulch and I
watered them, so they are all ready to grow.
Kyle wanted to
celebrate the completion of the vision he had for the patio area so we went to
Texas Roadhouse for dinner so he could have a steak and long Island Iced tea. I
just had a baked potato as I was feeling a little bloated. He said he bought
two tickets for next Sunday’s Drag Brunch to take some boy to and he also has
the 3-day VIP Passes so he’s set for Pride I suppose.
I fed the pups chicken
and barley with carrots for their supper. The all seem to really enjoy that combination,
even finicky Lulubelle.
I went to bed around 10
and noticed later Kyle was sitting in the hot tub by himself. I am glad he has
it to relax. He did a lot of work shoveling two loads of soil that had a lot of
pea gravel in it also.
Tomorrow, he wants to
get the rest of arborvitaes in the ground along the western fence as they have
been sitting in their pots since April.
24 May 2022 Tuesday
Kyle Foote scrambled this morning getting the
Chevy Traxx and Sierra ready to go out. Why he waits for the last minute to get
them ready is beyond me as it stresses him out so much. In the afternoon he
started in on his project to build a containment wall to level the back yard. I
went with him to Lowes to get some more slats for the fence but that is about
all I did today. I really need to clean my house.
I
watched “Paint Your Wagon” before going to bed just for some mindless
diversion. I think I first saw the film in 1969 at the LA Mirada drive-in, may
be with John Cunningham but probably with Jerry Smith.
Another
horrific mass shooting at an elementary school by an 18-year-old. This time in
Texas. Republicans are on standby to send thoughts and prayers.
25 May 2022 Wednesday
My back was itchy all night perhaps from dry
skin or psoriasis, so I took a Benadryl to help sleep but I still woke up at
4:30 and then decided to get out of bed by 5 to get moving. I stripped my bed
and did several loads of laundry as well as tackling cleaning the house.
I
started in on the bathroom room scrubbing the toilet and sink and washing the
floor by hand. Next, I went in to the bedroom to hang up clothes and put away
things back in drawers and clearing out the clutter. The main task was sweeping
and mopping the floor which had gotten pretty scuzzy. Then on to the hallway,
front room, dining room, and kitchen. It was the most thorough cleaning I had
done in a while as Kyle Foote has kept me busy with his outside projects.
While cleaning the
kitchen I listened to a cassette I had made of phone conversations off my
answering machine from 1987. It contained voices of Fran my former wife,
Michael Anderson, Val Smithson, and Billy Bikowski. Also, the voices of Ken
Francis, Russ Lane, David Reed all now long dead. It was a glad sadness
listening to these voices from the past.
Around
noon Kyle came up and wanted to go get our drinks and then out to Huish
Materials located off of 500 South and 3400 West to get recycled broken up
concrete and stones to fill the wire container he constructed to hold back the
dirt he plans on leveling the back yard with.
We
took the Sonoma and the poor truck managed to carry a half ton at least of
material back to the house which we hand unloaded, which was tiring for me. The
load we bought for $10 only filled 2/3s of the container so we went back out to
Huish but was stopped by a train at about 2500 West which had 208 container
cars. It took nearly 20 minutes or more sitting and waiting for the train to
pass.
Back
at Huish the person there said no one was there with a bob cat to load up the
truck but we could have it for free doing it by hand. I dreaded that but once
there a man in a huge scoop equipment truck asked if we needed help and Kyle
said sure. The scoop on the machine was larger than my truck but he deftly
managed to dump a huge load into the bed on the Sonoma. I was slightly worried
about the truck’s suspension carrying that much weight, but we managed to get
back home without incident except when opening the yard gate, one portion fell
off its hinges.
My
stomach was gassy and bloated for much of the time and to tell the truth I was
really tired, so I went and rested while Kyle filled the remainder of the cage
himself.
The
rest of the afternoon and into the evening Kyle put up the rest of the fence
slats and worked on that with a little help from me. I dread the amount of work
it’s going to take to fill cages with rocks all along the south portion on my
yard.
Finally,
we called it quits around 7:30 and Kyle went off ubering while I tried to relax
some by watching television. I decided to watch The Sopranos as I never did
when it was first on years ago.
It was in the mid 90’s today so we took a break
from any yard work today except for my watering plants. Kyle Foote was more
worried about a sound the Nissan Rogue was making in the back right tire
thinking it might need brakes but after he worked on it, he found that the
problem was actually simply the lug nuts had come loose and was making a noise
when braking.
I
also just relaxed today and took some naps. My itchy back was my main complaint
today, but I tried putting lotion on it as far as I could reach.
Mike
Romero called at 12:30 this afternoon just to let me know he’s in Colorado and
all is well with him and Coco. His place is pretty well self-contained, so I
needn’t actually go over there much. He said it’s been cool there but I told
him it was over 90 degrees here. Gas in Colorado is around $4.20 but at Sam’s
Club he can get it for $3.87. I told him it’s jumping again here up to $4.60 a
gallon.
I
went with Kyle whenever he needed company going to Auto Zone or out to the
airport to retrieve the Sierra, just so I could be with him. Other than that,
it was kind of dull but relaxing day. I have to restrain myself from wanting to
pat his arm as he doesn’t care for physical touch from me.
In
the evening Chuck Whyte called and we visited for a while just about how we are
doing. I’ve known Chuck for over 35 years now. We talked about how as old men
sex isn’t worth the trouble it takes for the 15 minutes of fun LOL and that we
had more men then all those named in the Bible, old and new Testaments in our
day. LOL That line is from Torch Song Trilogy.
Like most of our
appetites, physical pleasure is mostly nostalgia. The thing I enjoyed most with
my last fling with Kimball Edwards was the cuddling and caressing. Chuck said
that the Royal Court’s Coronation will be held at the Radisson Hotel downtown this
year.
Kyle
went out ubering tonight and I just watched several episodes of Season 1 of the
Sopranos which I never watched when it was popular at the turn of the century.
It’s entertaining but I really liked the show Deadwood.
All
that is on Facebook are comments about the horror of the mass murder of
children and teachers in Texas and how the Republicans will do nothing to keep
it from happening again as their base is anti-abortion, anti-gun reform, and
pro the Big Lie. Democrats in the Senate represent 40 million people more than
Republicans do but the pigs can stall any legislation proposed by Democrats.
My
stomach was gassy and achy for much of the day. I wonder if this is just the
way things are going to be from now on. However, it was another productive but
exhausting day.
When Kyle Foote came up around noon,
he said we were going to be busy. He was up late last night delivering a
vehicle to the airport at 1:30 in the morning and then Persephone was out and
about, and he had to go track her down before he could go to bed.
I spent the morning watering my
flowers and plants in the front yard as it was already warm, and it did get up
into the high 80’s today. While cleaning the house inside I listened to a
cassette of conversations I had with friends from 1987. It jogged a lot of
memories when I was a much younger man with a future ahead of me.
Kyle asked me to go with him to Trolley Square where he
gets his haircut and had a 1:00 appointment. Since we had the Sierra Truck
today, we then went to Huish Material and got a truck load of soil to level the
planting bed along the lower west fence line. Kyle shoveled while I leveled
with a rake.
After Kyle was satisfied with the results, we then planted
17 arborvitae shrubs. I took them out of their containers and broke up the root
balls while Kyle dug the holes and planted them. He wanted mulch from Stokers,
so we then went and got a truck load of red bark mulch to lay down to keep the
moisture in the ground. We have so much left over that tomorrow we will cover
the portion where we planted the shrubs along the patio for continuity. We were
done by 6:30 and were two exhausted fellows.
Kyle ordered some Chinese take-out from China Delight
before he went out ubering while I relaxed, fed the pups, and watched an
episode of the Captain Pike Star Trek and a couple of episodes of the Sopranos
before calling it a day.
Some guy came by today and bought the window that we had
been storing in the garage, it was good that it was gone but now if we could
only sell the desks and partitions.
28 May 2022 Saturday
It
must have rained during the night, and it was raining lightly this morning. It
was really sleep in weather which the pups did for much of the day. It cleared
up in the afternoon and I asked Kyle Foote if he wanted to go get a drink at
12:30 but he asked if we could wait until 1. However, it was after two and he
still hadn’t responded back so I laid down for nap and about 2:40 he called up
to go. I was rather perturbed not because I wanted a drink but that he kept me
waiting without an explanation.
He left later I suppose to go
ubering and I spent the rest of the day and into the night watching several
episodes on the Curiosity channel about film composers like Max Steiner and
Bernard Herman and so many other greats. I enjoy documentaries’ on the making
of films.
I didn’t see Kyle for the rest of
the day, and I went to bed around 10. At midnight, the pups woke me, and I saw
that Kyle was soaking in the hot tub by himself while scrolling on his phone.
Probably checking out profiles on Grindr. I just went back to sleep.
29 May 2022 Sunday
There was a huge thunderclap at 3:30 this
morning that shook the house and I could see lightning flashes illuminating the
night sky, but I didn’t stay up to watch. I woke up around 6:30 but didn’t get
up until after 7. It’s raining hard this morning.
I
realized that I had never transcribed by journal from 1971 when I turned 20 so
I spent some of the morning going through it as I am trying to put the decade
of the 1970’s all in one place. It was raining for much of the morning, and we
sure could use it as we had little moisture all of this month.
Around
11 Kyle Foote came up and asked if I would drive him and Kray Casper, the boy
he asked to go with him, to the Pride Brunch. He wanted to drink and have
mimosas there and also not have to worry about the parking. I said I would, and
I did. Kray is in his twenties and cute, but I didn’t think he was Kyle’s usual
type, but he was nice and intelligent. He graduated from Weber State University
in Theater Arts.
While
they were gone, I just watched some Soprano episodes as it was raining off and
on for most of the day. Kyle called at 2:30 to come pick him and Kray up at
Club Twist on Exchange place. Club Twist is the location of the old Detours and
Vortex clubs. Kyle said they had fun, and the drag show was good, but the event
didn’t know how to handle a brunch for the 300 people or so who showed up and
there were long lines and waiting as only one person was a runner for food
trays between the kitchen and the buffet. It was $30 a ticket plus a cash bar
with proceeds going to the Pride Center.
After
taking them back to the house I didn’t see them anymore until nearly 7 when
Kyle appeared all frantic saying that the Sierra truck was supposed to be at
Sutherlands at 7 and it hadn’t been cleaned nor emptied of all the bark mulch.
Fortunately, Kray agreed to help Kyle shovel out the bed of the truck while it
was slightly raining before he left for a RuPaul watch party he was hosting at
his place in South Ogden.
I
only had to open the side gate while Kyle took off to take the truck through
Quick Quack in North Salt Lake and later go down and pick him up at
Sutherlands. I don’t know why Kyle seems to have these stressful last minute
“issues.”
All
in all, later around 8:30 I went with him to Culver’s in Bountiful so he could
buy a roast beef platter for his supper as he hadn’t had anything to eat since
the Brunch. I didn’t want anything as I wasn’t hungry but just went with him
for the company. All in all, he said he had a nice relaxing day, and I am happy
for him. He said he likes Kray but likes the fact that he is going off to
Boston to attend college there even better. After the Danny Montoya fiasco I
think Kyle knows he’s not ready to settle down with one man.
He
asked me if I wanted to watch the Pride Parade next Sunday in the VIP section
and I really didn’t, but I might consider it just to be with him and also
because he asked.
We
have had a really good soaking the past couple of days, and we certainly can
use it as I know it will be a long hot summer but right now it’s only in the
60’s.
30 May 2022 Monday
Memorial Day
I was pissed at Kyle Foote today for
criticizing everything I said or did today. It rained last night and some this
morning when after typing up some of my journal from 1971 I decided I needed to
work some in the yard. I went out back and began to spread the red bark mulch
over the arborvitaes next to the patio. I just took a small bucket and began to
carry pails back and forth until it was completely covered. It was still quite
cool out, so I wore my beach poncho to stay warm.
After
that was finished there was still a huge pile left so I carried several buckets
out to the front yard to spread around my flower beds. It was nearly 1:30
before I was finished when Kyle called to ask if it was time to go get a drink
and I said yes.
Instead
of complementing me on all the work I did this morning without him, he
criticized me saying that the pile was going to be used along the fence line in
the backyard as he said he planned on having the backyard completed in a few
weeks. I am really skeptical that he can complete his grandiose scheme of
building cages for the rock wall so he can level out the yard, so it doesn’t
slope in that amount of time.
Then
I asked if he was hungry and suggested Costa Vida as that is his now go to
place for Mexican food. On the way over he told me that Kray Casper had
contacted him this morning and I just off handedly said that Kray’s last name
was Casper which I thought he would find interesting. I located Kray’s Facebook
page yesterday as because of his unusual first name it was not hard to find. I
just like to know people’s last name as a courtesy and he had shown an interest
in my history page, however Kyle accused me of invading Kray’s privacy and that
I was “creeping” him saying if he wanted me to know his last name, he would
have told me.
I
was at first stunned by Kyle’s reaction and then really became pissed. I paid
for our lunches and didn’t talk to his anymore. Back at the house I took out my
container and left and went upstairs without saying another word to him.
All
day he was making little jabs at me and his comment that I was creeping on Kray
was the last straw. I have no idea what his hang ups are over me knowing
anything personal about the boys he brings to my house to fuck but I am sick of
it.
The
weather cleared up in the late afternoon and the news said Salt Lake received a
half an inch of rain from this storm, so we had a good soaking.
I
spent the rest of this Memorial Day alone.
31 May 2022 Tuesday
The sun is out this morning this last day of
May. I was still wounded by Kyle Foote’s words yesterday and I just didn’t want
to be around him today so after typing up my January journal from 1971 I left
the house and went to Warm springs park to read and be away. I didn’t bother
getting a drink with him today and I stopped at Betos to get some taquitos for
my lunch. Back at the house I saw that Kyle was gone so I just watched two
episodes of the OFFER about the making of the Godfather and several episodes of
The Sopranos. In the late afternoon I heard Kyle in the backyard hammering and
drilling but not until he came up did, I see what he was doing. He moved the
water faucet outlet to make it more accessible and put up a holder for a new
hose he bought. I suppose it was his way of showing he was sorry for being such
a dick yesterday or maybe not. I just said thanks and went back to watching TV.
I am still not quite sure I am willing yet to let it go about him being so
negative towards me at times.
So,
I just sat in the lazy boy this last day of the month surrounded by my pups. I
did make a chocolate cake this evening as I was hungry for something sweet to
eat. When Kyle showed me his handy work that was the only time, I saw him
today.
JUNE
1 June 2022 Wednesday
To kick off Gay Pride Month I began posting
from “This Day in Gay Utah History.” I created the blog to preserve records for
the future but also to be informative to history nerds like me. However, I
tried all morning to try to open the blog to edit somethings but never could. I
have not updated the site for several years, not since 2019. However, I have
done my bit to preserve the rich tapestry of homosexuality in Utah and the
emergence of a Gay community in the Beehive State.
Kyle
was outside enclosing the area beneath the south stairs, and I decided while
still upset with him, I know he’s not ever going to change and either I have to
accept that or live alone so I asked him if he wanted to go get a drink at
Common Cents as a gesture to show that I am not angry at him anymore. So, we
went but that is all we did together as I was not quite ready to completely
forget his meanness towards me.
I
stayed home after that and watched The Sopranos’ Third Season for much of the
day. I cleaned the kitchen really well to kind of get me out of my funk, but I
stopped doing anything in the yard as I kind of lost interest in that as Kyle
is going to do what he wants.
Alan
Anderson called to ask if we wanted to go to dinner before the show this coming
Saturday. I said I’d have to ask Kyle. We are going to see Hairspray at the
Draper Amphitheater. Kyle said he was going to see Kray Casper Saturday at
Pride Day around 5 but would be back to the house to go out to dinner so I
called Alan back and said we could meet for dinner.
It
was a lovely day out as much of it that I saw.
Things calmed down between Kyle Foote and me,
as he was genuinely trying to show he was sorry but also, he needed my help. I
guess yesterday he began digging a trench to remove the shut off valve to the
water line that controlled the sprinkler system. He asked if I would help him
as he lifted out buckets up to a point he could no longer dig easily with a
shovel. The hole was at least 4 feet wide and five feet deep. It must have
taken him a considerable amount of time and effort yesterday to have dug out so
much dirt much of which was harden clay.
Anyway,
he managed to reach the bottom where the tube to the shut off valve was and
then asked me to go with him to Peterson’s plumbing supply on 700 West and
about 20th South so he could get the items he needed to replace the
valve so he could move it. I actually had no idea what he had in mind but just
went along with him.
I
had made enchiladas earlier in the morning and we had that for lunch and dinner
before he took off to go ubering in the evening.
Alan
Anderson called to confirm going to dinner before the show at some Southern
restaurant down in Draper. I looked at the menu and it didn’t seem all that
Southern with no fried okra and seemed rather expensive to boot.
President
Biden gave an impassioned speech this evening imploring the Republicans in the
Senate to work with Democrats to enact sensible gun laws including the banning
of assault weapons or at least raising the minimum age one can buy them. I know
it all fell on deaf ears.
3 June 2022 Friday
My mom was born on this date in 1929 in
Shamrock, Texas in the Panhandle near the Oklahoma border. This morning after
working on my journal I went out and worked in the front yard pruning back some
of the shrubs and irises that have stopped blooming. It was a pretty morning
and starting to warm up when I mowed the front yard.
I
checked my balance in my checking account and I only had $300 but Mike Romero
called later and said he was putting in $500 of the money they withdrew. He’s
got his truck fixed and will come back right before his birthday this month to
register his truck.
Later
in the afternoon I helped Kyle Foote with his trenching the new location for
the shut off valve for the sprinkler system. He filled buckets of dirt and clay
and hoisted them up while I dumped them. It was a big project and took much of
the afternoon. Around 3:30 we quit and went to Lowes for some items he needed
to install a new 8-foot pipe that will go over the shut off valve.
After
that we quit for the day, I took a nap and slept until after 5 when Kyle called
and said I needed to pick him up at Sutherlands after he had dropped off the
Chevy Traxx. Earlier around noon we took the Sierra to the airport.
Kyle
went off ubering in the evening and I watched another episode of The Offer
about the making of the Godfather and a few episodes of the 4th
Season of the Sopranos.
I
have a dental appointment this Monday at Roseman.
4 June 2022 Saturday
I watered the plants in the front yard really
well and used the leaf blower to clear off the driveway until Kyle Foote needed
my help a bit this morning as he continued to work on moving the shut off valve
for the sprinkler system before going to Pride Day. I drove him down around
12:30 where he was going to meet up with Kray Casper.
I
wanted to drive by the La France apartments to get a picture of the demolition,
but the street was too busy with the opening of the Farmer’s Market at Pioneer
Square.
At
home, my nephew James Clark called to say that he won’t be coming up this
summer as he has to have a colonoscopy and endoscopy during the time he has off
from work.
Actually, I was kind of
relieved, not that I don’t love James, it’s just that it would be a lot of
effort on my part to get the house ready. He said that he’s been enjoying the
pool and that he had put in some new marble countertops for his kitchen so at
least he’s enjoying his home.
I just rested and
napped until Kyle called for me to come pick him up. The line to get into the
Pride Day Grounds entrance at Second East and 400 South at 4 o’clock stretched
all the way along 400 South to 300 East then down the block to 500 South. Who knows
how many people were already in Washington Square? I am not sure if they even
had a history booth this year as I don’t think the Utah Queer Historical
Society was included this year.
Back
at the house we changed into long pants as the day was cooling down. We left
around 5:30 to be down at the restaurant where Alan Anderson said we were going
to meet at. He said that Kyle Daniels was not joining us after all, as he had
to go down to Las Vegas at the last minute.
The restaurant was
“Sauce Boss Southern Kitchen” at 123rd South in Draper. Jandy and
Andy Stelter joined us for dinner. I actually just had one of Kyle’s side
dishes, black eye peas with bacon and his corn bread, and some sweet tea. He
had ordered the Pork Shank dinner that came with mashed potatoes and collard
greens. He said it was delicious and so was my peas, but it was a lot of food.
The conversation was
good, and Kyle had never met Jandy and Andy before. Andy is a trans-man, but I
didn’t mention it to Kyle lest he thought I had a problem with it which I
didn’t as I have known them for years as Alan Anderson’s friends. Teinamarie
Scuderi’s husband is also a Trans-man.
The
performance of Hairspray was at the Draper Amphitheater about 136000 South and
although it was outdoors it was not too cool to make it uncomfortable but glad,
we wore long pants. A light wind breaker jacket would have been nice, however.
Alan
Anderson’s friend Michael’s daughter Linze Struiksma played Tracy Turnblad and
was excellent in the role. Genell Goodman crushed her role as Motormouth
Maybelle, particularly with “I Know Where I’ve Been.” Joey West played Edna
Turnblad and Chad Smith played Wilbur and were fabulous. It was an entirely
enjoyable show and was a fun way to celebrate Gay Pride with Kyle and Alan.
Kyle even said while he had no expectations for community theater that he
really enjoyed the production. It was a fun evening for only $12 a ticket.
Of
course, the musical can never compare with the John Water’s Hairspray, which
the musical is loosely based on.
We
were home by 10:30 and Kyle went out ubering while I went to bed.
It's been 7 years now
since I closed up my classroom and sent home my last class I taught. I started
teaching in the fall of 1988. Times really changed over the years. I only
taught in 3 schools. SUNSET, ORCHARD. and WASHINGTON which since has been demolished.
My Washington classrooms only exist now in memories. My AIDS poster that John
Reeves sent me from Boston in 1989 is all I took with me when I left. I always
had it up in my classrooms.
I
am pissed at Kyle Foote again after such a nice evening yesterday. I was up
early doing some yard trimming waiting to hear from him because yesterday we
talked about taking him down to the parade at 9:30 before traffic got crazy as
the parade kicked off at 10:00 and much of downtown would be closed off. Well,
when I talked to him, he said he wasn’t going until around 10:15, as that was
where he wanted to be at a VIP viewing section, and the parade would be
sometime getting there. However, what I think really happened he couldn’t find
anyone to go with him and spent the morning trying to find someone.
Anyway, I wanted to get into the city via North Temple and
South Temple and drop him off at 400 East. He was being pissy about the amount
of traffic and kept saying he should have driven criticizing the route I took
and finally I said quit criticizing me and said he could get out at about 3rd
South and 4th East, and he angerly said he would take an uber home.
So, I left mad that he was being
such a jerk. The streets were blocked off all the way down to 700 South, so I
had to go to 800 South and back track up 300 West as I wanted to take pictures
of the demolition of the Greek apartments where so many of my friends and I
lived in the early 1990’s.
Parking was so bad that I had to
park down on 400 West in front of the Rio Grande Depot and walk along 300
South. There were lots of people walking toward the parade even from this
distance and I saw this threesome of a cowboy type and two women who were
shirtless with only sticker like pasties over their nipples. I wasn’t shocked
as much as surprised and thought how times have changed that near nudity now
doesn’t seem that outrageous.
At Delmar Court there was
nothing left but rubble. My apartment on the second floor of LaFrance was gone
and most of the entire area was just a pile of bricks. This is the second place
that I had called home in Salt Lake that is gone. The Juel Apartments on Sixth
East was the first razed. The LaFrance was my home for nearly 2 years in the
early 90s and where Jeff Workman and I were lovers. The Sacred Faeries had many
rituals and feasts here. Lots of Bohemian artisan types lived here and made it
a community tucked away by Pioneer Park. It’s all just memories now.
It’s kind of
disorienting to see so much of my Salt Lake City erased. I guess that comes
with getting old. It’s disheartening to drive around and say, “this used to be
that.” It’s a Brave New World but not for me. Change and decay in all the world
I see.
I came back home and
just rested and watched some HBO but really didn’t do much the rest of the day.
I was still upset and hurt by how Kyle talked to me. Hell, he wouldn’t even
have the VIP passes if it wasn’t for me.
After feeding the pups
I took a late nap and around 7:30 felt like I just needed to get out of the
house. I decided to go to Tryangles thinking that some of the old timers might
be there for an after Pride get together. I was wrong. The street in front of
Tryangles is still a mess making it hard to get into, so I parked across the
street and walked over.
Inside I looked around
and saw absolutely no one there that I knew and of course I was the oldest one
there. It was mainly a young crowd boisterous having a good time with their
friends much like it’s always been. Same old crowd just new faces. I think the
last time I was really at Tryangles was for Val Mansfield’s wake.
While looking at my
phone I noticed that Chuck Whyte had called so I left the bar as it was way too
loud to carry on a conversation. I went back to my car and called Chuck. We
visited for about an hour with his telling me that he did actually go to Pride
after all with Stephen Bolinder. He said he mainly stayed in the VIP lounge
where he saw Kyle wooing some young twink and acting like he was holding court.
I told him how I was pissed at Kyle for his attitude this morning and Chuck
said I should get over it, but I intend to nurse this grudge for a while.
Pride Day I guess was a
huge success, if overcrowded. The main fault I heard was because it seemed like
the organizers were all new and had no experienced personnel from the past for
guidance. It didn’t matter to me. I told Chuck that 2019 was my last hurrah
when I worked the history booth
Pride Day is for a
whole different generation who has more stamina than I do. I prefer the
memories of past prides when it was like a family reunion, and you knew most
everyone. For good or bad, times change, and people will celebrate in new ways.
We celebrated being Gay and Lesbian in a hostile society in our time now it’s
more of a celebration of Diversity rather than homosexuality. As Cole Porter
wrote Anything Goes.”
6 June 2022 Monday
I went down to Roseman Clinic to have two
cavities in my lower teeth filled this morning and made an appointment to have
a molar on my lower left jaw extracted tomorrow. It was rotten and I didn’t
want another crown to put on it, so it will be cheaper to just have it pulled.
My appointment was at 10:30 and I was out of there near noon. I called TJ Otaka
and Jim McMullin to see if they were home and up for a visit. They were so I
drove out to Daybreak. They had just finished lunch, so I wasn’t interrupting.
We
had a good visit with catching up, but they really hadn’t been anywhere except
to the Eccles Theater to see Jesus Christ Superstar which they thought the
performance was rather weak, so I am glad that I didn’t go.
I
shared that Kyle Foote, and I went to see Hairspray with Alan Anderson and that
Alan, and I both didn’t go to Pride Day this year and doubted if we would ever
go again, not that we are upset with Pride just that it’s hard on us at our
age.
I told them about
Michael Romero’s trouble with his truck and about all the changes Kyle wants to
do with the yard and how I was upset with him on how he treated me yesterday. I
stayed until nearly 2 and then went to Quick Quack to have the Honda FIT washed
and for me to vacuum it out. I mainly did it because I was not ready to go back
home.
I
started transferring information from my old This Day in Gay Utah History blog
which I cannot access anymore to edit it. So, I created a new Blog site on
which I can edit it. I worked all morning before going to the dentist on
transferring the month of January.
I
didn’t see Kyle all day although he was home for part of the time, and he had
left $300 on the kitchen counter. I texted him what that was for, and he said
to pay me back for using my Visa Card to purchase some of his plumbing supplies
at Peterson’s. I was glad for that.
I
watched Fire Island a Gay Rom-com which I thought was pretty entertaining and
some “Sopranos” in the evening and went to bed around 10 as tomorrow will be
stressful having a tooth pulled.
I had another appointment at Roseman Clinic at
10 this morning for a tooth extraction. I had two males this time and the
pulling of the tooth was a bit easier than last time with the two females, but
the guys were novices with suturing and even with the instructor it seemed to
take forever although it really didn’t hurt.
When
I came back home Kyle Foote was ready to make up and asked me to go with him to
get a Dr. Pepper and then down to Peterson Plumbing to get an 8-foot shut off
key for the new shut off valve. On the way he visited about Pride Day, he
talked with Maggie Snyder and Kristin Ries in the VIP Lounge. He and Maggie
talked about Craig Crawford and Maggie said she would start to write him again
after Kyle told her all the support I gave him during his incarceration. He
said that he gave up trying to see the parade as the route was so long and
crowded. He told me he saw Chuck Whyte there who I had already known and that
he watched the Saliva Sisters. I told him that the first I saw them performed
was in 1986 at Pioneer Park, which was my first Pride Day event.
Back
at the house Kyle had partially filled in the trench but needed me to steady
the PC pipes as he filled in around them. I helped shoveled a bit but actually
I got rather dizzy. Not sure from the surgery this morning or low blood
pressure or that I hadn’t had anything to eat all day, so I went into the house
and had a little bit of cottage cheese. I can’t eat really solid food for a
couple of days.
Kyle was hungry and
wanted to go to Costa Vida, but I said I wasn’t hungry but mainly I just
associate Costa Vida with Kyle and I fighting so it’s not my favorite place and
I am not really that favorable to their menu. On the way back while on my
iPhone I saw that Facebook said I had violated their community standards by a
comment I made on a Salt Lake Tribune article about gun play down in
Springville. My comment which was made in jest about Utah being the wild west
with people shooting each other was taken by Facebook to suggest I was
advocating violence. They said they were suspending my account for 30 days.
They had a site now where you can protest their arbitrary decision which I
appealed and later saw that they only suspended me for two days which is
chicken shit because they can’t admit they were wrong to flag my comment in the
first place. I asked Andy Dalrymple to post on my Utah Gay History page for the
next two days the links I sent him to my blog. I kind of made a commitment to
post daily through the month of June.
Kyle
needed me at 6 to take him to the airport to pick up the Nissan Rogue and then
he went off ubering. Coming back on the freeway I noticed that my gas gage read
empty, and I had never seen it that low before. I was praying I would make it
to Smith’s before running out of gas. I made it. My vehicle only has a
10-gallon tank, and it took 9 gallons to fill it. However, I get around 35
miles to a gallon so I guess I would not have ran out of gas. Prices jumped
again to $4.97 at Smith’s and many places its over $5 a gallon. It cost me $45
to fill my take. The Sonoma has almost a 19-gallon tank so it would cost nearly
$90 to fill it.
I
stopped at Betos for supper and bought a Chili Rellenos burrito which used to
be around $6 but now it was $9! For a burrito. It wasn’t even all that good and
I could only eat a fourth of it. I guess that will be the last time I eat at
Betos on North Temple when I could get a whole dinner at Chubby’s for that
price.
I
watched “Orville New Horizons” on Hulu which had been off the air for nearly
three years. I enjoy the characters although critics say it’s a rip off of Star
Trek.
Jim Seals of Seals and
Crofts has died at age of 80... I loved their songs from the 70s, but
Hummingbird was my favorite, although Summer Breeze takes me back to being a
young man in Southern California.
8 June 2022 Wednesday
I was finally able to figure out what was wrong
with the washing machine and why it wouldn’t drain. I looked at a video on
YouTube and there was a drainage hose and filter at the bottom of the machine
that should have been looked at monthly and I hadn’t done it ever. The water
took forever to drain and at one point I even left the house at 7 and went to
this donut place in North Salt Lake because I had been craving a fritter. I
bought two for $5 which I thought was rather pricey, but they were still warm.
They weren’t the best I ever had. Back at the house I finally managed to get
all the water out before taking out the filter. It was all clogged up and a
mess. After cleaning it and putting everything back the washing machine ran
fine. No one ever told me about checking the filter as my old machine never had
one. Live and learn.
I then watered the
shrubs and flowers early this morning as it was going to be near 90 degrees. I
don’t want to lose the arborvitaes we planted nor the ones still in the
buckets.
Mike Romero called and
said he was back in town and wanted to drop Coco off while he went to register
his truck and get a haircut. While here we visited some and he said he found a
really nice campground in Green River Utah that he may be staying at.
After coming back from
his chores Kyle Foote came up to visit a bit before Mike left and Kyle was
waiting for some man to come over who wanted to buy the 12-foot cast iron pole
that Kyle had cut from the one we went and got from Nephi last month. We then
went to get our drinks. We also went to Peterson Plumbing and later to Lowes
where Kyle bought some more lumber. After that I didn’t see him for the rest of
the day until he was done ubering and had someone over to sit in the hot tub
after I had gone to bed.
Now that washing
machine was working again, I washed my bed quilt and then finally made up my
bed which I hadn’t for a couple of days. A nice clean bed is such a luxury. I
had a store-bought pizza for my supper as that my jaw had healed enough that I
could chew again.
In the news, victims of
the massacres at Buffalo and Uvalde testified before Congress regarding gun
control. So many Republican psychopaths and monsters are blocking any
meaningful reform like if not banning assault weapons at least raise the age
for which one can purchase a killing machine. If a teen cannot buy a beer until
he’s 21 years old, why is he allowed to buy a military grade assault weapon? If
they won’t’ raise the age, then at least have a registry of the under 21 men
who are buying these weapons.
9 June 2022 Thursday
This evening I watched the Congressional
Committee’s Report on Trump’s Insurrection which was broadcast for two hours in
Prime Time. Only Fox News refused to carry it. One of the findings was that
Trump instigated an attempted coup against the government lead by two white
supremacist anti-government groups The Proud Boys and the Oath Keepers. The
testimony and film clips were riveting but doubt it will change the mind of the
brain washed Big Lie adherents. Of course, the Utah Representatives voted against
the showing the hearing. I disagreed politically with Liz Cheney on most things
but do believe she is a true patriot and hero for probably putting her
political career above politics. The Republicans of course spun the whole
report as partisan politics.
It
was 91 degrees today and is supposed to just get hotter until Monday. Today is
my sister Charline’s birthday. She would have been 75 years old. I didn’t do
much today except give the yard a good watering and I also cut back all the
Virginia Creeper that was growing up on the other side of the fence line. It
was too hot to do much else. When Kyle Foote needed me to help with his two
vehicles we went and got out drinks and then to Quick Quack to wash the Chevy
Traxx and Sierra truck. He said that it was Tim Hunter, the kid who helped with
the flag pole who came over last night. I was surprised that Kyle talked about
him as he usually doesn’t.
I
made some enchiladas today but haven’t baked them yet. I have been eating the
store-bought pizza and chocolate cake.
I
still haven’t been able to get back on to Facebook, but I have had Andy
Dalrymple post the This Day in Gay Utah History on my site for me. I saw in the
news that the Western Garden store on 6th East across from Trolley
Square has sold their location to a developer who will build more apartments. I
bought a few plants and trees from that location once upon a time. I guess
there’s not enough need for a garden store there anymore and the land is too
valuable.
10 June 2022 Friday
Another hot day this time up to 98 degrees but
I wasn’t out in it much as I watered early this morning. My stomach was a bit
sour today but otherwise I felt fine. Kyle needed my help with his vehicles
going out. The Nissan Rogue went to discount tires to get something fixed, not
sure what. Kyle said he’s going down to Ephraim tomorrow with his friend Tim to
look at a camper that he wants to fix up. He asked me if I wanted to go but I
declined as it will be really hot and don’t want to be involved with getting
the camper onto the truck.
In
the afternoon, my Samsung tablet froze up and wouldn’t turn off or scroll. I
was a bit concerned that it was broken. However, I remembered that tablets
usually have a tiny hole that you can reset them with a paperclip or something
small which I did and thankfully that reset it. I was finally let out of Face
Book jail this afternoon.
I was banned from Face
Book the other day for an innocent sarcastic remark commenting on the recent
shooting down in Springville. The almighty algorithm flagged me as inciting
violence and at first banned me for 30 days. When I protested, they knew they misinterpreted
my comment but still banned me form posting for 2 days.
Kyle
went out ubering this evening and I watched on Netflix a four-part series on
Warren Jeff’s downfall called Keep Sweet and Obey about child brides among
polygamists. It was really informative about what went on in Short Creek and El
Dorado Texas.
Today is Judy Garland’s
100th Birthday. I would be remised as a Gay man if I didn’t
acknowledge Judy Garland on her 100th birthday. Some would like white wash over
her influence that her death and funeral just days in late June 1969 had on the
mood that helped ignite the rebellion at the Stonewall Inn when many New York
gays were in mourning.
11 June 2022 Saturday
Kyle Foote was gone all day with Tim Hunter to
Ephraim to buy a camper out in some farmer’s field there. They didn’t leave
until 1:30 and didn’t get home until after 7:30 without the camper as they
couldn’t lift it onto the truck. Kyle had this notion of fixing it up to keep
for himself. He always has to have a project going.
I
was inside for most of the day watching television as I had done my watering
this morning and had no place to go. Kyle asked if I wanted to go with them,
and I was so glad I didn’t.
I
watched a good film on Netflix called Operation Mincemeat about the deception
of using a corpse to fool the Nazis that Greece was going to be the site of the
southern invasion by allies rather than Sicily.
In
the news 31 White supremacists domestic terrorists were arrested in Idaho for
preparing to riot at the Gay Pride Day celebration in Coeur d'Alene.
12 June 2022 Sunday
Kind of a do-nothing day but enjoy relaxing and
watching a variety of shows on different streaming platforms. I was only out of
the house to get a drink with Kyle Foote at Common Cents. In the afternoon I
hear a knock at the door and thinking it was a package delivery I went to open
it. I was surprised to see a young man standing there who was probably more
surprised to see an old man answering the door. He quickly said oh wrong door.
LOL He was coming over for an afternoon delight with Kyle down stairs.
I
started watching a show on Netflix called Heartstopper about Gay teenage angst
that was a series. The sentimental fool that I am in my old age kind of enjoyed
it, but I won’ finish the series. I also finally watched a few episodes of
Bridgerton the acclaimed Netflix series. It was vaguely entertaining but really
nothing I could get into despite the costumes of the regency period of Great
Britain.
In
the evening I watched some of Season 5 of the Sopranos. I kind of lost interest
in the story line but I guess I will eventually finish out the series.
The
wind came up in the afternoon as the weather was changing from a high pressure
of being in the 90’s to into the 70’s tomorrow.
In the news yesterday
31 members of the white supremacist group Patriot Front were arrested by Coeur
d'Alene police near an Idaho pride event after they were found packed into the
back of a U-Haul truck with riot gear. “They came to riot downtown,” the Coeur
d’Alene Police Chief. All 31 were charged with conspiracy to riot, a
misdemeanor. Six of them were from Utah.
Lest we forget in the
wake of all the mass murders by domestic terrorists lately on this date in 2016
a 29-year-old security guard killed 49 people and wounded 58 others in a
terrorist attack/ hate crime inside Pulse a Gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida. He
was shot and killed by Orlando Police Department officers after a three-hour
standoff.
Pulse was hosting a
"Latin Night" and thus most of the victims were Latinos. It was both
the deadliest mass shooting by a single shooter and the deadliest incident of
violence against Gay and Trans people in United States history. It was also the
deadliest terrorist attack in the United States since the September 11 attacks.
13 June 2022 Monday
We had a much-needed rain storm for much of the
day and evening with just a break in the afternoon. I was up early as usual and
went into the front room to watch the 2nd Congressional panel
investigation of Donald Trump which was to begin at 8 our time but was delayed
because one of the key witnesses was excused because his wife went in to labor
so his deposition was given from video interviews. I watched the entire proceedings,
and the case was made that Trump was told by all his Republican henchmen that he
had lost the election but chose instead to perpetuate the lie that the election
was stolen, a lie that he profited 250 million dollars from gullible supporters
who believed his lie.
Because
of the weather I did little today and only went out with Kyle Foote to get a
drink at Common Cents and later to go to Quick Quack to wash the truck and the
GM Terrain. The rain had a lot of dirt in it and the vehicles were really dirty
from it. In fact, Quick Quack was packed with cars going through the car wash.
I had never seen it so busy.
I
just tried to watch shows for much of the evening and stayed up late as Kyle
needed me to pick him up at the airport at 11 at night.
14 June 2022 Tuesday
Kyle Foote had his endoscopy procedure at the
Redwood Clinic at 8:45. After dropping him off I went to Quick Quack and had
the Honda FIT washed. I was surprised that there was still kind of a line of
cars going through the car wash at 9 this morning. I also went to Lucky’s to
buy some groceries. Just when I came into the house the phone rang saying Kyle
was ready to be picked up. He seemed really out of it, so left him alone to
sleep for much of the rest of the morning.
Around 1, he asked if I
would go to Costa Vida to get him some lunch and take his container to get a
drink. He must have still felt lousy to not go out so at 1:30 I did as I was
asked and when I came back home, I knocked on his door and was going to enter
when he stopped me and just took the food and drinks. I was kind of put out as
I wanted to see how he was doing and that was the last time I saw him for the
rest of the day.
It
was really still pretty cool today only in the 60’s
15 June 2022 Wednesday
It was a pleasant day in the mid-70’s for an
excursion. I was going to watch another session of the January 6 Committee, but
it was postponed. About 11:30 I contacted Kyle Foote to see if he was still
going to the City County Building for a tour as I hadn’t heard for him all day
yesterday and this morning. He said he was, but I was a little peeved as I felt
we had to rush as it started at noon, and I hate being late.
Anyway, Kyle and I took
the tour of the City County Building at noon and was able to go into the
basement to see where the building had been retrofitted and all the way up to
the clock tower which was quite the climb. At the end of the tour, we were allowed
into the city council room also. I had never really been inside of the building
to see where the mayor’s office was, nor had gone on the different levels to
see the beautiful architecture. You could still see plaster damage from the
2020 earthquake that still hadn’t been prepared. The docent was informative and
now I can take that off my bucket list.
Kyle
took lots of pictures and then wrote on Face Book, “I'm not sure who dragged
whom... But Ben Williams and I went on a tour of the historic City and County
Building led by Preservation Utah. It was a great tour and we got to see a lot
of things that aren't normally accessible to the general public. Such as the
tunnels Ted Bundy was led through on his way to court, as well as behind the
clock tower. Apparently, there will be multiple tours this summer, so I highly
recommend you sign up while tickets are still available.”
After
the tour Kyle suggested we go to Charlie Chow’s Dragon Grill for lunch where we
both ordered Green Beans and Beef only, I had the hot and sour soup while Kyle
had dim sum. Kyle must have been hungry as he ate most of his lunch while I
took most of mine home. A lesson learned was that it is hard for me to chew
beef anymore. I guess that is one of the fall outs of having so many molars
removed.
In
the afternoon Kyle needed some help picking up the Chevy Traxx at the airport
but for the rest of the day I stayed home and watched episodes of the Sopranos.
Yesterday Jim Dabakis texted me to inquire about Taco and asked if I wanted his
tickets for Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory for this Sunday at the
Eccles. I said yes although earlier Alan Anderson asked me to go with him on
Saturday.
I
asked Kyle today if he wanted to go and use Jim’s tickets which he did, and I
guess he asked Kray Casper to go with him. I texted Jim back saying Taco was
fine and asked if he was back in Mexico, but he replied he was still in Europe,
so I jokingly wrote “Watch out for the Russians” and asked Have you joined the
Ukraine resistance yet?”
He
then sent me this message, “I am going to introduce you to my new Ukraine
friends. Now at war. They were normal college students in February. Now they
are soldiers. Fighting for their families.” Then he sent me a message from one
of them named Artur.
“We
were 5 friends for all our school years. Four of us Gay. Our best, who always
made us laugh. His name was Alexander 23, he was a very bright and kind person,
during this war he died, we were at his funeral ad helped his family, this
horror won’t spare anyone. The Russians went to our village, killed our
grandmothers, and raped our girls. Alexander died fighting. Forever young. So
sad, two days ago, another one of our 5 friends is now covering the Ukraine
homeland forever.”
Jim
said,” I asked Artur what the gays needed most in Kharkiv [Kharkov]. I thought
medicine, blankets, food? But no, he insisted on one thing. So, I went
shopping.” Jim sent me a picture of a drone Matrice 300. He then wrote “Here is
Artur … he said he had a great life until Feb 20 when the Russian bombs started
falling.”
Even
with gasoline at $5 a gallon and inflation at 8 per cent at least our cities
are not being bombarded and we have clean water and electricity.
The
Prime Interest rate was raised the highest in 30 years to try and control
inflation and Biden criticized Big Oil for raking in obscene profits.
Yellowstone National Park is shut done due to damage done by the Yellowstone
River’s historic 14 feet rise that has destroyed roads, bridges, and structures
within the park.
16 June 2022 Thursday
I knew it was going to be hot today, so I
watered the front and back yard plants early this morning. It was at least 100
degrees today or maybe more. At 11, I started watching the January 6th
hearings mainly with evidence that Mike Pence’s life was in danger by Trump’s
supporters for his not overturning the electoral count.
One of the people
called to give testimony was Judge Luttig, who watching him drove me crazy with
his slow deliberation, which drew out his testimony on bearably long. At least
he called out Trump supporters as a “Clear and Present danger to America and democracy.”
Michael Romero called
this morning to say that his neighbor alerted him that the transformer pole
behind his house had caught fire and was put out by the fire department, so
after getting our drinks, Kyle Foote and I went over there to look at the
damage, but nothing looked serious just the transformer was scorched.
Kyle took Persephone to
the Humane Society for her shots this afternoon and I suppose it was
traumatizing for the both of them. She will have to go back in a couple of
weeks for a booster for her feline leukemia shot.
Later in the afternoon
Chuck Whyte called and said he was at St. Joseph Villa recuperating after going
to the emergency hospital when his leg swelled up. I guess Stephen Bolinder
found him passed out on his bed after people said they couldn’t get a hold of
Chuck. Chuck said he’s better now but can’t go home for nearly two weeks. I
told him I would go visit him, which I did after feeding the pups.
I left the house at 6
in the evening, and it was still 100 out. Chuck said he had a craving for a Dr.
Pepper and fries, so I stopped at the MacDonalds on State and Kensington. I had
to go inside because no one was answering at the drive through. Evidently there
was only the manager and another worker, who was on a break, who were working.
I was at St. Joseph’s
around 6:30 to visit with Chuck Whyte who is convalescing there in rehab. Upon
entering the building there was no one at the reception desk of whom I could
ask directions how to get around.
I called Chuck and at
first, he said he was on the second floor but after wandering around I was
totally lost with no staff really to give me any direction until finally this
young orderly said he would take me to the elevator to get to where Chuck was who
was actually on the Third Floor.
As the results of his
covid test hadn’t come back yet he was isolated in his room so he couldn’t come
out to help me find him. I think the fries were nearly cold by the time I found
his room as that St Joseph is like a maze and at night there is not much staff
there; but all's well that ends well.
Chuck seemed to be in
good spirits, and we had a nice visit for about an hour. I know he is bored as
he is not allowed to leave his room and he will be there for 2 weeks so I am
sure he would like visitors.
I came back home around
8:30 and just watched some “Sopranos” before heading to bed. Kyle was out
ubering but came home early around 10 and came up to visit; one of the few
times. He just wanted to tell me about the trouble he had with this one woman
who had booked the Chevy Traxx for her elderly parents but had not followed any
of the Turo rules so he could not let the vehicle go out. I know it must have
been frustrating for everyone, but people need to just follow instructions I suppose
or stay home.
Today
is Grandma Johnson’s birthday born in 1899 in Washita County, Oklahoma
Territory.
17 June 2022 Friday
It was another hot day in the 100’s with gusty
winds drying out most everything but can’t water due to the wind making it
useless. This morning I moved all these partitions stacked in the garage
against the water heater and furnace closet so I could change the filter which
hadn’t been done since February. If I waited for Kyle Foote to help me, it
would probably be months, so I decided I better do it myself. While at Smith’s
buying a filter, I also filled the gas tank. Gas at Smith’s was $5.07 a gallon.
I get around 36 miles to a gallon so that’s not too bad.
I went with Kyle to the airport to drop off
the Chevy Traxx at 1 and he wanted to go to Costa Vida. I didn’t get anything
because I still get upset when I think how Kyle treated me there a few times
before.
As it was too hot and
windy to do much. I just continued to stay inside and watched more television.
Before going to bed, I did finish the entire series on the Sopranos. When it
originally aired, I never had HBO and a show about the mafia didn’t appeal to
me but a couple of weeks ago I was bored and binged watched it finally
finishing it tonight. I think of the series as more of a morality tale and
almost a horror series rather than a crime drama. The controversial ending, I
know disappointed its fans at the time because it was so ambiguous. My take was
that Tony, Camella, and AJ were gunned down and the daughter escaped only
because she had a hard time parallel parking. Prove me wrong lol. I know I am
late to the party as that the show ended 15 years ago but I stand by my take
that the family was killed at the restaurant in the last episode when it faded
to black.
Kyle brought up two
bags of coffee beans from the Black Rifle Company. Good Lord the right-wing gun
nuts have their own coffee brand now. Some dudes left these bags of coffee
beans behind in Kyles’ truck. I am afraid to use them lest I go out and buy an
assault weapon and join an anti-Gay riot group or attack the capitol.
18 June 2022 Saturday
It was going to be hot and windy today, so I
went out at 6:30 this morning and watered really well. It was about the only
amount of time I spent outside. I mopped the floors and straightened up the
house since Alan Anderson was coming over this evening. I only really clean
when I know someone is coming over which is rare anymore.
I worked a bit on my
Utah Gay History blog finally adding Charles Frost obituary to it as he died
last year in May. I have been adding the obituaries of figures like Joe Redburn
and Michael Quinn who have died in the past two years since I had stopped
working on my archives.
I took Kyle Foote to
the airport at 5 so he could retrieve the Chevy Traxx and when I returned home
Alan Anderson was just coming into the house. I met him inside and then we went
off to Chubby’s for some supper and to visit. We arrived just before the dinner
crowd took over the place. We each ordered a smothered burrito then we caught
up with gossip while visiting.
I told him about Jim
Dabakis being in Hungary and his involvement with some Ukrainian Gays. Also,
about visiting Chuck Whyte in the hospital. We also visited about Bill Poore
how no one has heard anything about his whereabouts or his condition. I was a little
surprised to hear Alan say he didn’t care much for old Bill. Anyway, we had a
nice dinner and I bought it as that Alan was taking me to the theater.
I
brought my handicap sticker that Bill had given me, and we found a good spot in
the Regency parking terrace. We were early at the Eccles so we visited some
more chit chatting and I was hoping my stomach wouldn’t act up. I felt a little
bloated but not terribly so.
We
were in orchestra seating 2nd row aisle seats behind the eight seats
that belonged to John Williams estate. His sister Suzanne and her husband sat
in front of us with two of their grandsons.
Alan
thoroughly enjoyed the production and said it was the best show he had seen all
season and while I thought parts were entertaining actually for much of it, I
was bored although Cody Garcia who played Willy Wonka and Kai Edgar the
10-year-old who played Charlie Bucket were outstanding. Alan laughed out loud
when Violet Beauregard popped after turning into a giant blueberry. The Oompa
Loompas were imaginative displayed as kind of hand puppets, but they did not
sing any of the morality songs as in the Gene Wilder version of what happens to
disobedient children. In fact, all the bad children in the musical were either
turned into fudge, exploded as a blueberry, or torn apart by squirrels which I
thought was kind of dark. Only “Mike Television,” who is shrunk to the size of
a ken doll, survived of the four bad children.
I thought it was a
mixed production of Willy Wonka being maniacal and being a benefactor. The
production was 2 and a half hours long and was over at 10:30 and by the time we
were able to get out of the paring terrace it was nearly 11 before I was home.
However,
I did have a nice time with Alan, and I am grateful that he invites me to go
with him when ever Kyle Daniels is out of town. It’s just I think he and I have
different tastes in musicals.
19 June 2022 Sunday
Today is Father’s Day. All my male relatives,
to whom I used to wish Happy Father's Day, are gone. No grandpas, father, or
uncles anymore. I am the last of all my male cousins also, so I am feeling like
the last of the Mohicans whenever Father's Day rolls around.
My “Great Depression
Era” relatives all gone, my World War II relatives all gone, and I am the last
of the male Baby Boomers in my family. But Happy Father’s Day to my nephews
James Wachs and Ken Jones.
I watered the shrubs
really well this morning and then took the
Honda FIT down to Quick Quack to run it through the carwash and vacuum
it out. Kyle needed me to take the Chevy Traxx to the airport but first asked
me to go with him to Quick Quack. It had sprinkled last night, and the cars
were coated with mud drops. The real reason he wanted me to go with him was to
tell me about his plans for the back yard. He accepted a job to do some lady’s
front yard tearing out the sod for xeriscaping that would allow him to rent
equipment to also do out back yard. He was informing me of all the work that
needed to be done this coming week.
After
taking the Chevy Traxx down we came back to the house where Kyle got ready for
his date with Kray Casper and to use Jim Dabakis’ tickets for Willy Wonka. Kyle
asked if I would take them so they wouldn’t have to find parking and I also
said I would pick them up afterwards.
It
was quite windy this afternoon and the temperature had dropped to 70 degrees
when Kyle called to come and get them about 5:30. They had gone out to eat
after the performance at the Brio. Kray stayed with Kyle downstairs until
around 7:30, I imagine having a romp and I watched some television until I was
bored and decided I needed to do something active, so I went and mowed the
front yard and the backyard that was full of overgrown weeds. The back yard is
soon to be filled in with dirt, but I wanted to get the weeds down.
I
watched some of the Joe Pickett series on the Paramount channel as well as some
Perry Mason and even a bit of Titanic before heading to bed near midnight. Kyle
was out ubering.
20 June 2022 Monday
I woke up to rain showers this morning after
hearing thunder and seeing lightning. I am glad I mowed yesterday.
I made some spaghetti
for lunch today; the first time in months. I cooked some lentil noodles for
Kyle Foote that were gluten free. Around 2 this afternoon Kyle began digging
along the south fence line in preparation for the rock berms he wants to install
for leveling the back yard. While he was doing some digging, I hauled some flat
stone rocks out to the parking strip to save them from simply being buried.
The
digging had to be done with a pick ax and a shovel as the ground was so hard
and mostly clay. I helped him at one point when I could tell he was wearing
down by using the flat edge shovel to scoop the dirt out of the trench. We did
about 32 feet this afternoon and thank goodness the weather was pleasant and
only in the 70’s. The south gate was basically changed with a new post going in
and eventually will be sealed up. He wants to make a new gate at the south east
corner of the fence line, but I also said that I didn’t want him to remove the
gate on the east side of the yard by the house like he envisioned.
I
guess he has decided to remove the apricot and nectarine trees which kind of
makes me sad, but I am at the point in my life that it all doesn’t matter that
much anymore as I am in my twilight years and doubt if I would ever see the
trees mature any way.
21 June 2022 Tuesday
I had another doctor’s appointment this morning
with Dr. Stoneburner to go over my labs. He said that I am severely anemic with
extremely low iron and vitamin B12. Dr. Stoneburner also thinks my stomach
issues might be from an ulcer, so he gave me a prescription for that. While at
the doctor’s office I had a vitamin B12 shot and my 2nd covid booster so am
caught up with my Pfizer regiment. Dr. Stoneburner is worried as to why I had
such a severe drop in my iron as that in January I was in the normal range but
now I have hardly any. He said that explained why I feel tired all the time. I
thought it was just because I am 71 lol.
I had lost 15 pounds
since January also and am at 181 pounds now. Well, it could be worse. At least
I am home and not at some assistant living joint like Chuck Whyte. So, I have
iron poor blood. I guess I need Geritol lol
I
have another appointment for July 21 at 11 to go over my labs to see if my iron
is improving or I might have to have an infusion of iron.
Upon
coming back to the house, I first stopped at Deseret Industries and bought two
pair of shorts as I only have two pairs now that actually fit. They still
didn’t have much of a selection because they aren’t taking donations while they
are remodeling.
When
Kyle Foote and I went to get drinks, we first went to Smith’s to pick up my
prescriptions. Dr. Stoneburner reduced my lisinopril from 40 mg to just 10.
Kyle showed me the place where he will be digging up a person’s front yard for
about a $1000 that will help pay for the equipment he will use to do the back
yard.
I
watched some of the January 6th hearing this afternoon when I wasn’t
with Kyle, and I was especially appalled by how Trump and Giuliani slandered
Ruby Freeman and her daughter who were Georgia poll workers. I hope they sue
them both such bastards.
Even
though I was really tired I helped Kyle with some of the digging, but he was
mostly done by the time I came outside. Kyle finished digging the fifty foot
trench this afternoon in which to place a retaining wall of stones and then
started building the wire cages to fill with crushed stone. The trench is at
least 18 inches deep and 2 feet wide dug through hard clay. He had to use a
pick ax to break it up before shoveling.
I saw that he had cut
down and dug up my two fruit trees. I suppose I would never live long enough to
get any fruit from them anyway and if Kyle is going to have this place when I
am gone, he might as well have the yard the way he wants it.
My Texas cactus I saved
from Grandpa's farm is blooming. So glad I was able to keep it alive. I carried
it back in one of Grandpa’s spittoon snuff cans lol. I have had it for 25 years
now.
Kyle had me help him
start to make the wire cages from the roll of wire fencing. He had me mainly
keep it from curling up as he cut the mesh with wire cutters. I know he must be
super tired from cutting more than 30 feet of it one inch at a time. My stomach
was queasy for much of the day and because I am anemic, I could only help where
I could.
After he went ubering I
went to Lucky’s and bought meat for the pups, some ice cream, and Lactaid for
Kyle. I went to bed around 10 this Summer Solstice.
Today is Mike Romero’s
66th birthday and I sent him a message wishing him a happy one.
22 June 2022 Wednesday
This morning I went into the back yard and
picked up all the debris that Kyle Foote wanted removed in preparation of
leveling the yard. While there I also cleaned up where my vegetable garden will
go next to the house pulling weeds, laying down pavers, and watering. I worked
for about 2 hours and that was enough to tire me out.
The
Prilosec pills that Dr. Stoneburner has me on for my stomach must be working as
a lot of my stomach pain and gassiness is gone. When I tested my blood pressure
this morning it was 101/59.
At
noon I took Taco down to the groomers to get his nails trimmed and the girl at
the counter there was all excited when she saw James Dukakis’s name as the
owner and asked me if he was the same as the politician. I told her yes that
Jim travels a lot and I take care of Taco for him when he’s out of the country.
I had to go to the
airport to pick up Kyle who dropped off the Nissan Rogue at 1 then we went to
get our drinks. We have a ritual about getting Dr. Peppers at Common Cents
where we know every clerk there by name and they know ours.
This late afternoon and
evening I helped Kyle with his construction of the wire baskets that will be
filled with stones to be used as a retaining wall. We worked until nearly 8
into the evening. Kyle told me of his plans for the front yard also which will
come much later when much of what I planted over the years will be replaced. I
suppose it really doesn’t matter. He said he will need my help tomorrow at the
house off of Lafayette Street in Rose Park and that he’s going to be paid to
remove a front lawn. He just needed me to help him remove items like a swing
and other stuff to the side.
He was a bit hungry, so
we went to China Delight for a late supper. I ordered Pork Chow Mein and Kyle
had his usual orange chicken.
Tomorrow will be a busy
day for Kyle, and I suppose he also wants to start dismantling the southside
fence. The wire baskets should be enough to keep the pups in the yard.
It was pleasant out for
the most part today however only in the 80’s this first full day of summer.
23 June 2022 Thursday
It was a busy day with Kyle Foote. I went with
him this morning to the house in Rose Park to help him clear off this guy’s
yard of bricks, a swing, BBQ grill, and lawn ornaments in preparation for
removing sod from his front yard. Almost as soon as we were done, and I was
back home a man showed up with the dump bed trailer and a bob cat tractor Kyle
had rented to do the yard over off of Lafayette Street. However, one of the
tires on the trailer had problems and the guy had to take it back to get fixed.
After retrieving the Sierra truck in the afternoon, we had to go down to Sandy
to pick up the trailer. I drove the truck down so Kyle could eat his Taco bell
Nachos, but he drove the truck back when it was hitched up.
It
was a little after 3 when we finally brought the trailer and bob cat over to
start the work. I was mainly there at first to help Kyle guide the tractor down
from the dump bed trailer and to spot him some so he wouldn’t hit anything. I
also took pictures of his working for him. We took one huge load of soil and
sod back to the house and dumped it on the parking pad before returning. After
getting the majority of the sod up I helped Kyle with trimming around the
driveway and sidewalk before going back to the house to feed the pups at 6. I
returned with another rake and helped Kyle rake and level out the dirt left in
the front yard. We were done a little after 7 and the owner of the home wanted
Kyle also to do the parking strip and side yard, so we are going back tomorrow
at 8 in the morning. Never did I think on my old age I would be an assistant
yard helper. Like school, Kyle keeps me young.
The
fifth January 6th hearings was held today but I didn’t get to hear
much of it because they didn’t start until 1 or Mountain Time. Members of
Trumps’ Department of Justice testified how Trump tried to use the Justice
Department to overturn the election.
Here in Utah a judge
dismissed "defamation and other legal claims" filed by Dave Robinson
a former Salt Lake County Republican Party communications director
"against Utah Gov. Spencer Cox and dozens of other state and county
leaders as well" as reported in The Salt Lake Tribune. He had been accused
by various Republican women of having contributed to a "toxic environment
within the county party" and who accused him of "harassment, body
shaming and other inappropriate behavior." He also ran for Mayor of SLC against
Jackie Biskupski.
I met Dave when he took
in Levon my Armenian Ward after Levon moved out. Dave used him for his free
labor and abused him several times when Levon would call me in the middle of
the night to come get him.
Dave would take in
stray Gays and use them for free labor than kick them out. He didn't like me as
he couldn't completely control Levon as Levon had me as his back up. Oh, the
stories I could tell. I am glad he's gotten his comeuppance. In my opinion just
another confused Gay Republican with anger issues and internalized homophobia.
24 June 2022 Friday
Kyle Foote had me go with him to finish grading
this person's parking strip and side yard this morning on LaMarne Street in
Rose Park. I mostly followed behind him with a broom, rake, and shovel while he
drove the bob cat. So, the job was all done in one and a half days. We have the
blisters to show for it but at least it was not hot out just warm. We were done
by noon and Kyle was paid $1395 for the job and gave me $950 to put towards the
credit card that I will use to pay for the use of the bobcat and dump trailer.
We made an appointment
for 9:15 tomorrow at the Wasatch Springs Vet for Persephone as Kyle thinks she
caught a virus of some type.
He
then went and picked up Danny Montoya from the airport who has a layover here
in SLC. I wonder if he’s planning a layover with Kyle. I was kind of surprised
because Kyle has been very adamant about his feelings about breaking up with
Danny. I don’t think Kyle ever brought Danny home as he said they were going
out to dinner. If they did have an encounter, it was probably in Danny’s hotel
room.
Kyle
did go out to Huish’s landfill to get several tons of crushed concrete to fill
in the wire containers tomorrow. His friend Tim Hunter is supposed to come over
to help us out. I didn’t want to go, and Kyle really didn’t need me so while
Kyle was out, I went and used the hot tub to relax and fill it up a little bit.
It’s set at 100 degrees, and it was in the 80’s today.
Today the Trump packed
Supreme Court overturned a 50-year precedent for a woman's right to choose.
Theocracy has replaced democracy thanks to Mitch McConnell. This morning the
McConnell/Trump Right Wing court did what it was chosen to do and that was to overturn
Roe v. Wade. The ruling has lit up social media with condemnation from my
friends and family, but I am sure the decision was praised by religious loonies
and conservatives.
Nineteenth Century
Supreme Court Justice Robert Taney ruled in the Dred Scott decision before the
Civil war that blacks could never be citizens and overturned the Missouri
Compromise. He basically said blacks had no rights that a white man had to
respect. The Supreme Court can make wrong rulings.
The Mitch McConnell
stacked court basically said women had no rights to their own body basically
making their uterus property of the state. This court is on the wrong side of
history and will be judged accordingly. Never let a Republican controlled Senate
ever have the ability to place unqualified theocrats on the Supreme Court
again.
Clarence Thomas even
said that Sodomy and Marriage Equality as well as contraceptives decisions
should be revisited and overturned.
Some of us remember and
will not forget that on this date 45 years ago The International Women’s Year’s
state conference was held in downtown Salt Lake City. The Mormon Church
orchestrated a takeover of the conference by Conservation non-feminist Mormon Women.
Conservative Mormon Bishop Dennis Kerr organized anti-feminist, anti-ERA
orientations to block support for the ERA in Utah. “Kerr and his group warned
about Lesbian takeovers, unfair voting practices, and being subjected to
pornographic films. In the scheduled workshops the conservative Mormon
delegates shouted down women they identified as “feminists,” sometimes calling
them lesbians.
A hearty fuck you to
all those who say there is no difference between Democrats and Republicans, so
they don’t vote. If Hillary Clinton had won, the Presidency the Supreme Court
would have looked entirely different and there would never have been a January
6 coup
I rewrote my will this afternoon to reflect
the changes I made since I first wrote it in 2018. I eliminated Mike Romero
from being a legatee as well as my nephew Kevin Jones. I am not upset with Mike
but since I have been subsidizing his repayment of my 401K loan, I made to him
some years ago by $960 a year, amounting to several thousands of dollars over
time and will for some time to come, I figured that was enough. Besides Mike is
taken care of by his folk’s inheritance and his brother John to whom he is
leaving his estate to. It’s possible that I might out live Mike anyway.
I
left out my nephew Kevin Jones for a couple of reasons. First is that my sister
Donna is leaving all of her estate to him and not any to her son Kenny Jones so
he will be okay unless he gets reckless. Second, he’s never interacted with me
as his uncle once except to say he didn’t believe the research I did on the
Jones family. At least Kenny’s family acknowledges me once in a while.
I
wanted to make these changes to reflect my abiding love for Kyle no matter how
strange if may appear to others. So, this is what I wrote.
LAST WILL and TESTAMENT
I, Edgar Hugh Williams
Jr, also known as “Ben Williams,” a resident of Salt Lake City, Salt Lake
County, State of Utah, being of sound mind and memory and in perfect heath, do
make, publish, and declare this to be my last Will and Testament, thereby revoking
and declaring all other Last Will and Testaments null and void, and or codicil
to any of Last Will and Testament heretofore made by me.
At the time of
executing this will I am a divorced single man.
Primus- I desire to be
cremated at Wiscombe Memorial, LLC in Salt Lake Utah. I give unto Warren Kyle
Foote, my beloved friend, my remains and those of my beloved pets to do as he
will.
Second- I direct that
as soon as is practical after my death, the executor named pursuant to this
Will, review all of my just debts and obligations including last illness and
funeral expenses, except for those secured long term that may be assumed by the
beneficiary or beneficiaries of such property unless such assumption is
prohibited by law or on agreement by the beneficiary or beneficiaries.
The executor is further
directed to pay any attorney fees and any other estate administration expenses
from said estate. The executor shall pay these debts only after creditors
provide timely and sufficient evidence to support its claim in accordance with
applicable state law.
I direct that any
estate inheritance and succession taxes including any interest and penalties
thereon, imposed by the federal government, or any state, district, or
territory, attributable to assets includible in my estate, passing either under
or outside this Will; be apportioned among the persons interested in my estate
in accordance with applicable state and federal law.
My executor is
authorized and directed to seek reimbursement from the beneficiaries of my
estate for any debts paid by my executor to the extent allowed by law.
Therefore, I direct
that all my debts be paid in full by my executor except for the remaining
mortgage and or mortgages on my home at 1633 N Fernleaf Street, Salt Lake City,
Utah 84116. Property Description Lot 38, Northpointe Phase 1, According to the
Official Plat Thereof, as recorded in the Office of the Salt Lake County
Recorder, APN #: 08-22-335-010
Third- I give the
persons named below the following specific bequests if owned by me at the time
of my death
a) I give and bequeath
to my beloved friend Warren Kyle Foote my home at 1633 North Fernleaf Street
Salt Lake City Utah, 84116, where he resides, and the remaining equity in the
property at said 1633 Fernleaf Street Salt Lake City, Utah 84116 on the condition
that any animal that survives me is allowed to live out their natural lives in
said residence at 1633 Fernleaf Street, Salt Lake City, Utah. Additionally, I
give and bequeath to Warren Kyle Foote sixty percent [60%] of all my financial
assets in my 401k plan and other fiduciary accounts.
b) I give and bequeath
to my niece Denise Elizabeth Wachs, residing at 6142 East Covina, Mesa Arizona,
ten percent [10%] of all my financial assets in my 401k plan and other savings
accounts.
c) I give and bequeath to James Edgar Clark
residing at 1169 W Loemann Dr,
San Tan Valley, Arizona, ten percent [10%] of
all my financial assets in my 401k plan and other savings accounts.
d) I give and bequeath
to Michael Louis Wachs, residing at 514 South East 10th Street
Newton, Kansas, ten percent [10%] of all my
financial assets in my 401k plan and other savings accounts.
e) I give and bequeath
to my nephew Kenneth Thomas Paine Jones, residing at 30085 Olive Grove Street,
Lake Elsinore California, ten percent [10%] of all my financial assets in my
401k plan and other savings accounts.
f) Additionally, I give
and bequeath to my beloved nephews James Edgar Clark, and Michael Louis Wachs
and my beloved niece Denise Elizabeth Wachs, any personal items or furnishings
they may want as keepsakes.
g) I give and bequeath
to the Archive Division of the Marriott Library at the University of Utah all
my personal journals and or diaries both manuscripts, typed, and or digital.
Additionally, I give and bequeath all my LGBT writings, histories, chronologies,
and sundry other papers and collections to the Marriott Library Archives.
h) Additionally, I give
and bequeath to Michael Ray Romero and Warren Kyle Foote whatever funds may
remain in my Checking Account at America First Credit Union, to have and divide
equally among them.
I nominate my dear
friend, Randall [Randy] Gile, residing at 5278 West Bowstring Way, South
Jordan, Utah as executor of my estate. In his absence I nominate his lawful
wife Kimberlee Giles, residing at the same above residence.
Knowing that it is
appointed that all men shall die, I declare and devise that this is my Last
Will and Testament dated 25 June 2022
Edgar Hugh Williams Jr. :
25 June 2022 Saturday
Today was busy and tiresome, but had a nice
ending with Andy Dalrymple, Roy Zang and his husband coming over just as Kyle
Foote and I were finished for the day.
This morning at 9:15 we
had an appointment at Wasatch Springs Animal clinic for Persephone. Dr. Blotter
said she probably just had allergies and gave her a shot. I don’t know who was
more traumatized, Kyle or Persephone.
When
I asked if Danny Montoya was still in town, Kyle said he had already left and
was adamant that that I never bring up his name again so what ever happened
yesterday did not go well at all.
Today was the
disassembling of the south fence for the rock retaining wall. I mostly helped
by moving the wooden planks over to the patio and cleared off the yard as much
as possible. It was warm out but not extremely hot. Kyle used the bob cat to
pull up two tree stumps from the south front yard that had been cut done
earlier and he also used the machine to clear a path along the east fence
taking out the lilac bush and other vegetation. I dug up the peony to try and
save it but because of the width of the shovel blade a lot was just removed.
In
the back yard he used the bob cat to dig up the remaining giant root of the old
globe willow that was 10 feet long and had the diameter of a good size tree. He
wants to put in an electrical conduit from the house to the south fence wall.
In
the afternoon Kyle began putting the wire cages in place and we had to refill
the holes dug to make them all level and the same height.
Kyle
said that that Tim Hunter who was going to come over to help wasn’t feeling
well so I was the main helper for Kyle, and I was pretty well beat from what I
did.
Kyle
wanted Raising Cane chicken for lunch, but I wasn’t all that hungry and just
ate the coleslaw and Texas Toast that came with his meal. They weren’t all that
great.
About
7 in the evening when we were quitting anyway, we had a surprise visit from
Andy, Roy, and his Chinese husband. They wanted to visit with me so had just
dropped by. I was slightly embarrassed as I hadn’t clean the house well, but
they came to see me not the house.
We
gossiped and swapped stories about the Pride Center and just life in general.
Even Kyle came up to socialize and that was almost as surprising but was glad
he did. I gave Andy the Black Rifle coffee beans because I doubt whether I’d
ever use them, and he said he would.
When
I asked Roy whether the center even supports the Utah Queer Historical Society
any more, he shocked me by saying that they have terminated the group as a
project of the center as per an email sent by Joni Weiss on last May 23rd.
Roy had requested that the center not use any images of him to promote the
center. She wrote, “Hi Roy, I believe you asked for this once before. I removed
them at that time. Also, that page is not linked to anything on our site any
longer. Today I moved the page to the trash. I also Re-indexed our pages and
sent requests to Google, Microsoft, and Yandex to remove the page and
associated images. Kind Regards, Joni Weiss (She/Her) Website Developer &
Design Lead / Website Content Coordinator.
Andy
and Roy had only planned to stay a short time, but we got to visiting so much
that they stayed until 10 before calling it a night. It’s the first time in a
long time that I enjoyed being with unfiltered Gay men discussing issues of the
day. Our consensus is that we are done with the Pride Center as it has become
anti-Gay men and focuses more on BiPOC and Trans issues. Time to move on and
just enjoy the memories of when we were a homosexual community.
So,
the Supreme Court’s conservative logic is that states cannot regulate concealed
weapons, but they can regulate a woman's uterus. The radical right sharks have
taste blood in the water, having achieved the overturn of Roe v Wade. Who are
they going after next? We are going to need a bigger boat to survive.
Today is my sister
Donna Jones’ 73rd birthday.
26 June 2022 Sunday
The neighbor lady Debbie, who walks her dog
each day, came to the door this morning at 7:30 to say that two of the pups got
out of the backyard. They were Taco and Maxx the little shits. Kyle had put up
a plastic retaining fence, but they manage to get through anyway. The lady said
they were trying to get back into the yard but couldn’t. LOL
Today
was the major task of filling in the retaining wall baskets along the south
fence line. Kyle used the bob cat to scoop up the rock filler, but we had to
control the amount placed in each basket by hand. It took from 10 until 2 to do
all 7 cages and it was hot today. We just finished when we had to go to the
airport to pick up the Nissan Rogue.
While
I rested in the afternoon Kyle began the great leveling of the backyard behind
the Great Wall of the House of the Barking Dogs. He also trenched out some of
the yard where the electrical conduit will go.
While
it was not nearly as arduous filling the wire baskets with rocks using the bob
cat it was still quite tiring for me and it just seems strange to see the
backyard opened to the view of the street until the fence gets replaced
Take nothing for
granted; on this day in 2003 the US Supreme Court ruled 19 years ago in a 6-3
decision in Lawrence v. Texas case that the Texas sodomy law was
unconstitutional. The court ruled on privacy grounds. This meant that the
sodomy laws in all 13 remaining states, including Utah, were unconstitutional.
The opinion was written by Justice Anthony Kennedy. Of the 3 who dissented only
Clarence Thomas remains on the court now assisted by 5 other cohorts. The Roe
vs. Wade repeal was a 6 to 3 decision.
If a 50-year-old
precedent can be overturned so can this 19-year-old decision. Utah still has an
anti-sodomy law on its books which would go back into effect if the decision was ever
reversed.
How will that impact
Gay men? We will be criminalized again allowing bigots to discriminate due to
our "illegal behavior". Repeal of marriage equality certainly is on
the radar of conservatives. Ask Utah Senate President Stuart Adams if you don't
believe me.
Sodomy being illegal
was the argument that Utah Conservatives used for years to keep from passing an
anti-discrimination law in Utah based on sexual orientation as that such
behavior was illegal.
I was considered
mentally ill until 1974 when I was 23 until the APA took homosexual off as a
pathology and I was a sexual criminal until I was 52 years old. The entire time
I taught school I could have been fired if known I was a homosexual for
"moral turpitude" as was the lesbian Wendy Weaver in the Nebo
District. Any employer can fire you for cause in Utah.
Gay folks should vote
like our lives and those of the people we love depend on it and for the
political party that wants to keep our rights not repeal them.
Not all parties are the
same and the majority party makes the rules. Ask Mitchell McConnell if you
don't believe me, who allowed Trump to appoint three Supreme Court justices who
lied about their position on Roe vs. Wade.
Kyle
and I went to Sutherlands at 10 this morning for something he needed and while
there, I saw they were giving away free the remainder of their geraniums and
petunias as they were getting too much sun. I took a couple of them to plant at
the house.
When I had internet this morning, I tried looking up the
legal description for my property but couldn’t find it on line, but realtor
sites Redfin, Zillow, and Trulia listed the value of my house between $460,000
and $430,000 and even at that only a 3-bedroom 1 bathroom house. I can’t even
imagine that.
My mortgage is only for $168,000 that I took out in 2020 so
Kyle should have a lot of equity in this house after I am gone. I did find the
property description in the mortgage papers I signed. It’s Lot 38, Northpointe
Phase 1, According to the Official Plat Thereof, as recorded in the Office of
the Salt Lake County Recorder, APN #: 08-22-335-010.
We lost internet access today when either Kyle Foote or I
damaged the Google fiber optic cable while digging in the yard. Kyle was
trenching to make a conduit from the electrical box to the fence while I was
digging a hole in the parking strip to replant the Yucca plant that Kyle wanted
removed from the corner curb strip. My cell phone was working well enough to
check some of my Facebook postings, so I didn’t feel completely cut off from
the world.
It was a busy day with having to go to Sutherlands and
Lowes several times and taking the Nissan Rogue to the airport, but Kyle
started clearing the RV pad where it will extend out into the front yard. We
started filling up the dump trailer with yard waste and by the end of the day
the backyard looked so barren almost like in 1996 before laying any sod or
planting any trees.
It was extremely hot today in the high 90’s and I could
really feel it today.
In the evening Kyle wanted to cut the wire fencing to make
three more cages for stones to go in the front yard. I helped him with the
rolling out of the bundle, but I was pretty exhausted by 8 and so was Kyle. He
said we’d make the baskets tomorrow and so glad it will only be three.
Kyle is keeping the Bob Cat for two extra days, so we don’t
feel rushed, but he said we are making great progress.
The Honda FIT needed gas and Kyle said he put 10 gallons in
so, at $5.09 a gallon that was over $50 the most I ever paid for a tank of Gas.
I am too busy to pay
attention to the news much but it’s mostly about the outrage of the
Christofascist Supreme Court’s ruling on concealed weapons, the repeal of Roe
v. Wade, and a decision for a coach to give a public prayer during a football
game.
28 June 2022 Tuesday
I went with Kyle Foote to Bountiful to rent a
U-Haul Pickup truck to haul the dump trailer to the land fill this morning.
Then we went to Huish to get a load of dirt while we were out that way. That is
what Kyle, and I did most of the day was go back and forth bringing tons of
dirt back to the house. I only went with him once or twice as I was really
tired today for some reason and did a lot of cat napping.
The google fiber optic
people never came today to reattach the line that was broken the other day. I
have been able to access a lot of the internet over my cell phone, so I am not
completely shut off from the world.
I
did watch a little bit of the testimony of a surprised witness for the January
6th committee. This young woman named Cassidy Hutchinson who was a
staff assistant to Mark Meadow related how Donald Trump had several temper
tantrums throwing dishes in the White House and attacking one of his secret
service agents who wouldn’t take him to the Capitol to join the mob. Trump
denies he even knew this woman when evidence showed she was in several of the
places where meeting were being held.
We
had some slight thunder showers this afternoon just enough to settle the dust
but not much good otherwise. The battery to the dump trailer needed charging in
the late afternoon so we called it quits for the day and I enclosed the open
area of the back yard with an orange netting barrier to keep the dogs in.
Kyle said that Kray
Casper wanted to come see him and bring him supper, so they were together until
Kyle left to go ubering.
29 June 2022 Wednesday
I went grocery shopping at Lucky’s this morning
at 7 as I knew that Kyle Foote would need me at home most of the day as the
Fiber optic crew was supposed to have come to repair the cable, but they never
did.
Kyle was up early
himself to start going to Huish to haul tons of soil back to the house all day.
He said at one point that the rental truck had to be returned to Bountiful by 2
so he was pressured to make as many trips as possible and he also asked me to
go buy a locking pin for the hitch like the one he had removed.
I first went to
bountiful, but they didn’t have one in stock, so I went to the U Haul on 21st
South and they did so I bought one for $21. Kyle brought so much soil back that
it filled the entire section of the street around my corner lot. We went to
take the U Haul pick up back first buying gas which has jumped to $5.30 a
gallon and took it through the car wash. Kyle said it cost him $150 to use the
U Haul truck but by renting out the Sierra he was getting $220 for it so it
made sense for him to do what he did.
He
was hungry so we stopped at Costa Vida in Bountiful for his lunch, but I just
had a hot dog that I had bought at Lucky’s and some coleslaw and summer squash
I had cooked earlier.
I noticed that
Lulubelle was limping with her right back leg, but Kyle and I couldn’t see that
she had a cut, or anything was stuck in her paw.
I know Kyle was
exhausted from the back and forth all day hauling tons of soil in the dump
trailer and unloading it in front of the house. It looks like a rampart around
the front of the house.
It
was quite warm today in the 90’s and after Kyle left to go ubering I watched a
little television but was bored with it, so I watered the Arborvitaes that
needed it and also swept the dirt from the sidewalk that surrounds my lot.
I
went to bed around 10 but was woken by the sound of rain. Then I heard the
thunder and saw flashes of lightning so a summer storm must have rolled in.
Lulubelle was scared and hiding but the rest of the pups were okay. I opened
the bedroom door to the veranda to let in the cool air and to smell the
freshness.
30 June 2022 Thursday
It was a big mistake to sleep with my door open
because I was bitten by mosquitoes on my hands which made it impossible to
sleep because of them itching so much. Finally, at 3:30 I decided to get up
rather than try to sleep any more. I put itching cream on my hands but didn’t
help any.
I
wrote some on a story I had put away for a couple of years called The
Handmaiden of the Lord, a historical fictional account of a slave who was owned
by a Mormon elite in the early 19th century. At 6 I managed to go
back to sleep and slept for about two hours before getting up permanently for
the day. It was already warm when I let the pups outside.
Kyle
Foote was up at 9 wanting to go to Home Depot to rent a soil compacter for when
we spread the dirt out. We took the Sonoma but when we got almost there on 21st
South the pickup began making a really bad grinding sound. Worried that the
truck was going to break down we drove back home, very anxious that at any time
the truck would give out and we would just have another issue to deal with.
Fortunately, the old truck made it back to the house where Kyle parked in on
the side driveway until we can deal with it another day. It may be time to
finally get rid of it after 25 years.
Anyway,
we went back down to Home Depot in the GM Terrain and was able to fit the
compacter into the back as it was about the size of a lawnmower only a lot
heavier.
Back
at the house Kyle started moving the piles of dirt in the street that were
along the curb while he wanted me to rake the piles after they were dumped. I
know he was frustrated with me some because I couldn’t move as fast nor spread
the dirt out in the manner he wanted, and he was up and down out of the cab
doing it himself. Finally, he asked if I’d pay to hire some Mexican workers
that are usually down at Home Depot, and I said gladly. It was really hot out
and I am way too old for such physical exertion.
He
brought two fellows back around 2 in the afternoon who agreed to do the work
for what Kyle offered and they were really good workers and helped Kyle
immensely while Kyle just had me do some odd and ends but mostly sit, I think
to be out of the way.
At
3 Kyle had me deal with a mechanic zoom call for the Chevy Traxx which was kind
of out of my comfort zone. I had to show the mechanic pictures on camera that
all of the equipment for the Traxx was sound.
Kyle,
with really good helpers who shoveled and raked the dirt and leveled it as Kyle
dumped, finished earlier than he thought around 4:30. Kyle asked me to pay them
each $200 for their labor and they were well worth it let me tell you. They
were also very happy, and Kyle spoke to them in Spanish and got their contact
numbers in case he ever needed them for another project.
We
took them back to Home Depot and ordered Chinese Food as Kyle hadn’t eaten all
day. So, what started as a stressful day ended up well.
Kyle
ate downstairs and after I ate some of my chow Mein I went and let the pups out
as they had to be kept in all day mostly. While watching them that they don’t
try to leave the yard I contacted Jimmy Hamamoto to see if he’d be willing to
meet Kray Casper when he moves back to Boston as that Kray doesn’t know a soul
there. Jimmy said he would be glad to be a contact person for him.
Then
Kyle and I went out and started shoveling and sweeping the street in front of
the house to clean up any dirt and debris left from the piles. We worked at
that until 8 and then he went ubering.
Well,
the backyard is leveled and bare of all the original plants, trees, and shrubs
except for the lone Ash tree. It really looks different but impressive. There
is a lot more to do. Kyle wants to bring in some more dirt, finish making and
filling three more retaining walls for out front and completely smoothing out
the back yard which is kind of undulating right now. Then eventually we will
finish building the wooden fence, reseed and Kyle will put in a new sprinkler
system. He once told me he wanted it all done by July 24th and
tomorrow is July.
We
still haven’t heard from the google optic fiber guys but really, we have been
way too busy for me to miss it right now. Well Pride Month is finally over, and
I had posted on my Historical Society’s page on Face Book, This Day in Gay Utah
History for the past 30 days. That’s about all I did. Most of June had been
used up working in the front and back yards. It hadn’t been a terrible month
weather wise, but we had 3 days of over 100 degrees and 9 days of over 90 so
that indicates we will have a hot summer.
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