July
It
was such a pleasant first day of July with it only getting up to 80 degrees
here in Northern Utah. It was a perfect day to work cleaning up the back yard
for the pool that Kyle bought for the summer. all I knew was that he wanted at
the edge of the patio on the side yard so I had to move the cattle gate and I
clipped and pulled all the weeds and
while I was at it I went around the entire perimeter of the side yard and
slipped and mowed down all the weeds and drying Larkspur to tidy up the yard.
Kyle needed me to be home because
Lowes was delivering 2 picnic benches between 10:30 and 2:30 but they came
about noon. That took all morning but
around 12:30 I went to Papis to bring Kyle some lunch of the Meat Loaf I made
yesterday. After coming back to the house, I worked a bit more mowing and
raking and also cleaning up the patio.
Adrian was gone for much of the day.
I slept with him last night and when I got up noticed that one of the pups had
pooped in his room, probably Lulubelle and I cleaned it before going on with my
day. However, when Kyle came home he said that Adrian didn’t want the pups in
his room anymore, which I couldn’t blame him but that also meant I wouldn’t be
sleeping with him anymore because TJ can’t sleep without being with me and
often Taco also. So that made me a bit sad but I can’t sleep without my pups.
Anyway, when Kyle came home he was
all excited because he sold his first shed today for Old Hickory and he also
brought Jesus Pereira and Lusito home with him to set up the swimming pool
which I had no idea it was so massive. It is 18 feet in diameter and will take
days to fill.
He had me go get 4 pizzas from
Little Caesars and around 6:00 Luis,
Milagros, Johanna and Tutu showed up and ate with everyone also. I
worked sweeping out beneath the veranda and chopped down the Virgina Creeper
that had overgrown the fence around the hot tub so I stayed busy while Kyle and
Jesus assembled the two picnic tables and Luis and Lucito worked on putting
together the BBQ grill Kyle bought. I also cut up all the cardboard boxes that
everything had com e in so I cold recycle them later. I ga d filed up another
one of my large trash cans as a testament of how much work I did.
I went to bed at 9 while the rest
continued working and listening to Latin music while swimming pool continued to
fill up. I think I am going to have a huge water bill for sure.
Never would have dreamed in my old age I
would have a Columbian and Venezuelan family and be serenaded by Latin music
as I went to bed.
The Donald Trump Supreme Court gave him
immunity for his crimes committed as President. Republicans are truly the party
of treason now nominating a felon as their nominee for president.
Adrian didn’t not
sleep at the house this morning but came home around 10. I fixed him some
breakfast but then left to bring Kyle some meatloaf and then go to DI to look
for some swimsuits. I bought two one 34 waist and one 36 to be safe but the 36
surprising was too loose. I bought a CD, radio, and Tape player for 8 dollars,
which is a good deal.
I then went over to
Mike Romero’s to retrieve a BBQ he didn’t want and a folding chair.
Anyway, It took until 4”30 for the
pool to fill which was almost 24 hours.
When Kyle came home he install the new closet mirror doors in Adrians
room which is a mess because he was gone all day and clothes strewn everywhere
and bed unmade. I always made his bed
but not today. I am still kind of upset with him that he hadn’t lifted a
finger to help around the house or even clean his own room.
Then Kyle drilled holes in the
picnic tables for the Umbrella he bought but we then had to go to Lowes in
Bountiful to get some umbrellas stands so they would flop around so much.
It was almost 9 when we were home but
I went down to Lucky; s to buy 5 more 12 packs of soda pops because you were on
sell at $4 and I thought the sale might be over tomorrow and they are back to
$9.
Coming home Adrian’s car was
blocking the driveway entrance which pissed me off again because I was tired
and had to yell to get him to move it so I could pull into the garage.
I didn’t interact with Kyle or
Adrian because I was just plain tired so I went to bed and watched Monster
University on the Disney Channel
Adrian didn’t spend
the night again and his room is still a mess. I left the house to go to Deseret
Industries to look at swim wear again
and the one I bought today when I tried
it on a home it was snugged at 34 inches compared to the one I bought
yesterday. Oh well.
I stopped at the rose Park Library
and checked out some books and an CD audio tape before coming home about 10:30.
Adrian was finally home but I didn’t say anything to him as he will go back to work today and hadn’t
bothered to clean his room, which I don’t really mind. I think it’s because it
just seems to be a symptom of something else.
I didn’t go to Papi’s either as I
didn’t feel well but I did scrubbed and cleaned the deck by the doggie door
where the pups have been pooping. I hadn’t cleaned it in a while and it was a job. I am not feeling well. I think that is one of
the reasons I am moody about Adrian.
I worked mainly around the house as
I was too tired to go anywhere. In fact, I sat in the hot tub for a little bit
to try out my new swim suit. It felt nice but I only had he temperature at 97
degrees as Kyle doesn’t enjoy it being too hot unlike me.
I decided to stop being an old poop
abut Adrian. I love that boy and he is what he is so I went into his room
dragged the large box contained his mirror closet doors, put away his laundry
strewn all over his bed, and then made his bed. I went down into Kyle’s room
and brought up the vacuum as well as his dirty dishes. I don’t think Adrians room had been vacuumed
since he moved in.
I
listened to Murder on the Menu the audiobook I checked out and some NPR. It is nice to have a radio In
the house again.
I
was working on cleaning out Mike Romero’s BBQ Grill of all the old charred
remains when Kyle came home with party supplies for tomorrow. He sent me a
picture from Papi’s showing that they erected the poles to show the height of
vehicles that could be washed.
I
went to bed at 10 but was wakened when Adrian came home. He shut my door to
bring a boy home so he could be fucked. So, he was having his own
fireworks. They were downstairs
afterwards. Adrian didn’t come back up so must have spent the night with Kyle.
I wonder if the boy stayed also or went home.
I
just hugged TJ and my teddy day.
I think the Reaper
is letting me know my time is about up in this old world . Yesterday I almost
choaked on my breakfast caught in my throat and today the pups made me lose my
balance walking down the front steps making me fall and hitting my head on the
concrete. After laying there a while, I
saw that I wasn't dead and so gathered up all the leashes and finished walking
the pups. Life goes on until it doesn't.
Well Adrian spent the night
downstairs with Kyle so when they were up I fixed them breakfast. Papi’s was
closed today and Adrian did have to come into work until 2:30 and he got off at
6:30.
I spent most of the morning cleaning
and helping Kyle with setting up for the party. At one point Kyle and Adrian
got really mad at Milagros because she at the last minute said they needed a
charcoal grill to cook the meat they were bringing instead of the propane one
he had bought and I brough over from Mike Romero. She could have said something
before now and Kyle was pissed but he went out and bought another grill and
charcoal briquettes. Mostly I think because Kyle was super tired and sometimes
Milagros acts like an ingrate as I know Kyle must have spent over a thousand
dollars for the party.
Anyway, some of the gang started
coming over around 2:30 and Kyle just let Leo Negron and Jesus Pereira assemble the new grill while Luis Jr blew up
the inflatables for the pool. Tutu and Luisana came over with Johanna. Leo had
to go to work in the later afternoon and Luis and Milagros came when Bewilder
closed early. So, the party began around
5:30 with music from the karaoke slashed radio Adrian had bought. Jesus Pereira
and Johanna did most of the food prep with Jesus barbeque.
I have to say it was a very
enjoyable after and I even got into the pool for a bit before both Kyle and I
went to our rooms for a nap and for me to walk the pups before it got crazy
tonight with fireworks.
The food was ready by 6:30 and there were ribs, carne
steak, chicken, and sausage from the BBQ. I brought out the potato salad I made
yesterday and Johana had a carrot salad also. There were plenty of chips,
drinks, soda, beer, and margaritas. Both
Kyle and I ate very little meat, not because it wasn’t good, we were just
tired. I mainly ate the ribs and had a couple of margaritas.
Adrian showed up around 7 and by
then everyone was back in the pool having fun. Kyle made it a special day with
picnic tables, umbrellas, a pool, and the grills. The folks even use the hot
tub.
Adrian had a couple of friends from
work over
The Executive
Branch is not one person... compare Bidens cabinet with Trumps cabinet. Compare
Bidens vice President to Trumps who he tried to get him killed.
5
July 2024 Friday
I trash trucks came
this morning so I had to put out the yard refuse, the recycling bin, and the
two garbage bins all which were filled to the brim. Then I spent the morning cleaning up after
the fiesta putting away what needed to be stored and washing and cleaning what
needed there. Kyle wanted me to Papis so I loaded up the back of the FIT with
all the cared board from all the boxes from all the items Kyle and Adrian had
bought. I also bought him his meatloaf lunch.
At Papis, Kyle said he needed me to
go to Nicholas and pick up a small order of fries and hamburger buns, but also
wanted me to go to Utah First to get a cashier check for $2700 to pay rent at
Papi’s. He paid all his other bills but needed the rent for Papis to come out
of the HELOC. He was over drawn in the Checking Account which irritated me
because I am the one that had to deal with it.
I was really tired because at
Nicholas I had to wait 45 minutes in a warm car waiting for the Will Call to
bring the food out and at Bewilders Milagros was out on the deck talking on the
phone and not helping me unload so I just left it all on the deck for the gals
to deal with before heading off to deal with Utah First. I got the check and
brought it back to Papis but then just went home. Kyle expects too much from me at my age.
When Adrian came home to eat his
supper he said that he had his hours changed from 2 in the afternoon to 6 in
the morning.
I have not been feeling well lately,
probably just worn down. I’ve watched a lot of Walt Disney & Pixar movies
lately because I have lots interest in typing right now. I think I might be
mildly depressed over politics and the future of this country. I don’t know why
I bother because most likely won’t live long enough to care.
6
July 2024 Saturday
I am in a bit of a
summer malaise today as I have a lack of energy and don’t know what it’s from.
I was up before 6 this morning to fix Adrian some breakfast as I thought he
said he started his new shift today but
evidently he didn’t as he never got out of bed until this afternoon. Kyle left
the house sometime this morning and I never saw him all day but heard ho come
in around 10 at night. Michael Romero called and said he was home and has an
appointment this Monday at the doctors but I said I may still be at work at
Papi’s so just drop Coco off at the house that day.
I didn’t leave the house today or do
much around it but stay in bed or typed. I have kind of lost interest in doing
anything which is kind of concerning to me because that may mean I am losing
interest in life.
Andy Dalrymple called this afternoon to talk about Roy Zang’s health issues having been diagnosed with Mastocytosis as well as his skin cancer. We visited a bit about what is left of the Gay community and Is aid that our experiences reflect a time 30 years ago and are not relevant to LGBTQ+ kids today especially among the Trans who would just as soon forget anything we had to overcome and struggle for. Gender issues have supplanted sexual orientation in this brave new world. Gays put up the chairs so that Trans could have a seat at the table but no one seems to care anymore. Oh well. Life goes on with you or without you.
7
July 2024 Sunday
Two hours doing
yard work is plenty but I needed to do it when the weather was cooler in the
morning. I love Larkspur in the late Spring with its dainty purple and pink
blooms but when July hits the heat turns them into just tall brown weeds. So up
they must go but they drop thousands of little black Poppy like seeds that will
come back next Spring.
I
finally cut back all my oriental poppies that quit blooming last June as well
as dead headed my Shasta daisies & roses that had burned up in the heat.
So
now it’s just my drought resistant perennials that will give me color through
the rest of summer. My sunflowers and hollyhocks are in full bloom & the
cone plants are starting to flower.
I have been
fighting milkweed which seems prolific this year. Ugh. Thank goodness I
eradicated Scottish thistle from my yard early... Prickly weeds are the worse.
Larkspur is pretty when it blooms but now they are just brown weeds.
Kyle
wanted me to come down to Papi’s to bring him some lunch and while there I
watered the geraniums. I didn’t stay long and went to the Glendale’s Smith
hoping to find some more Apricots that I bought last week that were delicious.
Too often they are picked too soon and have no taste but these were like off
the tree. However, they didn’t have any just some loose ones so I bought some
fruit like plums, nectarines, and bananas. I also bought more chicken for the
pups,
When I came home
the house was warm so I was really worried that the Heat Pump wasn’t working
and it wasn’t.
The
house heated up to 86 degrees so I called Kyle at 9 asking when are you coming
home because I had called him around 5 to tell the house was warm. It kind of
pissed me off that he didn’t come right away to look at what was wrong. He
didn’t get home until 9:30 and said the compressor failed so the fan wasn’t
coming on. He managed to get the fan going but only as a temporary fix until we
can get someone out tomorrow.
Beneath
the deck it was completely filthy from being beneath where the pups pee and
poop on the deck. So, I spent an hour or more wiping the heat pump down and
scraping up the crud on the concrete. It was a mess but I wasn’t going to have
someone come over with it looking the way it was.
I
finished reading one of the books I checked out the other day called “Ain’t
Nobody Nobody” by Heather Harper Ellet. It was about a murder in East Texas and
involved feral hogs. It was not my favorite book but I did finish it.
8
July 2024 Monday
I had to be at
Papi’s at 8 so I was up at 6 to eat a bit and walk the pups. Kyle went with
Jesus Pereira to Evanston Wyoming to meet with representatives of Hickory Shed
so he needed me to be there to record sales. The only issue was this asshole
returning a U-Haul who was bitching at me because I wasn’t helping him when
Kyle had set everything up to be self-serve.
I was really tired when Kyle
returned at 1 but had to rush home to meet Mike Romero who was bringing Coco
over while he went to see his catheter nurse. At 4 One day Plumber came over
and Kyle rushed home to deal with the man who came to replace the compressor.
Well, that was $500 later.
I cut up the rest of the watermelon so
Kyle and I could have it before it spoils.
My sister Donna had called but I was busy so I returned her call later . She just wanted to check in and there wasn’t anything new with her. I also called Jim McMullin to visit a bit and he and TJ Otaka were fine. Nothing really new with anyone
9 July 2024 Tuesday
I
didn’t leave the house except to go walk the pups. I spent a lot of time on the
computer rewriting information about the Macedonia Hotel that once stood at 528
½ West Second South. In the afternoon I went to check on the heat pump and it
was extremely hot beneath the deck so I sprayed water on the wood slats and
underneath to try and cool off beneath the upper deck. Then I checked on the
pool and I was shocked that it was filthy with dead flying insects, gnats,
hornets, flies and other flying bugs. So, I spent about an hour or more
skimming the surface and then when I saw so may dead flies and hornets on the
bottom I climbed in and started using my butterfly net to scoop them out. I got
the pool clean but it was an effort. Later when I told Kyle he said he forgot
to plug the pool skimmer in last July 4th do there’s been 5 days of
bugs attracted to the water.
I
plug the skimmer back in and poured a half bottle of bleach in to help.
In the afternoon Adrian came home to
take a nap and I joined him for a little bit to just hold him and he fell into
my arms.
Kyle said that Bewilder had been super
business and did $600 in one hour! I guess Monday and today were both good
days.
In the evening, I watched the last of the
season of Abbott Elementary and didn’t do much else. It was in the high 90s
today and it’s going to get even hotter.
I am so sick of so called Democrats
calling to replace President Biden when no Republican is calling for Felon
Tяump to withdraw.
Reminds me when Kirsten Gillibrand
declaring a "zero tolerance" doctrine regarding accusations of sexual
misconduct by members of Congress, was
the first in her caucus to call on Senator Al Franken to resign when there was
no proof of misconduct.
No one is calling Tяump's senility into
question in spite of the rambling he does nor his connection with sexual
predator Jeffrey Epstein who he admired.
No one knows the future, and even if
Biden becomes incapacitated or dies in office at least a Democratic
administration would be in place to keep democracy going.
If Tяump dies in office can you imagine
the horrors his Fascist-Christians would inflict on us with immunity from the
Trumpian Supreme Court?
10 July 2024 Wednesday
It
was 104 degrees today according to the news. This morning, I went into Adrians
room to snuggle with him before fixing him his breakfast. I walked the pups
early because of the heat and then Kyle called and needed me to go to Nicholas
to pick up an order of “ impossible burgers” because he forgot to order them.
I had to get gas first because I was
on empty and gas prices are around $3.55 a gallon. I then went to Papi’s to
bring Kyle a lunch of meatloaf and to water the geraniums before heading out to
Nicholas. I only had to wait about 15 minutes before heading to Bewilders.
Maria and Milagros were working but it didn’t seem busy at all. I could see
that the parking lot over at the Mixx stand was completely torn up to be
repaved.
I came back home after that and
stayed inside after Adrian went back to work. I mainly typed placing some of my
journals into Yahoo so they would be saved on the internet.
I heard from my Rose Park Facebook
page that Albertsons is putting Lucky’s up for sale and it’s not determined
what may replace it if anything. I hate to see it go as I have shopped there
for at least 25 years.
There is a growing group of
Democrats wanting Joe Biden to drop out of the race. If some Democrats had
doubts about President Biden they should have been voiced last year not 4
months before an election. I read where Trumps strategy is just to sit back and
let Democrats fight among themselves. We need to elect Joe Biden and if age
becomes an issue he can always step down. If Tяump
gets elected he will have immunity to become a dictator.
11 July 2024 Thursday
It
was a 106 degrees in Salt Lake today. I climbed into bed again with Adrian to
lay with him for a bit before starting my day. I only went out to bring Kyle
his lunch of meatloaf. He showed me that the fence was installed behind the
Papi’s truck wash.
I went to Dollar Tree by Costco to get
some items like aluminum foil and other odds and ends before going to Lucky’s
to get some chicken thighs but surprisingly they were out just drum sticks
which I hate deboning them.
I worked some on organizing my
journals by putting them on Yahoo mail so they would be somewhat safe in cyber
space.
While cleaning the kitchen this evening
I listened to President Biden give a press conference. He appeared defiant at
reporters suggesting he was too old to be President but he gave a litany of all
his accomplishments and how Trump would be a disaster for NATO. You could tell
he was strugglingly a bit with clearing his throat many times but I should be
so virile at 81. Still, even I worried that many think he should not be running
against Trump.
When Kyle came home he said that
Bewilder was doing great this week and he even went to the bank and paid
everyone today. I hope I don’t have to do that anymore for him. He also said
that he’s interviewing to hire another worker at Papis to help him out in the
administration side.
Lately, I have been watching a lot
of old Walt Disney animation features like Snow White, Alice In Wonderland,
Dumbo, and Pinocchio.
12 July 2024 Friday
I
had a strange dream this morning that Bruce Harmon told me that Bryce Beesley
was dead and I showed John Bennett where the chapel service was but instead of
a service it was like a poker card game casino which John began to play. My
bladder woke me up about then but strange that all these guys have passed
away many, many years ago.
Adrian slept down stairs and I
walked the pups this morning at 8 because its suppose to get up to 106 again
today. I made spaghetti with gluten free noodles for Kyle’s lunch this morning
also.
I brought Kyle his lunch and water
the geraniums although it wasn’t quite as hot as yesterday but still over 100.
I stopped at Glendale Smiths to buy some chicken thighs for the pups before
coming home and staying home for the rest of the day.
Kyle came home late and we visited
while I was watching Walt Disney’s Peter Pan. He said that Adrian was upset
with him because he hugs Maria Hernandez and Adrian for some unknown reason
hates her. Kyle said it’s just jealousy
on the part of the Villalobos. Kyle said that the family has turned against
Maria for some reason I don’t understand. Workplace dynamics I suppose but
don’t understand why Adrian is so upset like Kyle is taking sides. I am kind of
relieved that my days of being down there so much are over
In the local news Ukrainian President Zelenskyy
was in Utah as keynote speaker at the Governor’s Conference although it was
telling that none of the Mormon Leadership met with him. Also, the Utah Supreme
Court overturned the Republican gerrymandered map for Utah. I don’t know if it
will make any difference but it’s ridiculous that they divided Salt Lake City
into 4 Republican control districts because the Capital leans democratic.
13 July 2024 Saturday.
I
woke up around 1 and after getting up to pee, I took TJ and joined Adrian in
bed for a little while to snuggle with him and rub his feet that he enjoys so
much. I only stayed for an hour or so until my bladder made me get up so after
peeing again TJ and I went back to my room to let Arian sleep and for me also. In the morning around 6 I was up again and I
sleepily went back into Adrians room. He must have been up at some point
because the bedroom light was on that I then turned off and then climbed into bed
with him. There I noticed he had discarded his underwear so I just held him
from the waist up so that I didn’t accidently rub up against his cock.
I love Adrian who happens to have a
cock, not because he has one. I’ve
played with many during my life time but want Adrian to know I love him not
just his body. My greatest pleasure at
this point is just wrapping my arm around him and holding his hand and stroking
his hair.
I stayed home for much of the day
fussing around the house. I made some peanut butter/chocolate chip cookies and
baked the chicken thighs for the pups. I
also cleaned the pool some and washed my bedding. Domestic stuff.
Kyle came home around 6 and asked me
to go with him to Baskin Robbins to get some ice cream. He wanted a chocolate
shake so I went.
I saw that Richard Simmons passed away
today right after his 76th birthday which was yesterday. He was a
character but a good man I think. Also, Ruth Westheimer, the sexologist also
died today. But the real news was that an assassination attempt was made on
Donald Trump at one of his rallies in Pennsylvania. I watched some of the news
and hoped that it was not some leftist nut
and was relieved that it was right wing gun nut.
By the time I went to bed the
shooter was identified as 20 year old Thomas Crook, and a registered
Republican.. I am not at all sympathetic about the attempt on Trump’s life. On
January 8, 2011, Democrat Gabby Giffords was shot in the head in Arizona. No
Republican outrage back then. Trump said he could shoot someone on 5th Avenue
and he would still have votes. Where was the Republican outrage then? Trump inspired his mob to beat capitol police,
and who wanted to hang Mike Pence and
kill members of Congress. No Republican outrage when the Supreme Court gave
Trump a pass.
Republicans will make Trump a martyr
during the Republican National Convention when he unveils what sycophant he has
chosen to be a patsy I mean vice president.
Trump the MAGA Messiah.
Kyle Rittenhouse age 17 kills 3 people
and is the darling of the MAGA crowd and is acquitted. Thomas Crooks aged 20
misses the former president and
kills a rally attendee and is shot dead.
Perhaps young men should not be allowed to own an assault weapon designed to
murder people. Well for that matter
anyone. Nah ... the NRA and Fascist
Christian won’t let that happen. It was not quite as hot only 100 degrees but
it stayed 90 degrees when I went to bed at 10.
14 July 2024 Sunday
I
went to Smiths to buy treats for the pups but spent way too much money on other
treats for myself as well.
Adrian called in sick at Newrest so he
could attend a soccer game on Television at Bewilder. I guess it was a big game
between Columbia and Argentina. Adrian looked so cute with his yellow team
shirt, Columbian flag and a cute multicolored sombrero hat of a type.
When Kyle came home he looked beat so
not sure what is up with him except he was so upset with the gals at Bewilder
for clogging up the kitchen sinks which will cost about $700 to have them
snaked out.
This evening around 7:30 I finally went
and water some of the front yard as the ground was like a brick from the heat.
I cut down all my hollyhocks as they were done blooming in this heat and also
trimmed back my roses and forsythia in from of the steps. While I was at it I
decided to also trim the two trees in the south parking strip that had
completely over grown. I was outside for about an hour and a half and that was
enough. It was another hot day up in the 100’s.
I’ve been tired for much of the day.
Not sure why but no energy to do much. Maybe it’s just the summer blahs or
cabin fever as I don’t get out much in this heat.
Is it me or have the Republican pundits all
gone silent once it was learned that Trump's would be assassin was a
Republican, Card Carrying member of the NRA whose father bought him the Assault
Weapon 6 months ago. Maybe they are
still blaming President Biden, Black Lives Matter, and Antifa and everyone else
rather than their own laws that made Pennsylvania an over carry state.
Trump says that God saved him but I
guess God said too bad Corey Comperatore, the
firefighter who was killed. I
thought the Bible said that "For
there is no respect of persons with God."
So, God does play favorites? I am so confused!
Happy
Bastille Day. Back then people who were oppressed by the aristocrats had
enough and knew what to do to their oppressors. No need for violence today just
vote to tax the 1 percent who own more wealth the 90 percent of the rest of us.
If Billionaires kept 10 percent of their wealth they still would have more than
the rest of us.
15 July 2024 Monday
I’ve
spent some time today typing up my journal from August and September 1976. Some
of it is hard to recollect as I was a true blue indoctrinated Mormon back then
but in limbo as I was in a state of disfellowshipment from having an affair
with Larry Copenhagen at BYU and my Mormonism alienated me from my family and
former California friends. It was a rough time for my 25 year old self.
I went down to Papi’s to bring Kyle
some lunch but didn’t stay long after going with him, and Luisana to get drinks
for the crew. Adrian was gone for much of the day and was up so late this
morning I didn’t manage to fix him breakfast. He said that working the swing
shift at New rest was like being in Prison because of the time but felt free as
a butterfly to start an early morning shift on Wednesday.
I didn’t see him again until I was
feeding the pups. He was agitated because he had a car accident on the FWY
while with Johana. He left before I could find out more but he didn’t seem to
be hurt. When Kyle came home I told him about the accident and he was able to
find out that it wasn’t Adrian’s fault. I Didn’t hear much more. Kyle said it was a super busy
day at Papis and he went right to his room to rest.
I had a phone call from Utah First
saying that the checking account was overdrawn $2000 for 22 days. I thought
Kyle was going to take care of that but I guess not. So tomorrow I better go
down and make it right.
I don’t know whether it’s been the heat
or just the middle of summer but I am in the doldrums with a heavy dose of
lethargy. I just want to nap and do nothing. The news doesn’t help either with
the Republican Crime syndicate anointing martyr Trump as king. Trump announced
he picked the fascist from Ohio to be his running mate. Didn’t someone tell JD
Vance that the last guy Trump picked for his Vice President ended up running
through a basement while a mob hunted him down and tried to hang him as a
traitor?
Then Trump's pick, judge Cannon, pulls
the Trump's documents case. How convenient.
All done while America is distracted. She attacked the valid of Jack
Smith rather than the fact that Trump had all these illegal to possess
documents at his house in Florida.
16 July 2024 Tuesday
I
had been getting calls about the $2000 overdrawn at Utah First which Kyle was
supposed to have fixed weeks ago. So, I drove into Bountiful and deposited
$2100 into my checking there to over it before it became a real issue. I can’t
rely on Kyle to fix it. He is spending money at Papis like a drunken sailor so
who knows what the finances are. He only tells me when there’s a crisis.
On the way home I had a thought to
drop in at Orchard Elementary as it being summer I knew none of the kids would
be there and I thought I might be able to look around. Once there I found the doors were locked, which
I thought they might be but the Assistant principal saw me walking away and
came and opened the door.
I
told her who I was and how I had taught at Orchard for 16 years and just wanted
to see some of the changes. Her name was Dannielle Summers and she was so nice
to show me around the school and I commented on many of the changes and things
that stayed the same. I was even able to see my old class room. She was very
excited that I had dropped by and asked if I wouldn’t mind attending their 60
Anniversary this year. I said certainly and gave her my contact number.
Kyle later called me and needed a
code on my phone but I didn’t know how to retrieve it so I drove down to Papi’s
to give him the rest of the Watermelon slices and go with him and Luisana to
get soda pop for the crew. I didn’t stay long and returned home.
Adrian didn’t spend the night but
came home around 4 as he had been out shopping with his sister Johanna Pereira. When he was home briefly he was
so excited to start his morning shift tomorrow and asked me to sleep with him
tonight which I did when he came in around 10.
I was already in bed and dreaming when I woke up and joined him.
Before that I just watched Sleeping
Beauty and did some typing on my September 1976 journal when I did a cross
country genealogy journey because I thought I wanted to move to Washington DC.
Jimmy Hamamoto is visiting Salt Lake
and I said I will meet with him and Chuck Whyte this Thursday.
I heard that Dr. Blotter’s Wasatch
Springs Veterinarian clinic is under investigation for his license so I guess I
am going to have to find another vet. I really didn’t have any qualms about him
but some of the pets he did surgery on died so he is being charged with
malfeasance.
17 July 2024 Wednesday
I
spent the entire night with Adrian and was up around 5 to fix him breakfast and
for him to start his new shift. I didn’t get much sleep because I was clinging
on to him and he me all night. So, I went back to bed after he left and slept
until around 8:30 before starting my day.
When I took the pups out walking at
9:30, half way down the block Maxx started limping and I checked his paw but
couldn’t see any stickers or rocks so I cut our walk short and carried him back
home. I checked his paw again but still couldn’t see anything so I thought to
leave him alone and let him rest it. Later in the evening he seemed okay with
his paw so I took them all for a walk again around 8 at night.
Kyle called around noon and needed
me to go out to Nicholas to pick up a food order and bring it back to Bewilder.
I was kind of put out because once I had to wait 45 minutes in the 105 degree
heat sitting in the car but actually this time it was brought out to me in
about 15 minutes although the guy just dropped it off and I had to load it into
the FIT myself. Maria and Milagros was working today and I helped them bring it
into the Bodega.
When Adrian came home he was all
excited about his new hours so I was happy for him but it just means I am back
to being an early morning breakfast guy.
Kyle came home around 6 and said
that he was having a pest control person come over tomorrow because downstairs
was infested with silverfish and ants. I’ve had ants before but never
cockroaches or silverfish.
Mike Romero called and said that
Coco wasn’t eating so I brought over two containers of Cesars to see if she
would eat that and she scarfed it down
so Mike was so relived because she stopped eating any of her treats. So, he
gave them all to me to see if my rascals would.
I worked some on my 1976 journal. It
was so slow going but I wanted to make sure it was accurate because at the end
of September I was in Bloomington Springs visiting with Grandpa Johnson’s first
cousins Verdie and Dewey Patton and discovering his hillbilly roots.
18 July 2024 Thursday
I
slept by myself last night but was up at
5 to fix Adrian his breakfast to take to work. After that I didn’t see him for
the rest of the day. The pest control came by around 9:30 and sprayed inside
and side. He said I had a lot of hornet nests and wolf spiders who are killing
the Black Widows. He took about an hour
and then Kyle asked me to come down to Papi’s to go with him to get
drinks for the crew. We also picked up chicken from the Main Street Meat Market
as well for me to bring to Bewilder. Additionally, he had me stop at the Chef
store for Romaine Lettuce and tomatoes. I guess the kitchen did a $2000 night
yesterday.
From Bewilders I called Chuck Whyte
and said I would be over in about 15 minutes to meet Jimmy Hamamoto. It was a
bit after 12:30 so they wanted to go to lunch and Chuck wanted to go to the
Greek Other Place which I don’t care for at all but I wasn’t all that hungry
and Jimmy agreed to go as well.
At the Other Place Jimmy wanted to
pay for lunch but I just ordered iced tea because I didn’t want him spending
his money on food I didn’t care for and there would be too much to eat anyway.
Jimmy hadn’t changed just gotten older like me. He jabbers on about people and
places I know nothing about, never inquiring about me, and Chuck just stares
off into space eating his hamburger meal. I did manage to steer Jimmy to talk
about Salt Lake people we both knew. We
were there at the Restaurant for over an hour and when we left, backing out the
car, it sounded like something underneath was dragging.
I had to get gas so I went to the
Maverick across the street. I have so many memories tied up with Salt Lake
because the Maverick location used to be a Circle K where in the summer of 1988
some Tongans who stole my car robbed the place of beer. When I looked beneath the Honda Fit I saw
that the plastic panel that covered some of the engine was dragging.
So, I told Jimmy and Chuck we would
have to go driving around another day and I drove down to Papi’s where Luis
Negron looked at it and fixed it. While I was down there Cody McKendrick came
in to rent a U Haul truck from Kyle. He mentioned that there was going to be a
big to do on August 1st but I didn’t inquire.
I came home and took a nap and
actually slept until 6 so I must have been tired. I fed the pups took them for
a walk and was watching some of 101 Dalmatians
when Kyle came home. He told me some disturbing news that President Biden was
going to decide by Sunday whether to stay in the race or not. That news kind of
shattered me, and Kyle and I had a discussion about politics and I took exception
to a what he was saying about the Democrats and especially FDR and how the
country would recover from another Trump administration. I doubted that we
would. It annoyed me like hell when he insisted that the Supreme Court didn’t
grant presidential immunity which I know they did. Oh well he and I should
never discuss politics as we come from different eras and generations.
I heard on NPR regarding the
Platform adopted at the RNC which was written almost verbatim from Trump
speeches and the delegates were locked in a room and told to adopt it. Gone was
any Republican tropes on the Constitution, Law and Order, and Morality.
One of my favorite comedians has passed.
I loved him as the college president in On A Clear Day and especially the first
Bob Newhart Show with Susanne Pleshette. His wit was so droll and was perfect.
19 July 2024 Friday
I
was up at 5 again this morning to fix Adrian some breakfast before he went off
to work and I went back to bed and slept a little more.
I didn’t leave the house except to walk
the pups. I cleaned up the dead branches I had cut from the south side trees
since the yard waste bin was emptied this morning. I also watered the front
yard some and then I heard the pool skimmer gurgling and could tell the water
had evaporated about two inches or more.
I also saw leaves and stuff in the pool so I put on my swimsuit and went in the
water to scoop out leaves and dead bugs that had accumulated since the last time.
I was done by noon so I cleaned the kitchen some and laid down again to take a
nap. I was feeling rather lethargic and glad Kyle didn’t call me to do anything
today.
When Adrian came home after work he
had a friend over named Axel who he knew from New York when Adrian first came
to the states. I guess he lived with him a while and worked where he worked.
Axel had been here 7 years and was from Venezuela also, but he spoke English
pretty well. He seemed like a really nice guy and was happy that Adrian had a
friend to visit with.
20 July 2024 Saturday
Adrian
didn’t get home until after midnight so after getting up to fix his breakfast,
I had to go in at 5:40 and wake him as he was still sound asleep. He didn’t
leave the house until 6 so I know he was late to work. I went back to bed and
slept for about an hour before fixing me some breakfast and when it was a
little later I walked the pups around
8:30 so I could get ready to go meet up with Jimmy Hamamoto and Chuck Whyte at
10.
I took them on a tour of Old Salt
Lake to see the new Salt Lake. We started up at the U to see where the old
Orson Spencer Hall was, where Jimmy was a vice president of the Gay Student
Union back in 1978 or 9. Then we downtown over to Second South where all the Gay
bars are now gone replaced with 5 story apartments.
From there I took him by the Greek
Church to show him the vacant lot where he and I used to live. The space looked
so small to have had so many folks living there at one time in row houses and
at the LaFrance. I also went by the old KRCL studios on 8th South where
he did his Saturday morning radio program and where i was a Cohost on
Concerning Gays and Lesbians. Finally, after going to 9th and 9th area and through
Liberty Park we stopped and had lunch at Charlie Chows. Last time I was there
it was with Bill Poore.
I was surprised how few people were
inside as it was lunch time. Jimmy just wanted a bowl of Won Ton soup, and
Chuck ordered a beef and broccoli lunch. Jimmy bought their lunches but I paid
for mine of a cup of hot and sour soup and some spring rolls which was plenty
for me.
I have lots of memories from the 40
years I have lived in Salt Lake and I have known Chuck at least 40 of those
years and Jimmy at least 35 years. We're just old Gay relicts now from a
different time.
After taking them home and getting my
obligations over, which I felt like I needed to do for John Reeves, I drove to
Papis to see if Kyle was there but he wasn’t. So, I went to the Chef Store to
buy Adrian his Mango drink and while there I saw they had a huge jar of Mangos
already sliced up that I bought instead of fresh ones that you end up throwing
most of it away because of the huge pit in the middle.
At home I laid down to finish watching 101 Dalmatians and was falling asleep when
Adrian came home from work. He was super tired and I joined him in his bed to
take a nap and to hold and caress him. I slept for about an hour with him but
he was so tired he slept in until nearly 5:30. When he got up he asked me if I
would take the dogs into my room as he said awkwardly he wanted to have sex. He
was so cute about it so I gather them up and I went into my room to close the
door so he could have a gentleman caller over.
It always amazes me that these encounters are so brief. He has guys over
usually for around 15 minutes or 20 at the most. I think it’s cute that he
feels comfortable enough with me to have boys over when he’s horny.
Kyle came home from getting a haircut and
go to Bewilder around 7 and asked me to go with him to get a chocolate shake at
Baskin Robbins in Bountiful. I went with him for the company but didn’t get
anything myself as I have ice cream at home. He said the only excitement today
was that one of the U of U buses he washes at Pipi had broken down in the wash
bay and had to be towed out. It was just a mechanical failure nothing we did.
When he then retreated downstairs, I
watched The Rescuers which is one of my favorite Walt Disney films. I have been
going through a watch list I made on the Disney Channel and have been systematically
watching a lot of old animated films.
Before going to bed, I did up the dishes
and saw that Adrian was floating on the air devise in the pool. He looked so
comfortable on this warm Summer night.
Returning from Bountiful I noticed that
the side of the hill on Ensign Peak was burning. Later I heard about 40 homes
up behind the Capitol were ordered to evacuate. The smoke from the fire on
Ensign Peak reached us in the evening and it smelled like burning wood outside.
It’s been 55 years since we first landed
on the moon and it is shocking to me
that half of Americans today do not believe in science but rather in a 2000
book which had been modified over the centuries. The ethically teachings of the
Bible are still valuable but for being history or scientific it is not.
On Facebook people are mocking stupid
Trump cultists wearing a pad over their ear to support Trump who was obviously
wearing a fake bandage over his ear to gain sympathy for the so called
assassination attempt.
21 July 2024 Sunday
President
Biden pulled out of the Presidential race today. The media campaign against him
worked. I am so depressed. I was so upset over the news that I could hardly get
out of bed but to watch the news and post on Face Book. I wrote “I want to
thank President Biden for all he accomplished to overcome the disaster that was
the Trump administration. He will go down as one of the greater Presidents. In 2020 millions
were infected or dying from Covid19, the
economy was close to collapse and people couldn't even buy toilet paper. He was the greatest supporter of Unions
coming from a working class background and not from the robber baron class. I
can only hope people who criticized him will shut the fuck up now and support
whoever the Democrats nominate at the convention.
However, I don't think there's enough
decent people left to prevent Trump from now waltzing back into the White House
with his accomplices to create an authoritarian government to benefit the
Billionaires. So many are indifferent
and lack empathy for others. I hope I am wrong. And for those rejoicing at Biden's decision just unfriend me now. It’s
a sad day for democracy. I will however support whoever is nominated however I
wonder how many else will.”
I really didn’t care what else went
on around me.
22 July 2024 Monday
I
am still devastated by President Biden’s decision to leave the race for
President but am heartened that Democrats have now rallied around Kamala Harris
without any real infighting. I crawled into bed with Adrian this morning and
just clung onto him and wrapped him in my arms before getting up to start my
day. I took the pups out for their constitutional
and also cut up the watermelon I bought yesterday before going down to Papi’s
to bring Kyle his lunch of meatloaf and watermelon.
I stayed and watered the Geraniums
and while I was there at Papi’s, Adrian came down, more to see his sister
Johanna than Kyle. I only stayed for a bit then came back home and typed up
some more from 1976 which was really quite a consequential year for me and my
25th year.
Kyle said he was surprised that
Democrats rallied so quickly behind Vice President Harris but I think we all
know that defeating Trump’s fascism is more important than posturing.
I have lived through Presidents Truman,
Eisenhower, Kennedy, Johnson, Nixon, Ford, Carter, Reagan, Bush, Clinton, Bush,
Obama, Trump, and Biden and none have I had greater respect and admiration for
than President Biden for his decency and love for the working class, especially
women and people like me. It was Biden who changed Obamas heart towards
marriage equality. Unlike the felon who only loves himself, President Biden
loves all Americans.
I am so disgusted with how the media is treating
Donald Trump as if he was a normal presidential candidate instead of the
narcissistic felon he is and how his nomination has turned the Republican party
on its head. This is not normal. They are acting like the Democratic and
Republican parties are the same. They are not.
Will they go after Trump like they did
Biden? Hell, no because they are so afraid of a vindictive Trump that if he
does win, he will go after them like he did with NBC in 2017 when he threatened
to pull their license for criticizing him.
I think why I feel such a lost and
sadness over President Biden stepping down is that it's the end of my
generation's time in the White House. It's over for us and there will never be
another from my generation unless God forbid Trump wins.
President Clinton was the first
President from my Generation when he won in 1992. It was the end of the World
War II generation's time being leaders on the world stage. It was an end of an era. Both Clinton and
George W were born in 1946 and Obama in 1961.
Joe Biden was born in 1942 during World
War II and technically not even a baby boomer but he is just 9 years older than
me as Obama is 10 years younger.
Joe Biden's resignation for me is also the end
of an Era of Presidents who experienced the same time line of history as I did.
He turned 30 in 1972 and I turned 21. Biden came to age during the 1960's Civil
Rights struggles and I was a young adult in the 1970's.
Kamala Harris according to how you
define Baby Boomers and Generation X is either the last of the Baby Boomers or
the beginning of Generation X as she was born in 1965, too young to be a
contemporary with me as she was a young adult during the Reagan Years. As
wonderful as she is, the experiences which changed her are not the ones which
shaped me.
But to me, President Joe Biden embodied
all the best characteristics of our era for championing justice for the working
man and woman and equality for all. I
suppose it is time to let the next generation change the world. God Speed and
Good Luck.
The difference between German fascism of
the 1930s and American Christo-fascists of today is strikingly similar...the
Weimar Republic saw Germany as a Democracy
however National Socialism rose to power fueled by fears and promising
to Make Germany Great Again and blaming Germany's problems on outsiders.
The difference between Hitler and Trump
is that with Hitler, he laid everything on the table in Mein Kampf while Trump makes it all up on the fly so his
supporters had to come up with Project 2025. Hitler was driven by pathological
nationalism, Trump is driven by his pathological egotism...
I don't see how the religious right can
trust a word that comes out of his mouth except that they don't care about this
world, only the promise of a better one after death, and controlling the
government to make America over into an authoritarian Christian nation. They
are happy with a lying adulterous criminal as long as he keeps giving them the
power to control other people.
The uber rich also don’t care about
America, only how much wealth they can
hoard through a Trump administration.
In a Trump America the middle class will
continue to disappear until there’s just the upper class and lower class. Face
it Trump isn’t running for President to help Americans but rather to keep
himself out of prison... he’s one of most ruthless self-centered man ever to
con his way into the presidency aided by corrupt enablers
23 July 2024 Tuesday
Adrian’s
Day off so I fixed him a late breakfast and also went down to Papi’s to bring
Kyle his lunch of meat loaf and watermelon. I took a nap in the late afternoon.
I am down in the doldrums. When Kyle
came home in the evening he said he spent some time with Jesus Pereira and Adrian
trying to find a replacement for the Red Kia that keep failing emissions and
can’t be registered. Kyle found a
government program that could help them get a newer replacement car. I hope
so. The air is really smokey but they
say it’s from fires in Idaho even though the fire on Ensign peak is still not
contained and another one has broken out on Antelope Island
All
that is in the news is how the Democrats are rallying around Kamala Harris
pissing off the Republicans which were sure Biden’s announcement would fracture
the party but she has enough delegate supports to be the nominee at the Democratic
Convention next month.
President Joe Biden voluntarily
relinquished the most powerful position in the world for the love of our
Democracy and Country. It’s nothing a man like dementia Trump would ever do
unless forced out like Nixon. This is why I think Biden will go down in history
as one of the greatest Presidents. Face it Trump isn’t running for President to
help Americans but rather to keep himself out of prison... he’s one of most
ruthless self-centered man ever to con his way into the presidency aided by
corrupt enablers
24 July 2024 Wednesday
I
was up at 5 to get Adrian off to work with a breakfast. Actually, I was awake
at 4 but didn’t get up until 5. TJ was restless and woke me first around
2. My neighbor down the street put two
nice chairs out on the street so when I went to take Kyle his lunch of
spaghetti I put them in the back of the FIT. At Papis I went with him and
Johanna to Wal-Mart as he had forgotten to get some pies of Pie and Beer Day at
Bewilder. He needed me to deliver them so he wouldn’t have to be a way from
Papis very long and he like the chairs so he took them for the office.
After delivering pie and ice cream
to Bewilder I went to Lucky’s to buy some groceries, specifically the white
corn meal called PAN so I can make Arepas which is a South American corn bread.
I had looked on line and saw that I had been making them wrong, flattening the
dough like a tortilla instead of like an English Muffin that can be split.
Back at the house my stomach became
queasy so I am not sure what is up with that. I took a two hour nap in the
afternoon and then watched the news until 6 when I listened to President Biden
explain why he exited the Presidential campaign. I bawled all through President
Biden’s speech tonight as he passed the torch to a younger generation, saying personal ambition is not greater
than saving our democracy.
“I revere this office but I love my
country more. It has been the honor of my life to serve as your president, but
the defense of democracy is more important than any title. This sacred task of
perfecting our union is not about me. It is about you.”
Afterwards I went into Adrian’s room
and saw that his bed was stripped and not made, so I put sheets back on and his
comforter. He hadn’t put any of his clean clothes away so I did for him. Kyle
came home about that time and said he had a busy day and was tired but looking
at the pool I noticed it really had a greenish sheen. I guess the heat and
evaporation of water made algae bloom. Kyle dumped in a bunch of bleach and I
filled the pool back up so the skimmer would work better and I cleaned the
filter again. The pool is needing more maintenance than I have been giving it
or Kyle for that matter.
Adrian came home also about this
time and bought a bunch of Venezuela Arepas for his breakfasts so I guess I
won’t have to be making any from scratch for a while.
It was a 105 today and I think because
it was a Wednesday, the neighborhood was rather subdued with the fireworks.
Every July 24th I have to
remember how Billy Bikowski came into my life during the Neighborhood Fair at
Liberty Park.
I’ve noticed that when I go up steps
I lose my equilibrium some and have to hold on the rails. Another sign I am
aging faster now.
Andy Dalrymple posted the other day that
he tested positive for Covid so it’s going around again. Roy Zang has some
serious bone cancer and was able to be transferred to Huntsman instead of the
LDS Hospital.
25 July 2024 Thursday
The
alarm woke me up at 5 to arise and make Adrian his breakfast then at 5:30 I
woke him out of a sound sleep to get up. I then went back to bed and slept
until 7:30. It was kind of a do nothing day although I did go
down to Papi’s to bring Kyle some lunch. Afterwards I went to Wal-Mart to buy
some algaecide for the pool and brush to scrub the sides. I didn’t get to it as
I wanted Kyle to come home first to look at it
Mike Romero called and wanted to drop
Coco off for a bit at 2 while he went and bought tires for his truck at
Discount Tires in Bountiful. I stayed
with her watching the Disney Channel so she wouldn’t be too upset with not
seeing Mike. He was back by 3:30 and we visited until nearly 4:30 before he
left for his house. He wanted me to find a copy of the Romero Family genealogy
I did so long ago and when I finally recovered it, it was kind of a mess of
spelling errors so I spent the rest of the evening after feeding and walking
the pups working on it.
Kyle never came home nor Adrian before I
went to bed around 10. I did take a nap but not nearly long enough.
It
rained last night but after I went to bed, so I didn’t hear a thing but I guess
it was a good little shower. It’s the first rain we have had in almost a month.
I was up at 5 to fix Adrian some breakfast and he came upstairs around 5:30
from Kyle’s room so I guess he slept with him last night.
I went back to bed and slept until
around 7:30 and I heard Kyle leave for work about 7:45. After fixing some
breakfast, I began to work on researching the Romero family lineage again. So
much more had been posted on line since I did my initial research some 25 years
ago.
Kyle called and wanted me to bring
him some stomach pills that he had forgotten to take this morning so I also
brought him some watermelon and spaghetti for his lunch. I went with him to
take Johanna to work at Bewilder and to get drinks for the guys at Papis. After
that I just came home and worked for the rest of the day on adding some
histories to the Romero’s family tree. He’s descended from Bartolome Romero who
was with the Juan Onate expedition to colonize New Mexico in 1598.
Adrian came home from work and fell
asleep for about 2 hours in his room and during that time I took a short nap
also. Kyle came home around 6:30 after paying all the gals at Bewilder. I am so
relieved that I don’t have to go to the bank any more to deal with that.
27 July 2024 Saturday
I
wonder why my friends who have passed away have been visiting me in my dreams.
Lately, I have had John Bennett and Bruce Harmon, and tonight Bill Poore and
Charles Frost appear. Mom and Grandma Johnson even come now on regular
occasions. None have come yet to summon me but hopefully I can do some more
good before they or others do.
I woke up at 3:30 when Adrian came home
from somewhere. I tried to go back to sleep but couldn’t so at 4 just got up
and stayed up. I worked some more on the Romero’s history until 5 when I fixed
Adrian his breakfast and at 5:30 went to wake him up so he could get ready for
work. After he left I stayed up and researched some more on the don Juan de
Onate’s expedition into New Mexico in 1597 as several of Mike Romero’s
ancestors were with the colonizers.
I went to celebrate Luis Alberto
Negron’s birthday at Buffet Paradise on State Street and 45th South.
I met Kyle and Luis, Milagros, Lucito, and Tutu down there after they were done
washing the U of U fleet of buses at noon. The place is supposed to be a
Chinese Buffet but it has a little bit of everything thing American.
I was surprised by a brief shower
that occurred as I was driving down there and I know it rained again last
night. We sure can use whatever moisture the rain gods want to give us.
The food I think was pretty bland
compared to Chuck a Rama but there was plenty of it and everyone seemed to be
enjoying their meal. I know Kyle paid more than a $100 for all of us but
Buffets are kind of wasted on me. However, I took plates of food but just ate a
bite or two of each thing I took but never really devoured anything completely
but it was good to be with my Columbian family. Luisana had to work so she
couldn’t be there. I guess Luis Alberto turned 45 today, which Kyle will be in
October. That doesn’t seem all that old when you are 73.
We left at 1:30 after everyone had
their fill and I came home to work some more on Mike Romero’s family history,
took a nap around 4 as I was super tired and stayed home the rest of the day.
Adrian was in and out going to the
gym and then down at Bewilder before coming home around 7. Kyle came home a
little before that and bring Adrian a Little Caesar Pizza and Pepsi. I saw
Adrian greet him with a kiss so hopefully things are good again between them. They were laughing over Adrian saying that at
work people said he must get up early to fix such a big breakfast and Adrian
said that his American grandpa fixes it for him. He showed them a picture of me
and they all said we looked alike and having an American grandpa is why Adrian
looks so American more than Latino. Later
Adrian was off to some Latino Concert that started at 11 but by 10 I was
already in bed.
I posted Matthew 25 “For I was hungry
and you gave me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and
you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed me; I was sick and you visited me;
I was in prison and you came to me.”
This is how I view the Democratic
Party and why I am a Democrat. The words
here are everything the Heritage Foundation and Christian Nationalists opposes
but it’s a code of ethics I've always tried to live my life by and hopefully I
have the best I could.
Adrian didn’t get
in from his Latino music concert until after 3 in the morning so after getting
up and fixing his breakfast I had to wake him to go to work.
I
spent almost all day in my room researching the history of colonial New Mexico
only going out once with Kyle to get a Dr. Pepper at Common Cents. I took a
long nap in the afternoon and slept so hard it was difficult for me to get up.
My hands and feet were freezing cold for some reason so I went outside and laid
by the hot tub to warm up and fell asleep again.
29 July 2024 Monday
My
alarm didn’t go off as I had forgotten to reset it as Adrians days changed from
Monday and Tuesday off to Tuesday and Wednesday. It was nearly 6 when I woke up
enough to jump up and tell Adrian he’s late and hurriedly fixed him some
breakfast to take with him.
After that I fixed myself some
breakfast and worked more on Mike Romero’s New Mexico ancestry. I did fix Kyle a roast beef and scalloped
potato lunch to bring him at noon and then came back home and remained home for
the rest of the day.
I am old enough to remember when Mitt
Romney was brought in from Massachusetts by the Mormons to be the savior of the
2002 Winter Olympics after the bribery scandal. He was the hero of the hour and
was so well admired that he was the Republican candidate best thought of to beat President Obama 2012.
Like any good Republican he made his fortune destroying companies that working
people depended on, after all corporations are people too!
However, the Teabaggers swept all so
called moderate Republicans aside and went after the crazies aided and abetted
by Corporations, right wing religious lunatics, and Russian operatives.
Now we have billionaire autocrats ready
to destroy democracy so they can maintain their wealth and power through the
MAGA cult and people like Mitt Romney and Liz Cheney solid conservatives mocked
and derided by the Grand Old Party.
I hate to admit it but Romney was a
voice of reason crying in the wilderness of MAGA insanity
I posted on Facebook a fact that by the
time you are 70 your heart has beaten 2.5 billion times as it beats 100,000 a
day on average. Now let’s take that same analogy of no longer beats of the heart
but to money. The first day of life a baby would have $100;000. In 10 days, he
would be a millionaire. It. would take
him until he’s 30 years old to be a billionaire and to the age of 70 to have
2.5 Billions. He would have to live to
be a 100 to have 3.6 billion.
Well
i had enough excitement for the night. I get this call from Mike Romero that
sounded really weird, echoey, not like over a phone as all. All i could hear
was that he had fallen in his tub and was too weak to get up. So, i rushed over
there and was able to get into his garage but he had the door into his placed
locked. There was no way I could get in!
I was frantic so I called Kyle who
called a locksmith and he and Adrian rushed over to Hodges Lane. Bless Adrians
heart, he climbed up to the second floor balcony in the back of the townhouse and
managed to get in through the sliding door. I was so shocked to see him let us
in as I didn’t know what he had done to get in.
So, we were let in and Kyle canceled
the lock smith and i went upstairs to
find Mike who was stuck in the tub. He was laying in the tub naked covered with
excrement as he had taken earlier some antibiotics that he had just picked up
earlier that basically gave him diarrhea, the chills and so dizziness that he
fell into the tub and was too weak to pull himself up even.
I had Kyle and Adrian wait in the other
room as I cleaned up the mess and washed Mike the best I could so he wouldn’t
be so embarrassed, covered in his own mess.
After i cleaned him up, Adrian and Kyle came
in and lifted him up as i couldn’t have done it by me. We got him to stand up
and I had him shower before dressing him in a robe. Poor Coco had been stuck on the bed barking
for 2 hours but I was able to take care of her, putting her on her pad so she
could pee and poop.
I had the boys go home as there was
nothing more they could do and I stayed and got some Gatorade into him and a yogurt
waiting for the effects of the
antibiotic to wear off.
Mike had been laying in that condition
for 2 hours with his phone downstairs but he tried the Alexis home system and said,
“call Ben” and it did. That is how he notified me and why he sounded so strange
over the phone.
I put Mike to bed at 8:30 and came home.
I don’t know what I would have done without Kyle and Adrian. Call paramedics I suppose.
So, all’s well that ended well but it’s
a bitch getting old. I guess i am sticking around to be there for everyone
else. Don’t know why else I am still
here.
It’s been 30 years now since I brought
Mike home from Wyoming to live with me
and even though it’s been 14 years since we've been apart . Family is still family.
I did tell Mike to quit locking the damn
door to into his place from the garage and get me a key so if i need to get in
for any reason so we won’t have to scale the balcony. When I saw Adran at home I
called him superman.
I am lucky at my age to not be living
alone but now as one of my greatest fears is passing away and no one finding me
for days and no one to care for the pups. Well, it’s time for bed and to cuddle with the pooches
31 July 2024 Wednesday
Well,
another July has passed and I wonder how many more I will have. It was a hot
one but we have had hotter ones. I barely watered the yard this month as that
most of my water went into filling the pool that no one has used since July 4th.
I called Mike Romero this morning and he said he was feeling better just stiff
and sore from falling yesterday.
I made arepas for Adrians breakfast
this morning since today is his new day off and I had the time. In the
afternoon I went down to Papis to bring Kyle his lunch and while there Luis and
Lucito washed the FIT.
On the way home, Kyle wanted me to
buy soda pop for the Rick and Morty event tomorrow at Bewilder so I went to the
Glendale Smiths grocery store because they had a sale on. However, when i
pulled out a shopping cart I felt something on my arm so I brushed it off. It turned
out to be a damn hornet that stung me a good one leaving a puncture hole in my
arm...ouch ouch...i hate hornets.
After that misadventure I bought the
drinks and some more Purina Beggin treats for Maxx as I was out and then came
home to research some more on the Romeros.
While doing more research I came
across an impediment to all the search I have been doing on-line with Mike’s
pre-reconquest New Mexico genealogy. It now seems that his paternal line might descend
from a Captain Diego de Romero de Pedraza instead of through a Felipe Romero de
Pedraza and while Felipe is the grandson son of Captain Bartolome Romero who
went with the Onate expedition in 1598, Captain Diego parentage is said to be
unknown. Ugh. But he has to be related to Bartolome’s son Matias who married a
woman “de Pedraza” and it was said that all those Romeros who went by Romero de
Pedraza were related to Matias.
I had enough after a while as I was
frustrated and just went to bed.
Trump made a fool of himself and made many racist remarks at the National Association of Black Journalists but no one is calling for him to resign from the race.
AUGUST
1 August 2024 Thursday
Today
is Lammas the cross quarter day, which is the only seasonal sabbat mostly
forgotten. October 31 is Halloween,
February 2nd is Ground Hog's Day, May 1 is May Day but poor August 1st is neglected. Lammas however is the first harvest and midway between the
Summer Solstice [June 21] and the Autumn Equinox [September 21] Its the time that our fruit
trees ripen, our gardens are abundant in tomatoes, squashes, beans, and
berries, and our corn and wheat fields are plentiful.
I’ve always loved Lammas as it
represented the God and Goddess of Nature being at full strength giving all
life in the northern hemisphere bountiful and abundance sustenance. I didn’t
have much of a garden to enjoy just some small tomatoes. The sunflowers are
about the only thing thriving without much water and a lot of heat.
It was a long and busy first day of Lammas,
however. I was up at 5 to fixed Adrian his breakfast of Arepas, scrambled eggs,
fried potatoes with ham and black beans with Venezuela queso along with Oreos
and fruit. He left at 6 after looking for his keys and then I heard Kyle leave
at 7 instead of 8 because it was going to be a busy day at Bewilder.
I made some spaghetti for Kyle’s
lunches then began on Adrian’s room. When I woke Adrian I saw that he hadn’t
made his bed up and slept on the mattress cover only so I spent about an hour
and half putting sheets back on his bed and making it back up and saw that he
had his clean laundry all scattered around and not put away so I pulled
everything out of the bureau and rearranged all the drawers folding his clothes
so they aren’t so wrinkled and hung up all his pairs of jeans and shirts that
needed hanging up in his closet. I should have been working on mine but Kyle
called and needed me to come down to Papis. He needed the tent awning brought
down and the credit card machine that reads credit cards.
At Papis I put Kyle’s lunch in the
refrigerator and then went with him to get drinks for the crew. He needed me to
go get some Sausages at Harmons but first I had to stop and get gas. I paid $3.59
a gallon but saw other places later at $3.45. However, the 15 cent difference
wouldn’t even have made even a dollar. It makes no sense any more to drive
around for cheaper gas where a nickel or two made a real difference as in times
past.
Anyway, Harmons had most of the
sausages needed except for original as they only had 5 single ones when I
needed like 40 of them. Kyle said that it was okay and not to go anywhere else
so after dropping them off I went to Luckys to buy some more fruit for Adrian’s
breakfasts and some gluten free spaghetti noodles for Kyle as yesterday I made
spaghetti sauce.
I barely had time to lay down for a
nap when Kyle came to the house after 4:30 and needed my help getting the BBQ
grill to take to Bewilder. He couldn’t fit it in his car so it had to go in the
back on mine, so back to Bewilder I went. After dropping that all off I came
back to the house and I fed the pups and rested for about a half an hour before
heading back down to Bewilder to help out with the Rick& Morty mobile event
that was promoting a new series called “Rick and Morty: The Anime.” –
When I got there at 6:30 Kyle had his
booth already set up with the BBQ Grill, the cooler for the soda pop and
containers to keep the meat and brats cool. We were selling cheese burgers and
brats outside. It was
really hot today 103 degrees and sitting out in the parking lot even with a
breeze once in a while was uncomfortable but not miserable
The parking lot was set up with a huge
inflatable movie screen and folding chairs as well a truck selling merchandise
and the Rick and Morty mobile for photo ops. Inside the girls were super busy
with Maria, Milagro, Luisana, and Joanna all working, I came in and helped wash
up some dishes and fold some tray paper
before Kyle needed me outside about 7:30. I mainly just helped him by getting
serving trays ready and waiting on folks while Kyle did all the cooking of the
burgers and brats which came with a variety of chips.
The girls inside were slammed even with
Luis Negro coming to help and they did over $3100 inside while outside I doubt whether
we even made $150 but Cody McKendrick required us to have some food items for
the event.
We starting taking things down after 10
because actually the show was over by 9 and people were beginning to leave
anyway. Inside the kitchen it was a disaster. The sink drains backed up and
flowed into the office and Maria was bailing water. They had piles and piles of
dirty pots and pans so I don’t know what they are going to do. It was a mess.
Kyle had me go home as there was little
more I could do and it was way after 10. I know he was exhausted himself but
being a business owner is his dream not mine.
Driving home last night at 10 :30 i was
worried I couldn’t see very well then realized i didn’t have my lights on. I
was in bed but too keyed up to sleep until I forced myself after 11.
To my all Pagan friends where ever you
may be Joyous Lammas to you. Merry Meet
and Merry Part and Merry Be until we
meet again.
In the news the Biden administration
managed to bring home Russian held prisoners in a historic prisoner swap. Trump
is fuming saying he would have done it without the swap to bring Americans home
and Biden said why didn’t he then when he was President?
I was so tired and was
asleep when the 5 o’clock alarm went off and I dragged myself out of bed into
the kitchen to fix Adrian his breakfast to take to work. I had to wake him at
5:30 as he was sound asleep. After he left I went back to bed myself and I did
not hear what time Kyle left.
I walked the pups twice today
although they only got one yesterday. It was already hot out and it got up to
102.
I took Kyle down a lunch of Spaghetti
even though I knew he wouldn’t be there. He said he had to go to the Chef Store
as they at Bewilder were out of so much from yesterday.
I did a little shopping at Dollar
Tree by Home Depot and stayed home after that. I made some banana bread from
over ripe bananas and I paid off my Ashley furniture today of $1,028 to close
that account. We bought the bunk bed and
couch for Adrians family a year ago July.
I managed to rest today and even
took a nap while Adrian had a gentleman caller over. I have never met the dude so
I’m not sure if it’s the same guy or a variety of guys. I don’t care as long as
he’s happy and stays healthy.
I really needed to clean my own room
after cleaning Adrian’s yesterday. It was pretty scuzzy. I only made my bed
while I should strip it and wash the sheets. I did sweep and mop the floors so
that was an accomplishment.
In the evening Adrian was able to
get his own car back from the loaner one he had been using and he and Kyle
wanted me to go with them to Baskin Robbins for an ice cream. I only went for
the ride because Baskin Robbins is way too expensive and I don’t think it’s
such a treat. Anyway, it was nice doing a family thing on this hot day and on
the way home the sky was beautiful during the sunset.
I told Kyle that I heard on NPR’s “what
we are” when they did a program on Seniors opening their houses to younger
people as part of the housing crisis. The term was “Boom mates” from the term Baby
boomers. I thought that was funny.
I’ve
fallen into a regular routine again. Up at 5 to fix breakfast for Adrian. I
wake him up at 5:30. I try to go back to bed or I will read face book posts
until I hear Kyle leave around 8. I write in my journal, look at the news and
then either type up my old handwritten journals or do some New Mexico research.
Around 9 or 9:30 I take the pups for a walk. That’s my usual morning.
I decided to water the front yard
today since my water bill wasn’t as outrageous as I thought it would be.
Everything was pretty dry from all the heat we had this summer. The only color
I have now is from the abundant sunflowers that have thrived.
I didn’t see Kyle until early
evening and Adrian not at all today. I went to Smith’s and bought Lulubelle
more Cesar dog food and a watermelon for Kyle and more eggs for Adrian’s
breakfast. Finished watching Walt Disney Aladdin while making chili verde and
doing the dishes up so it was pretty bland day.
The middle east is heating up again
with war possibly breaking out between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon and
possibly with Iran.
4 August 2024 Sunday
It
was kind of a do nothing day. Adrian went to work, Kyle stayed home for much of
the day resting and the only thing I did was empty the back of Kyle’s Volvo of
the ice chest of left over soda pop from last Thursday event, along with the
boxes of left over Lays snack chips. I also unloaded the awning tent and
cleaned out the back of his car. I spent the rest of the day working on New
Mexico research.
“If you’re wondering why a felon is
allowed to run for our highest office, it’s because we never expected a party
to be stupid enough to nominate one.”
My cousin Stephanie Williams moved
to Huntington Beach and it got me to thinking about Garden Grove and the
Highway 39 Drive-In which was opened when I was 4 years old in 1955, 6 months
after my parents moved to Garden Grove. It was less than 2 miles from our house
on Trask and Beach Blvd. That drive in was even opened before Disneyland did in
1956 seven miles away.
The Santa Ana Register called the drive-in
one of the largest drive-ins in the West because of its 1,600 car capacity and
a screen almost ten stories high. As Orange County’s fourth drive-in, this
Pacific Theatres' snack bar was six times larger than normal and had counter
space almost a quarter block long.
My parents took us kids to the Drive-in a lot
and there was a playground in front of the screen to hang out until it was
dark. As a teenager I often went to the movies there, sneaking in by hiding in
the trunk. Back then the speakers were on poles that you hung on your car
window and you had to be careful not to drive off without putting it back.
As the drive-in was on Beach Blvd I
probably passed it a thousand times when i lived in Garden Grove and never
thought much about it. At night sometimes you would look at the screen while
driving by to see what was playing.
There was something wonderful about a
drive-in that you never quite experienced being in a sit down theater. I heard
after I moved away it became a 4-screen theatre in 1979. When it closed in 1997 it had the distinction
of being the last to go, of the 11 drive-ins of Orange county.
They
built a Lowe’s and Wal-Mart store on the
site of my childhood and youthful memories.
I grew up during a golden time and
place, and for that I am grateful
5 August 2024 Monday
Kyle
called at 11 for me to come down early to Papis. I was in the middle of cutting
up a watermelon but I gathered his lunch of chili verde and watermelon and
brought it down. He wanted me to go with him to Costco where he bought a
membership and wanted to put me on it also. So, we had our pictures taken and
cards made before going to get drinks for the crew.
I had to go to the bank for Kyle to get
a cashier check made for the Mixx as he had so many interviews today that he
didn’t have time before 1 if he was going to get a chance to eat.
I delivered the check to Axion the
landlord and noticed that the parking lot of Bewilder was being torn up to be
repaved so that’s in the works.
I went to the Glendale Smith’s because I
was out of chicken for the pups supper but after that I was home for the day.
I cooked up the chicken and made soup
from the broth and cooked up a pot of black beans as both Adrian and Kyle like
their blacks beans rather than pinto.
In the afternoon a gust of wind blew in
with a storm cloud but we barely got a sprinkle. However, it knocked the google
fiber internet off for about an hour or more. With the Internet out here in my
neighborhood, it's either go to the library or watch DVDs, you know those
things before streaming. Fortunately, by 7 the internet was back on and I
watched the live version of Aladdin with Will Smith in it. Very similar to the
animated on but enough of a change in story line to make it enjoyable. I think
I like it mainly because it’s the first movie that Kyle and I saw together
nearly 5 years ago now.
Kyle said that Papis had a microburst
down there and the power went out again at Bewilder so Kyle closed them down
for the night. Probably just as well it being a Monday and the parking lot torn
up.
When Kyle came in he said that Adrian,
Johanna, and Jesus Pereira were going out bowling. Ha! He asked if I wanted to
go but said absolutely not. I haven’t bowled since my last day at Orchard
Elementary with my students.
I’ve been posting pictures of scenes of
Utah lately on my Face Book posts. I suppose I miss the road trips Bill Poore
and I used to take to get away for a few hours. Utah is so beautiful but at
least I have memories.
In the news a hurricane called Debby has
turned into a tropical storm and is dumping about 2 feet of water in
Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina. “Forecasters
say the conditions were only expected to worsen this week as the storm
unleashes historic and potentially “catastrophic” flooding across the region.”
We are high and dry here in Utah as the monsoons haven’t reached us yet.
6 August 2024 Tuesday
I
didn’t leave the house at all today. Kyle didn’t need me to bring him lunch and
Adrian was gone a lot except for having a gentleman caller over. In the news
Kamala Harris picked Tim Walz governor of Minnesota to be her running mate. All
I need to know about Tim Walz, is he is a retired school teacher with a rescued
pup while Dementia Don calls his enemies dogs and hillbilly Vance disparages
women who own cats. It was an excellent choice.
I found confirmation on Mike Romero’s
family that his direct paternal ancestor as being Diego Perez y Romero who was
a grandson of Captain Bartolome Romero who colonized New Mexico with the De
Onate expedition. It was 102 degrees today.
I
woke up at 4:30 for some reason but stayed in bed until 5 then was up to make
spaghetti and meatballs for Kyle’s lunch before leaving for my 8 o’clock
appointment with Dr. Stoneburner. He said I have a gold star and won’t need to
come in again until February 10th next year. My blood pressure was
130/64 and I had a vitamin B 12 shot. I weighed in at 186 pounds.
I brought Kyle his lunch then stayed
home afterwards for most of the day writing up the Romero history.
This evening Kyle and Adrian went
grocery shopping and Adrian stayed up late cooking meals for his lunches and
supper for the week.
All that is in the local news is the
pending execution tonight of a man on death row. Utah is paying a lot of our tax
money to kill this man.
8 August 2024 Thursday
I
went with Mike Romero down to Papi’s so he could have his truck washed. I also
wanted him to see the place as he had never been down and eventually he will
bring his trailer down to be washed.
Then we went to Costco because he wanted to check out the produce there.
After walking around, we soon realized there was absolutely nothing we would
ever need from there at our stage of life.
Utah executed a man shortly after
midnight last night and I posted on Facebook that I thought all the pro death
penalty state legislators should be forced to witness them. Facebook flagged my
comments and I had to delete my post. So,
any comment about Utah’s death penalty goes against Face Books community
standards now.
Little is going on with me as summer
is progressing, still in the 100s but expected to cool into the 90s later this
week. Smoke was heavy in the valley I suppose from the California fires, so
much so our mountains disappeared in the haze.
I am old enough to remember that 50
years ago today Richard Milhous Nixon resigned as President of the United
States rather than be impeached. Even he had more decency than lying trump who
the Republican'ts nominated even though two years ago the FBI raided Mar a Lago
for the stolen documents dementia Don hid in his toilet.
I read this quote by George Bernard Shaw
and it is how I'd like to be remembered in my own little way when it’s my time
to expire.
"This is the true joy in life, the
being used for a purpose recognized by yourself as a mighty one; the being a
force of nature instead of a feverish, selfish little clod of ailments and
grievances complaining that the world will not devote itself to making you
happy.
I am of the opinion that my life belongs
to the whole community, and as long as I live it is my privilege to do for it
whatever I can.
I want to be thoroughly used up when I
die, for the harder I work the more I live. I rejoice in life for its own sake.
Life is no "brief candle" for me. It is a sort of splendid torch
which I have got hold of for the moment, and I want to make it burn as brightly
as possible before handing it on to future generations."
9 August 2024 Friday
I brought Kyle his lunch of
spaghetti and meat balls but didn’t stay long and came back home to organize
Mike Romero’s genealogy. I think I am done with the research part of it and now
need to write it up in a coherent manner.
This late afternoon when I went to walk
the pups, the weather outside really changed with rain clouds and gusts blowing
but I managed to go around the block before the little bit of rain drops we got
fell.
I remember the news of the murder of
Sharon Tate and her friends so distinctly from 1969. It was my summer between
high school and college. It was shocking but not until a few days later when
the LaBiancas were gruesomely murdered was So. California was thrown into a
panic. For the 1st time ever, my parents started locking our doors while we
were asleep. Helter Skelter.
It took months to find out the Manson
family was responsible and during the 4 years I was in college the Manson
family trial was always part of the news. Their death penalty conviction was
voided when the Supreme Court ruled the death penalty as performed back then
was unconstitutional.
I was living in Utah in 1977 and
recently married when Utah was the first state to revive the death penalty in
America. They just killed a man yesterday at the new state prison by lethal
injection rather than shooting him this time. And so it goes
Twenty years ago Fay Wray, died at 96 on
August 9 2004. In Answer to Dr.
Frankenfurter's question in The Rocky Picture Show, "What Ever Happened to
Fay Wray, that delicate Satin draped dame?", All time screamer she said ''I yelled every
time they said, 'Yell,' ''. She was paid
$10,000 for 10 weeks' work -- good pay for Hollywood in the Depression. RKO
Pictures got more than its money's worth - the Beauty and the Beast movie grossed nearly $90,000 in its first
four days, a fortune at a time when movie tickets were 15 cents. King Kong saved RKO studios which later
brought us all the wonderful Ginger Rogers and Fred Astaire films.
Wray lived in Salt Lake City with her
family from about 1913 to about 1922. Wray's Salt Lake City addresses were at
814 Sherman Ave., which Wray's family rented for $12 a month and 236 Hampton
Ave., where Wray once rode a pet horse up and down the street.
I should have known I would grow us as
Gay since as a little boy I idolized Fay Wray being rescued by hunky men from
the grasps of the beast. She was my
first role model lol
10 August 2024 Saturday
After
midnight I was wakened by Kyle and someone coming upstairs to retrieve Adrian.
At first I thought maybe they were having a ménage à trois but when I woke
Adrian up this morning to go to work, he told me he was tired as that Jesus Pereira
and Johanna had come over last night to celebrate Jesus selling his first shed.
I accidently over watered my front yard
by being forgetful. After walking the pooches I turned the sprinkler on in the
front yard around 10 and didn’t set a reminder so not until I went outside
around 4 did I realize the water was still going! Well I guess I won’t have to
water again for the rest of the month. Kyle said he didn’t need any lunch so I
never left the house today.
I am so sick of pundits and reporters
for not going after Trump as they did Biden for his age and abilities. Trump
can't even put a coherent sentence together and usually it's delusional, when
all Biden's criticism was that he was sometimes slow and a bit forgetful but at least he was articulate. At least Biden has all his marbles. But that
is what happens when you truly don't have a free press and journalism any more,
where Billionaires and corporations are more interested in greed and profits
over truth and democracy. We will never have a Walter Cronkite again.
I live in a very red state where my vote
counts for little except in a few
pockets of places like Salt Lake City. I still vote every election because I am
an American and people have given their lives here in America and overseas for that right. I will vote this election like
every other because it might be the very last time that it will count on a
national level.
11 August 2024 Sunday
Kyle
was really not feeling well today and didn’t even get up until around 1 and
asked if I would make him a waffle but he didn’t even feel up to eating it. So
he went back to bed and not until around 6 did he ask me to make him some
chicken broth which I did and brought down to him. He was in his room all day I
hope he got the rest he needed.
I didn’t leave the house again
today. There really wasn’t any need to except to walk the pups. It was only in
the 90’s today so it felt much cooler than the 100’s.
Michael Aaron West enhanced an old photo
taken in 1987 when I was at the March on Washington. The snap shot had faded
over time but now it looks so clear. With me was Robert McIntier and Bruce
Harmon both have since passed away. Bob was the leader of the Restoration
Church for years and Bruce became Emperor of the Royal Court. Back then i still
had hair lol. I love the Washington Monument peeking out of Bobs head. I am
pretty sure Rev. Bruce Barton took the picture. It was so thoughtful of Michael
who also did some others of mine as well.
Makes you wonder who is more of a
lunatic, Trump or people who worship him? He is now claiming that all the crowd
sizes at any Harris and Walz events are A.I. generated.
His
running mate J D Vance is also a moron as he thinks childless people
have no stake in this country. He is a Catholic so try telling that to nuns and
priests. Also, I think George Washington, who never had children, thought he
had a stake in the future of this country.
Why are right wing weirdos so weird!
12 August 2024 Monday
We
had a monsoon ran come through in the late afternoon with about a half an inch
of rain. It was unexpected but welcomed. It sure cooled things off.
Little TJ still isn’t feeling well. He
has sharp little pains and yelps for unseen reasons. It pains my heart to see
him in such distress when he just wants to be with me.
Kyle was feeling better but not up
to snuff so I just brought him some chicken soup for lunch. Luisana was down at
Papi’s so we visited briefly. Her English is getting so good as she takes the
initiative to learn it and speak it.
After getting drinks for the crew I went to Deli Donuts down on 27th
and State Street to buy a dozen donuts for $15 to bring back to Papi’s and
shared with the guys there and after taking a couple I sent the rest with
Luisana to bring to Bewilder when she goes in tonight.
Adrian starts his medical assistant class
tonight in Bountiful so he’s off to start a new career. Hopefully by this time
next year he will have a new career.
There is tension in the Middle East
where Iran is expected to strike Israel this week over Israel’s killing top
Hezbollah and Hamas leaders.
13 August 2024 Tuesday
TJ
is not feeling well as he is yelping like he’s in pain whenever he gets
uncomfortable, This evening when Kyle came home he gave him a quarter of Persephone’s
tranquilizer and that seemed to help him relax. So I am worried that the little
guy is quickly going downhill.
I went to Papi’s to bring Kyle his
lunch but he was busy selling a shed so after waiting for about an hour I just
went on home. Around 5 the weather looked so threatening that I quickly took
the pups for a walk around the block and barely made it home before the rain
started.
Kyle went with Adrian to his EMT
school in Bountiful to help him with his syllabus when they were caught in the
deluge that hit. We were pounded by wind, rain and thunder.
14 August 2024 Wednesday
I
brought Kyle down his lunch and Adrian studied all afternoon for his class
tonight that lasts 6 to 10 Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. TJ seemed really out of
it this morning but in the afternoon
walk he seemed a bit better. TJ is having a rough time lately. I think his old
age is catching up with him and I am worried that he's not going to get better.
He's around 15 or 16 so it's inevitable I will lose him eventually. I just wish
he would go to sleep like Buster did so I don't have to make the dreaded
decision for him. Taco and he shared a rug in the sunshine on the veranda this
afternoon. When Kyle came home he made an appointment for TJ tomorrow for the
Wison Veterinary Clinic on HWY 89 up in North Salt Lake that we used to take
Oscar and Priscilla to years ago.
It rained briefly here at the house
but Kyle said it down poured with hail down at Papis. Kyle stayed up and
visited with me this evening, which was unusual. He sold another shed this
morning. He had to leave to go get hamburger meat for Bewilder as the girls
were slammed for two hours. It was much
cooler today only in the high 80’s. I went to bed around 9 with TJ curled up
next to me as 5 o’clock will come pretty early tomorrow morning.
15 August 2024 Thursday
I
took TJ down to The Wilson Veterinary Hospital at 11 to see what was going on
with him. I really liked the vet and she said that he had a severe ear
infection which may be the reason he has been in so much pain. While there I
had his nails clipped and of course he screamed bloody murder but I did warn
them that he’s very dramatic but otherwise
he was a good boy. She prescribed antibiotic for the infection and some
arthritis pills to help also. He seemed so much better today than yesterday and
by the end of the day he almost seemed his old self again. I made another
appointment for Maxx and Taco for 4:30 as they both needed all their shots and
I had their nails clipped also. So it was a rather expensive day at the vet for
it was about $550 for all three dogs today.
I made Adrian his breakfast this
morning and brought Kyle down his lunch. He said he hired a kid to work at
Papis to help him out in the office which I guess he will start next week.
Peter
Marshall passed away. He was 98. He always seemed happy especially with Paul
Lynde’s adlibs on Hollywood Squares.
16 August 2024 Friday
I
was up early this morning to fix breakfast for Adrian but did go back to sleep
as I baked a meat loaf and scalloped potatoes to bring down to Kyle. I think TJ
is doing so much better with th medicine but I have some kind of infection in
my right ear to my jaw that is really tender. I am hoping it will just go away.
Kyle brought home Little Caesar Pizza for Adrian and I had a few pieces. Kyle
said that Adrian dropped the class he was taking but signed up for a new one at
the same school.
It was a very nice day today around
90 degrees and I cleaned the swimming pool a bit but I really need to climb in
and get some of the leaves on the bottom. Oh Well.
I
met Taco the chihuahua 5 years ago
today. Jim Dabakis wanted to bring him over to see how he'd be around
other dogs in case Jim brought him down to Mexico with him. He was a sweet heart like TJ and got along
swimmingly with my gang and even went down the porch deck steps into the yard
like a trooper. I think Jim was pleased
as punch how well Taco did when my canine crew overwhelmed him by saying howdy
do. Jim starting leaving him with me instead of taking him to Mexico and Taco
loved his little bay window where he
could bark at the world passing by. In time Taco stayed more with the gang here
than with Jim as Jim traveled the world. 5 years later he's sleeping by myside
under the blanket and finally gives me kisses
17 August 2024 Saturday
We
have had good soaking showers almost every day with the monsoons from the south
and it so needed. However the Dogs were super freaked out, when a lightning
bolt hit nearby, lighting up the whole house this afternoon. It shook the
entire house and lit it up with the flash. Never had one so close. It even
startled me...thunder and lightning very, very frightening Mama Mia.
Its mid-August and school is
starting back up here in Salt Lake next week. It already started in Davis. I
started my last year at Washington 10 years ago now.
Kyle took Adrian out to dinner to
celebrate his 2nd anniversary of being in the United States. When
they came home, they wanted me to have some champagne with them to celebrate.
18 August 2024 Sunday
I
had a phone call that someone threw a rock and broke the window at the Mixx
stand over by Bewilder so I let Kyle know this morning. He had a busy day
taking Jesus Pereira up to Evanston to meet with the Frontier Shed guys. Adrian went to work this morning after I was
up fixing him his breakfast.
It’s raining and thundering again
this way over Jordan. I love the monsoon season after a hot summer. The pooches
are huddled with me in bed this afternoon as I took a break from typing up
Mike’s Romero’s ancestors. With all the rain we have been having and cooler
weather my grass in the front yard is greening up again. It looked dead almost
all through July as I never water much. I might even have to mow.
The pills i have been giving TJ seem to
be putting the spring back in his step. So grateful for that although now
Lulubelle has something as she has been throwing up.
Yesterday we celebrated Adrian 2nd
anniversary of crossing the Rio Grande into the United States. He showed me a
picture of him wading across in almost chest high water that was so swift it
carried him downstream a bit. Now he’s
safe with me, working full time, learning English and going to school and I
have someone to fix breakfast for again ...
19 August 2024 Monday
I
was up fixing Adrian’s breakfast and didn’t go back to bed but just typed up
the research I have been doing.
Mike Romero called around 11 and
wanted to come over after being at the vet. I was worried that he might have
put Coco down but he said he just went in to have her looked at and they gave
her a pain shot for her and he had her with him. He went to Wilson Clinic and
the vet said that Coco has a heart murmur and infections in her mouth. Mike
just wanted me to go with him when it is time to take her in. He also said that he needs to go to the DMV
to get handicap placards for our vehicles. Dr. Stoneburner gave him a form so
he can get them. Stoneburner won’t give me one because he says I am too
healthy.
I heard that Phil Donahue died today
at the age of 88. He started his talk show program in 1967 when I was 16 which
last until I was 44 years old.
I then went down to Papi’s to bring
Kyle a lunch of meat loaf and to help him go get drinks for the guys.
Afterwards I went to Costco to buy a package of their all beef hot dogs which I
made one for my lunch. I can’t stand any other kind of regular store brands
anymore.
Kyle made an appointment at the
Farmington DMV for Mike and I said I would go with him tomorrow because I know
where it is after going there several times with Kyle when he had the Turo
business.
I watched every bit of the first night
of the Democratic Convention from
Hillary Clinton to President Biden. I
was really moved by Sen. Warnock’s speech but I loved, Loved, loved Joe Bidens basically goodbye speech.
President sounded strong and enthusiastic. He said he loved being President but
he loves his country even more. The Convention talks made me even more proud to
be a Democrat.
As Dementia Don fumbles through embarrassing
diatribes he calls campaign speeches, it is clear the right wing media
supporters are there to prop him up even more. Trump is the antithesis of what it is to be President. His
slavish MAGA cult followers are the very people Presidents of the past warned
against. Trump instead says he loves them and they are fine people. The
Republican Party has gone off the rails
20 August 2024 Tuesday
I
was woken at 3:30 this morning by a phone call about a break in at the Mixx and
I was never able to go back to sleep. I tried to sleep but finally just got up
at 4:30, fixed some breakfast and
started typing on the computer.
After 8, I drove down to Papi’s to
retrieve the DMV form but as it turned out, I didn’t really need it as it was
the same as the one that Dr. Stoneburner gave Michael. Kyle was dealing with a
couple renting a U haul van so I had to wait a while for him to print it off.
Mike came by after 9:30 and we drove up
to the DMV in Farmington. I was a little cranky, probably from lack of sleep
and was annoyed with Mike being so contrary about President Biden. He can be so
negative at times and I have always known that but it irked me today after
being so stirred up by the positivity of watching the convention last night and
hearing President Biden speak.
Anyway it didn’t take any time at
all for Mike to get two handicap placards and was surprised and delighted that
they were permanent without any expiration date on them. The one I had been
using that Bill Poore gave me when I was hauling him around expired in 2022 and
I had been using it the entire time still.
I can’t help it that Dr. Stoneburner
thinks I am too healthy for him to let me get one on my own. I am over 73 years
old and think I should not have to walk an entire parking lot even if I am able
to. Well I have been a sexual out law
for most of my life being a sodomite but I guess not in my old age I am a
handicap parking outlaw.
This afternoon Kyle called and asked
me to go out to Nicholas Foods to pick up some items for Bewilder which I did.
The weather was hot but not in the 100’s and the skies were beautiful a
brilliant blue with white summer clouds that I don’t see that often anymore.
I finally saw the Bewilder parking
lot that had been repaved and striped. It really looked great. Only Maria and
Johanna Pereira were working when I delivered the goods. I didn’t stay very
long as I wanted to get home.
I put a pot roast in a crock pot for
lunches this week but otherwise just worked on the Romeros and watched some
news.
Kyle came home around 8 saying that
U-Haul gave him the contact to repair vehicles that are damaged or have issues.
He was hyped about that.
I really enjoyed the DNC tonight...it
confirmed why I am a Democrat. Kamala Harris husband Douglas Emhoff spoke.
Which the first time I heard him, and I was pretty impressed. Then Michelle
Obama spoke followed by President Obama. They were electrifying as always.
21 August 2024 Wednesday
I
woke up around 4 and crawled into bed with Adrian to cuddle and sleep. It’s
been a while as I want him to get his sleep when he works and has to be up so
early.
It was a warm day but suppose to get
cooler by the weekend. I made Lulubelle go for a walk with the pups because I
figured she needed the exercise from being so lethargic and not eating the past few days. She did eat a little tonight
so that’s good.
President Joe Biden personifies the
words of President John F Kennedy. "Ask not what your country can do for
you but what you can do for your country."
Joe Biden would have been a 19 year old youth when President Kennedy
spoke these words and they must have resonated with him throughout his life.
Only three Presidents ever chose not to
run again while President, George Washington, Lyndon B Johnson, and President
Biden. I can't even imagine a Republican doing the same instead like the felon
would try to stage a coup.
We aren't perfect for sure. I heard a
comedian explain the difference between Democrats and Republicans. Democrats
are like the sweet old Uncle who promises to take you to Disneyland someday...
eventually when times get better.
Republicans are like the grumpy old
Uncle who says there's no money to go to Disneyland and then you find out he
went without you. Don't tell me there's
no difference between Democrats and Republicans
Third night of the DNC was
tremendous...it was so good to hear President Clinton speak again, and while
never been a big fan of Oprah, i
appreciated her sincereness tonight. And of course Tim Walz, never underestimate
a school teacher.., i was so impressed with seeing his son tearing up so proud
of his father. I love President Biden
but realize it was time to pass the torch
I
was pretty disgusted with CBS for airing a vile anti Kamala Harris ad implying
she was responsible for all the heinous murders committed by some crossing
illegally across the border. As if Trump
and Republicans aren’t responsible for the mass murder of school children .
I
am especially disgusted with Pharisaic Franklin Graham buying up million dollar
ads to promote his "prayer line" ...Last I read Christ said to pray
in secret not in public like the hypocrites do. Christianity is supposed to be
a religion not a business.
22 August 2024 Thursday
Final
day of the Democratic Convention with Kamala Harris accepting the party’s
nomination for President. Her speech was strong and it gave me a renewed
commitment to her campaign. There were lots of powerful speeches and images.
The mothers and a student who were victims of gun violence was so moving. I was
also so impressed with Republican Adam Kinzinger historic appearance at the
convention asking for people to put love of country over politics and defeat
Trump’s authoritarianism. So it was a good day to be a Democrat.
Adrian was up late cooking up all
his meals for next week while I watched the convention.
Lately
several Billionaires have been dropping dead and the world is probably better
off now for it.
23 August 2024 Friday
I
am having Democratic Convention withdrawals. I just loved it so much. It was
refreshing how much Harris and Walz talked about their families, while the
felon rarely does except for his own
brood but never about even his own mother. Now the vile conservatives are
attacking Tim Walz’ son for his enthusiasm for his father.
The hatred spewed at a sweet boy who
loves his father is a symptom of a hardened heart which is basically a heart
that is unmoved by things others would be compassionate about... that is what
so many MAGA cultist and billionaires have, unfortunately, and it’s a sickness
that has infected American politics. They mistake kindness for weakness the
more fools them.
When Dementia Don was in the White House
liberals made a plea to others to leave Barron alone and not attack him because
of who his father is but evidently conservatives have no such moral compass. I
have never seen Barron Trump smile even when he is around his sperm donor. Poor
little rich boy.
I made Adrian his breakfast and took
Kyle his lunch but spent most of the day just organizing the family history I
am writing for Mike Romero. The weather is cooling off into the pleasant 80’s.
Adrian surprised me by joining me in my
own bed tonight. I guess he needed the cuddles. Kyle said that South Salt Lake
is giving him shit about displaying the Sheds on the Papi’s lot.
24 August 2024 Saturday
The
Hateful MAGA Party only has fear as their platform ... don’t be fooled by the
demented vicious attacks on prosecutor Kamala so Dementia Don can stay out of
prison and the Uber rich can get another tax break. A reminder to Republican MAGA cultists
who believe Dementia Don's vision of a wall at the border instead of
immigration reform that the Great Wall of China didn’t stop the Mongols.
Only time I left the house was to go
get groceries for the pup’s supper. Adrian thinks he is catching a summer cold.
25 August 2024 Sunday
I
was up to fix Adrian his breakfast and I know he was tired because he slept
with Kyle downstairs. I was able to go back to sleep for a bit and when Kyle
was up he asked me to make him a waffle. Since I was up I decided to make a
cheese cake since I had cream cheese and sour cream in the icebox.
Later Kyle asked me to go down to
Bewilder today to help with washing because a huge group of 150 was there that
he wasn’t told about and there were only Luisana and Milagros working today. He
hadn’t planned for it so the kitchen was also low on food.
So I quit what I was working on and went
down there where a Trivia Contest was going on and the place was packed. But
Kyle brought down more food and helped the girls get the orders out while they
kept the dishes and trays caught up during the rush.
I was only down there for less than
two hours before coming back home.
Back at the house I made a chicken
and noodle casserole for supper and fed the pups the meat loaf I made for them
yesterday as I could tell they were getting tired of chicken especially
Lulubelle who won’t eat if it’s just chicken on the menu.
It was so much cooler today only around
77 degrees for a high. It felt more like October than August.
I finally made a break through on
Mike’s family tree by finally discovering who his 8th Great grandmother
Sebastiana was. She was the mother of his 7th Great grandfather Salvador
Romero who had his
6th Great grandfather Diego had his 5th Great grandfather Felipe, had
his 4th Great grandfather Juan
Miguel, had his 3rd Great
grandfather Felipe de Jesus, had his 2nd
Great grandfather Antonio de Jesus, had
his Great grandfather, Ricardo, had
his grandfather Modesto, had his father Bill
Romero.
The only thing I had known for
certain was that Salvador stated his
father was Diego Romero and his mother was Sebastian Martin. Actually his
father was Diego Perez y Romero who took his mother’s last name. Sebastiana was not a Martin but rather
married to Domingo Martin Barba. Diego Romero and Sebastiana were not married
but had two children Salvador and Ynez and by much circumstantial evidence I
was able to discover that Sebastiana was a Mondragon, so I am pretty proud of
that.
26 August 2024 Monday
I
took Kyle down his lunch and met his knew hire Sebastian Stuart Johnson, this
black kid who went to BYU and posted a
lot of videos called Black Menaces of his experiences there. It a very cool day
with it only being in the 70’s.
27 August 2024 Tuesday
I
went to lunch at Chubby’s with Alan Anderson and Scott Stites but little else
today so I didn’t go down to Papi’s. Later Kyle said he sold two sheds today.
Alan is attending a class at the River Bend Senior Center on Tuesdays which is
at the northwest community center. We had a nice visit catching ups with what
we are up to and how we aren’t involved in the so called LGBT community anymore
as they have moved on without us seniors.
28 August 2024 Wednesday
Since
it was Adrian’s day off I didn’t have to get up early to fix him breakfast. I
took Kyle his lunch and after that stayed home to work on the Romero clan. I
have printed off some of it so I can edit it before giving it to Michael
I should do some yard work but have
very little interest in keeping up with things anymore. Signs of old age I
guess. I have been watching the Disney channel lately in
the evening just to unwind. When Kyle came home he brought Adrian and him
dinners from Chubby’s, I guess my mentioning it yesterday made him hungry for
some Mexican food.
I saw a Facebook Page called If You
are From Anaheim and I scrolled through a lot of it seeing what people posted,
mostly about Disneyland which is surrounded by Garden Grove. Where we lived on
Dale Street was Garden Grove, however, across the street at Jean Horan’s house
she was in Anaheim. My friend Jerry
Smith who lived behind her on Poes Street was in Anaheim also. The area I grew
up in I could walk a half mile and be in Stanton or Anaheim.
It made me a bit nostalgic as that
most of the comments were to the north of us at Ball and Cerritos and Lincoln.
I did see that someone posted that the Brookhurst Theater that I went to a lot
was turn down and they showed the rubble. Some talked about Newberry Department
Store on Brookhurst east of Zody’s across from the Orange County Plaza, which
was actually in Garden Grove
29 August 2024 Thursday
Adrian
went back to work today. I woke up at 4:30, really feeing okay so I got up and
began to fix a breakfast for him to take after getting him up at 5:30.
When Adrian came home he took a nap
and I went and joined him.
I walked the pups and fixed
Spaghetti and meatballs to bring down to Papi’s for Kyle’s lunch. I should he
gone shopping but didn’t as I have been
feeling really lethargic lately.
What
dementia Don and his team did at Arlington was a clear violation of the law and
shows without a doubt what he will do as president having the Supreme Court
granting him immunity and the powers of a king.
Dementia
Don claimed “Joe Biden killed their children by incompetence. It should never
happened. Kamala killed their children, just as though they had a gun in their
hand, by gross incompetence.”
“And
then they accuse me of having a picture taken at the tombstone with a family
because they love the president,” he added. “They love me and I love them.”
Cadet
Bone spur "has repeatedly faced criticism over remarks he’s made about
service members. Recently, he told a billionaire GOP donor the Presidential
Medal of Freedom he bestowed on her — the nation’s highest civilian honor — was
“much better” than its military equivalent, the Medal of Honor."
"He
also reportedly made comments in 2020 that Americans who died in World War I
were “suckers” and “losers.” He has refuted those claims, although a former top
aide has since attested to them."
When
the U.S. Army has to call a former commander in chief out for a blatant
disrespect and violation and even John Bolton says it was wrong, there's a
serious problem with the media let alone the Trumpublican party for not condemning him as fit to be President
and commander of our armed forces.
Putin
must be so pleased.
Just
a reminder that it’s not just Dementia Don we want to defeat in November but
all of his base...cockroaches scatter when you turn the lights on
30 August 2024 Friday
Kyle
had to go to Ogden his afternoon so he said he didn’t need to bring him any
lunch. My keyboard is sticking so much I think Imay have to replace it
31 August 2024 Saturday
I
was tired this morning getting up to fix breakfast but I love Adriean and I
know he loves me> He’s been spending the night downstairs a lot with Kyle
and that makes me happy. Kyle was gone all day and he said he as very busy at
Papi’s as he sold a shed and did lot of U haul rental . Well it is the end of
the month and people move at this time. Michael Romero came over and wanted me to
go with him to Verizon in Sugar House as he bought himself a telephone watch to
have if he ever in an emergency again and doesn’t have his phone with him.
Nothing really much to write about.
I should go get some mice raps but I
hate killing the things but they are now making such a racket at night in my
room that they keep me up.
Enjoy tonight’s sunset as it is the last one after 8 o'clock until next April 2025. Summer is winding down.
September
1 September 2024 Sunday
Kyle
and I went shopping today
as I needed a new keyboard as the tabs on my old one kept sticking. We had to
go to Rodizio Grill first at Trolley Square to retrieve my Utah First Credit Card that Kyle had dropped there when
he took Adrian out for dinner yesterday. Then we went to Lowe’s to buy a couple
of mouse traps and then across the street to Wal Mart to buy a new keyboard.
When Adrian came home he slept in
for most of the afternoon which I think pissed Kyle off because he wanted to
get together with Adrian and Johanna to discuss bringing their mom and the others
up from Columbia.
The mice in my house have become so
brazen. I saw one in the kitchen jumping to go hide, another making a racket
behind my nightstand, and one actually peeked up on my computer desk. I am so
conflicted about killing them because I know they just want to eat and hang out
but I also know they are unsanitary but still, they are living creatures. Damn Walt Disney for personifying mice.
Well it’s the first of September and
a year ago Adrian and I were struggling in the kitchen of Bewilder while Kyle
was on the road bringing his sister and her three kids up from El Paso.
It’s Labor Day Holiday. Only way to save the middle class from
predatory capitalism, corporate tyranny and monopolies is to unionize. Kyle
left the house early and never saw him again. I know Papi’s is closed for the
holiday so maybe he wanted to be alone. Adrian had to work today so I was up
early fixing him his breakfast.
I spent almost the entire day on my
computer correcting errors in my research and printing it off so that was a
major accomplishment to finish at least part one pre 1680.
What a difference a year can make.
Adrians family just arrived from a harrowing journey crossing rivers, jungles,
deserts and detention in El Paso, after Kyle drove the family of 4 in my Honda
Fit all the way back to SLC.
Adrian
and I had to hold the fort down cooking at Bewilder until they arrived, and i
took the family shopping who were allowed to
enter with only the clothes on their backs and flip flops for shoes. I
had them all live with me for 2 months ... not sure how we were going to
manage. I didn’t speak Spanish and they didn’t speak English.
A year later they are all working or in
school, paying taxes and helping the economy thrive. We had our ups and downs
for sure but the American dream is built on love and hope not hate.
Milagros Villalobos wrote me Yes, thank
you very much. I am very grateful that you welcomed us a year ago. We found a
new home and family in you. God bless you for being very kind people. We love
you very much
María Hernández wrote, “There are always
cultural differences and so on, but you have been a great help not only for
them, but for me, which is why I value and honor you, both as bosses and as
friends.”
I
woke up at 5:30 thinking I had overslept for Adrians breakfast than realized
that the alarm didn’t go off because it was Tuesday and he didn’t work today. I
guess I am getting used to getting up early. Next week I will have to get up
even earlier because Adrian shift has changed to 5:30 instead of 6. On well the
things you do for love.
He slept a lot today, not sure if
tired or depressed. At 26 it could be either or both. Went to China Delight to get Kyle a rice bowl of Orange Chicken for his lunch
but at Papi’s he was busy with a Shed customer and Sebastian wasn’t in. Kyle
said he called in sick. So I went to Maverick and got Kyle and Luis Negron
their drinks then came back home.
Mike Romero was coming over at 1 to
drop Coco off while he went to have his catheter changed and flushed out. He
said Coco hadn’t eat or drink water yesterday and while he was gone I noticed
she had the tremors. So the sweet girl I
think is on her last legs like Buster was. It’s going to kill Michael when she
passes.
When He came back to the house, he
wanted information on funeral arrangements from Wiscomb. He knows he ought to
get that taken care of.
I didn’t see Kyle until he came home
late and thanked me for the Orange Chicken. He took Adrian out to get something
to eat I think to make up for ever they were fussing about. Adrian slept all day into the evening and
only was up to go with Kyle.
I had a bit of a queasy stomach
today and had to use the toilet downstairs because I didn’t want to have Adrian
walk in on me while on the pot. However, after going to bed early around 10, I
woke up thinking Adrian fell asleep with his light on so I opened his door to
turn his light off and I surprised him because he was buck naked LOL. I
apologized and went back to my own bed.
I watched a show on Hulu called The
English Teacher which was pretty entertaining about a Gay high school teacher.
It was windy this late afternoon
walking the pups and it even rained on us slightly before getting them home but
we never really got a soaking.
4 September
2024 Wednesday
I went over to Ron
Johnson’s this afternoon because he had a gift he wanted to give me of a large,
beautiful stain glass window that he made for me because he said all that I
have done in the community. I almost started crying but gave him a long and
hung and a kiss. I knew he said he had something for me but had no idea that it
was so magnificent and I am sure worth thousands of dollars. I couldn’t believe
it.
Michael Romero called this morning
all weepy as that Coco hasn’t eaten or drank water in a couple of says. He made
an appointment for Friday at 11:30 take her in for a wellness check and if she
doesn’t eat anything this week he’s resigned to put her down and asked if I
would go with him and I said of course I would. I know how devasting it will be
for him.
This evening I watched Only Murders
in the Building on Hulu and kind of binged watched the entire season.
Another school shooting in Georgia
with a kid with an AR 15 Rifle. We must be raising a generation of psychopaths.
Back
to get up to fixing Adrian his breakfast at 5 although next week it will be at
4:30 yikes. What you do for love. After dropping off Kyle’s lunch I went to
Home Depot looking to see what their mums looked like and I need pruning shears because I can’t
find my old one but I didn’t see anything there so I went to Walmart and their
whole garden area was gone so I just bought a couple of school binders for 50
cent each on discount sale and a candle and a few grocery items. I really do
not like how they herd you thru the self-checkout lines. I was too tired to go
over to Lowes to look for shears there
so may be tomorrow.
I watched another season of Only
Murders in the Building and not much else. Kind of taking a break from the
genealogy Although I am now research the Pueblo Revolt of 1680.
I didn’t see Adrian much today
6 September 2024 Friday
Kyle
called and asked me to come down to do running around with him. He wanted to me
to go with him out to Nicholas to get an order for Bewilder, then to Wells
Fargo to cancel Vibe Faktory and Bismark business accounts but we had to meet
with a bank officer so we made an appointment for 2:30. Kyle wanted to get all
this done because Sebastian Johnson gave his notice because he got a better job
at a nonprofit so Kyle will be with help again until he can find someone new.
Because we had to wait we went to Costco where Kyle bought some soda pop while
I took a nap in the car and then to home
depot where he bought a garbage disposal for the house. Well it’s at least bought,
who knows when he will have time to install it.
So then it was time to go back to
Wells Fargo where Kyle had them open a new business account for Tiny homes and
Sheds which is his business selling Fronter Sheds.
It was after 4 by the time I came
home and around 5 Adrian wanted to talk to me about having his mother and
invalid brother come live here. I think he was nervous about asking but I told
him we are family and family takes care of each other. At one point Adrian was
in tears telling me how much he loves me. I said one day I will be just a memory but was glad that he loved me and
loved being held by me.
Mike Romero called me after taking
Coco to the vet where she got another shot and some more medicine. She has a
weakened heart which may be the reason she was not eating or drinking earlier
this week but seems to be back to her old self, which while never really
healthy but at least eating and drinking again.
I brought Kyle down
some lunch and he wanted to visit with me about what it is going to take to
bring the rest of clan up from Columbia. Kyle will drive down and spend the
night at Primm before heading to San Diego and cross over to Tijuanna to fly
out of their airport to Bogotá. Then after picking them all up they will fly to
Cancun, Mexico on a tourist visa and then fly into Tijuana where they will be
smuggled across by Coyotes and then detained in immigration. Kyle will stay in
either Tijuanna or San Diego until they are released and he will drive them
home to Salt Lake. That is if everything goes according to plan and that is a
big if. It’s going to cost $4000 just in plane fare which Kyle will have to
borrow from me but he says the family is supposed to pay me back. There will be
four of them coming, Adrian’s mother and older disabled brother, and Johanna’s
two boys. One is 17 and will work for Kyle at Papi’s but the youngest is only 8 and will need to be in school. Oh well
another adventure.
8
September 2024 Sunday
Adrian the dummy
got a speeding ticket this morning on his way to work going 107 miles an hour
on the Freeway over the 70 miles speed limit. Ouch that is going to cost him.
Kyle installed a new garbage disposal after the old one went out, about 9 months ago or more. All this time I have
just been using strainers in the sink but even as I tried to keep the garbage
from clogging up with gunk, it still would trap some and it would smell some. I
thought the switch had gone out when actually the old garbage disposal had just
quit. While at Home Depot I bought some more pruning shears and a hand saw to
cut the broken tree limb of the Mayflower tree out front
I made meat loaf for the pups for
next week and a chicken noodle casserole as well as a meat loaf for Kyle. Tomorrow its 4:30 in the morning to get up to
fix Adrian his breakfast. Ugh. Oh well.
9 September 2024 Monday
Well
I changed my alarm so I was up at 4:30 to fix Adrian his breakfast but went
back to bed afterwards but woke up around 7. I was tired by Kyle wanted me to
come down to Papi’s by 11 so we could buy the airline tickets for everyone to
bring up from Columbia.
So I was down there all afternoon
because first I made him go over step by step how to do the U-Haul portion of
the business and some more about the wash bay as that this Friday I will have
to run the business until he returns which may be a week or more. That’s 7:30
in the morning until after 4 and do what else needs to be done for Bewilder.
Later in the afternoon we sat down
and Kyle used my Credit Card to purchase all the plane tickets and hotel rooms
for this new adventure. I came home exhausted just thinking about it all but I
guess I can rest when I am dead. Speaking of death James Earl Jones died today.
Luke I am your father.
10 September 2024 Tuesday
I
typed up a list this morning on operations down at Papi’s this morning,
dreading the thought of being in charge while Kyle is away. However when I
brought Kyle his lunch he showed me a text with Sebastian Johnson asking if he
could have his job back because the nonprofit position wasn’t working out. I
felt like a ton of bricks fell off of my shoulders. I certainly hope he doesn’t
flake off again.
I was so relieved that I decided to stop at the NSP garden shop and
looked to see what they had. Everything was 20% off so I bought $100 worth of
plants and some groceries inside and then went back to Papis. I planted all the
plants and cleaned up the geraniums before heading home.
This evening I settled in to watch the Presidential Debate worried
that it might be a fiasco but Kamala Harris came off really strong. But It’s
crazy that so many people are rooting for the Felon. When I hear people say the
economy was so much better under dementia Don I just wanted to yell you idiot
you couldn't even buy toilet paper... sheesh some people are so stupid that they can’t remember
how store shelves were empty and you couldn't even get a haircut... yes things
are more expensive due to corporate greed but at least now you don't see empty
store shelves.
The felon 45 is a broken record also
screaming about criminal emigrants eating our pets and how great he is and how
evil Harris is. I do think the moderators did a better job than those who did
the Biden debate who let Trumps lies stand. I know I am biased but the felon
seems unhinged. Kamala Harris cut the Felons balls off.
11 September 2024 Wednesday
It’s
23rd Anniversary of the 9/11 attacks but most people are still
talking about how Kamala trounced Trump in the debate yesterday.
To many born in this century, like Pearl Harbor is for us Baby Boomers,
September 11 has no connection to them and for others it is fast becoming a
distant memory or just history... so many haunting photos like ones of
firefighters lost and people jumping from burning buildings. It’s a day I never
will forget. We were all shell shocked...and like Jan 6 I will never forget the
storming of the capitol. Voting has consequences...we invaded Iraq for no
reason as the Taliban was in Afghanistan which Benedict Donald invited to Camp
David on the 9/11 anniversary date
Several years ago, a woman I don't know
left me this sweet message... I know we all fought the good fight but it's
sweet to know at this time of my life that all that we did to make Salt Lake
City a kinder place, radiated out and allowed St George, Provo, Ogden, and
Logan to thrive.
I know this woman didn't know me either by
calling me Edgar my birth name. When I am gone I will be glad that some Gay
child has it easier for what we all did back in the day.
It is important while we are passing
through that we light the way for others.
"Edgar, I wanted to private message
you to tell you how truly thankful I am about your courage. I have a 13 year old son who shared with me
that he thinks he is gay. He is not
ready to come out publicly yet but I am doing everything I can to make his
journey as successful as possible. Thank you that my child will face a kinder
and more open world than you faced. I am
forever grateful of the individuals who paved the way before us."
It’s football season again. I dislike Baseball,
football, basketball as I was born without a sports gene I suppose, and i can't
stand the roar of a crowd. Its pure torture to sit through any athletic
competition ...
Little
known fact, I once was a water
boy for my Jr Varsity Football high school team... My Junior year history teacher tricked me into it... It's the only
"letter" I earned so technically I was a letterman in high school...
i never picked it up.
Even though I had to go to all the games
and bring water out to the pigskin heroes... Actually they appreciated me and
the extra attention I gave them...taking care of the battlefield boys
I
also handed out towels from the towel cage in the locker room so that was kind of a perk lol ... I was 16
years old
When i was 28 and worked for the Special
Event Center at the U of U i was often assigned to guard the football visiting
team locker room as it had no door to keep people away while the college guys
showered and dressed.
No i did not avert my eyes lol
12 September 2024 Thursday
Back
to fixing breakfast for my “grandson” as Adrian calls me. I am waking up on my
own around 4:15 before my alarm even goes off. I went back down to NPS before
going to Papis to buy some mums for my front steps and a few more grocery
items. Kyle had to leave right away for a shed meeting in Bountiful, so I
stayed while Sebastian Johnson went to lunch and then got the drinks for the
crew.
I then went to Bewilder to give a
box of plastic kitchen gloves for Kyle. He used the last yesterday removing the
mouse that I had trapped a few days ago but was squeamish about getting rid of
myself.
Back at the house I put Adrians
clothes away and made his bed before
taking an afternoon nap myself. When I got up around 5 I finally pruned
some plants in the front yard but there’s a lot more to do.
When Kyle came home we talked about
how South Salt Lake is making remove the Old Hickory Sheds because of some
stupid ordinance but will most likely move them to a site behind Slim Olsen’s
in Bountiful. But that’s something he will have to do when he returns in a week
or so.
Kyle ordered me a Harris/Walz
campaign sign for the front yard that came today. I hope it doesn’t get stolen.
There was a quake off the coast of Malibu in California this morning. No
injuries.
Republican nominee Dementia Donald announced "he would not participate in
another presidential debate against Kamala Harris ahead of the Nov. 5 election.
In all caps he wrote on his social media site Truth Social. "THERE WILL BE
NO THIRD DEBATE!"
What
is wrong with these undecided voters? Stupid, apathetic, no morals? All of the
above? If he is too afraid to debate
Harris again can you imagine as Commander In Chief him standing up to Putin and
other authoritarians?
13 September 2024 Friday
I
woke up a little before the alarm went off and fixed Adrian his breakfast. This
morning I finally mowed the front yard because I wanted the Harris/Walz sign to
look nice. Around 11:30 I went down to
Papi’s to bring Sebastian Johnson some lunch and get drinks for the crew before
heading to Bewilder where Kyle was there for a health inspection of the
kitchen. I had the girls make me a hamburger while I waited.
When Adrian was off work he came to Bewilder
to say goodbye to Kyle as he will be gone at least a week. We left from
Bewilder and he had me meet him at Wells Fargo to withdraw some cash and give
Sebastian his pay. Kyle gave me a long hug and then he was on his way.
Well today begins an adventure of 4,140
mile journey to Bogota, Columbia and another 4140 miles back to bring Adrian's
mother, Yolanda Perez, his invalid brother, and his two nephews to rejoin their
mother Johanna and to come live with us.
Hoping for a speedy and uneventful journey.
On the boats and on the planes They're
coming to America, Never looking back again, They're coming to America, Home,
don't it seem so far away We're traveling light today, In the eye of the storm
In the eye of the storm.
14 September 2024 Saturday
I
woke up at 5 realizing my alarm didn’t go off so I jumped up and quickly fixed
Adrian a quick breakfast while he showered. I looked at my phone and the alarm
was turned off. I wonder how that
happened. That was just the beginning of a very busy day.
Kyle called me from the fruit
inspection station in California after spending the night in Primm, Nevada
where he said he spent over $6 a gallon for gas there. He had a list of chores
he needed me to do this morning before noon. I had to go to Smith’s and buy 30 lbs.
of meat. They ran out of the 15 lbs. I brought yesterday as they had a $2,000
night. Adrian even had to go last night while I was asleep to get even some
more for them.
Also at Smith’s I had to buy avocados.
Then off to the chef Store to buy more produce, and cleaning supplies. No one
was at Bewilder when I arrived there so after putting everything away I had to
go to Harmons to buy more Original bratwursts and a gallon of Milk.
When Bewilder was taken care of I
had to go to Wells Fargo to pull out money for payroll. It still makes me
nervous whenever I have to do that from all the times there was deficient funds
but there wasn’t any issue today.
The gals down there are mostly Latina
and know Kyle from all his transactions and he had told them he was going to
Columbia and they remember me from yesterday and friendly like asked if I was a
relative and I said I was his father and then they asked if Kyle was going to
retrieve his wife, when I said actually he was going to get his husbands’
family. I goofed because then they said
they didn’t know, as Kyle always said, “his wife” but it didn’t faze them at
all and said they would just refer to his “partner”. Oh well. Kyle is usually
so opened about Adrian that I hadn’t
thought twice.
At Papi’s I paid Luis Alberto,
Johana, Luisito, and Lucianny their pay then went back to Bewilder and gave
Lusiana and Milagros their pay. I kept
Maria’s pay for later. Kyle said that
Maria said she would come to Bewilder at 4:30. So I was done by noon and could
go home and rest some before Adrian came home from work.
I took a nap and fell asleep and
barely woke up a little before 4:30, so I rushed back down to Bewilder but I
didn’t need to bother as that Maria wasn’t there and Luisana called her and
Maria said she’d come in at 7 later to get her payroll. So I left as the crew didn’t need me.
I
stopped at Maverick across the street and gas was about $3.70 but after what
Kyle said he paid, I couldn’t kick.
Before going to bed I looked at Facebook
and saw a post I hadn’t posted. Very weird it was something about a wedding
dress posted on my page that looked like it came from me and it mentioned
Adrian and Kyle and a wire transfer. I messengered Kyle who was on his flight
to Mexico City who didn’t know anything about it nor did Adrian so I changed my password to Edgar10@gayflower
and now post is gone. Hower two friends liked it so I suggested they might
want to change passwords also.
The weather has turned really mild
down in the 70’s while I guess much of Orange County out by Mission Viejo is on
fire. They have had a series of earthquakes also. Shake and Bake.
15 September 2024 Sunday
I
was up on time to fix breakfast for
Adrian and then went back to sleep for a bit. Kyle called and said I needed to
get a flat of eggs for Bewilder as well as some deli corned beef which I did.
He was already in Bogota waiting for the family to get there but then they
would have a long flight as their plane to Cancun wasn’t until 1:30 tomorrow
morning.
I tried to take a nap but decided I
had too much to do to prepare lunches for Sebastian Johnson. So I was cooking and
baking all afternoon. I made an apple pie and cherry pie. I cooked up southern
fried chicken thighs, fried okra, and baked yams, and arepas for Adrian's
breakfast, The rest were all for Sebastian who is working for Kyle while he's
away bringing Adrian's family home.
I haven't really cooked this much since
I use to have Bill Poore over for Sunday dinners. Oh well nothing last forever
except the pyramids
16 September 2024 Monday
I was in bed already last night when
Adrian climbed in bed with me which surprised me as I was nude, so I got up and
put some underwear on. He just needed to be held, as he had been up late,
excited that his family was getting on a plane in Bogota to fly to Cancun with
Kyle. I was up several time having to pee but mainly I just cuddled him, tried
to sleep but couldn’t much, as I was aware of the handsome youth in my bed who had
drifted off to sleep, so I laid my head on his chest and listened to his heart beat.
So beginning the day after fixing Adrian
his breakfast, I went to Common Cents and got drinks for everyone before
heading down to Papi’s to bring Sebastian some lunch. I brought him fried
chicken, yams, okra, corn, cornbread and some cherry pie.
It was a pleasant day, in the 80’s, but
tomorrow temps are dropping to the 60s with chance of showers so I made a pot
of my dad's cabbage soup tonight to be ready for the cooler weather.
I watched a little bit of “Kaos”
on Netflix, a reimagining of the Greek Gods in a modern setting. I’m not sure whether
I like it or not. Right before going to bed around 10, Kyle called and said
everyone is now in Tijuana just waiting for someone to get Adrian’s family
across to be detained at immigration. So this is a crazy time for them.
Then around 10:30 tonight, Adrian came
home with Johana, Jesus, Milagros, and Luisana to fix hot dogs and watch some
television. I heard Persephone crying downstairs so I went down to feed her a
bit more and pet her as I am sure she is lonely. It was fun hearing them in the
front room while I went to sleep. I thought well I better get used to more
people in the house again
A would-be assassin armed with an
AK-47 with a telescopic sight was within
500 yards Sunday of Frump playing golf in Florida yesterday. I wonder if
Republican members of congress are still sporting AK pins on their lapels? I
don't think even assassination attempts on their "Dear Leader" will
get them to reconsider a ban on assault weapons. What is a good Christian like
Dementia Don doing breaking the Sabbath playing golf rather than being in
church?
Frump wants to blame everyone but
himself for the attacks on his life when he is the author of the violent
partisan rhetoric that has divided America. he spews hate without regard to its
consequence among the moronic MAGA crowd because he’s a psychopath. Springfield
Ohio is terrorized not by Haitians but by insane statements made up by Frump
and vitriolic Vance to rile up their base.
17 September 2024 Tuesday
It’s
raining this morning but because Adrian didn’t have to work I was able to sleep
in until 7:30 then I was up to go crawl in bed with him this morning because
once his family arrives those times will be over.
It was much cooler today with rain
showers off and on all day. I took a lunch for Sebastian Johnson today and saw
that Old Hickory was removing the sheds because South Salt Lake said we couldn’t
display them.
Kyle video called Adrian this
evening and talked to me some saying that they were waiting for the family to
be smuggled across the border to be detained by immigration. He said they might
have been turned back in Mexico if he had been as insistent as he was being an
American and had the same last name as Villalobos.
18 September 2024 Wednesday
I
took Sebastian Johnson a lunch of fried pork chop then decided to drive down to
9300 South to go to Colonial Flag to buy another America flag as the one on the
flag pole was shredded. I don’t know why the one at the house gets so raggedy.
Anyway on the way back I had a call
from Kyle saying Yolanda Perez and her son Angel Jesus were released from
detention but the boys won’t be released until tomorrow. Adrian’s mom and brother are with Kyle now so
that’s one victory lap.
I then did a bit of shopping for
groceries for Adrian’s breakfast tomorrow before coming home to rest. Then Kyle
called again around 4 this afternoon and needed me to do a lot of buying of
items for Bewilder.
First I had to buy 30 lbs. of
hamburger meat at Smith’s and then went to
Harmons to pick up an order of bratwurst. Adrian was down at Bewilder
with the rest of his family all anxious and excited and there I was told they
were out of eggs, so I went back to Smiths and bought them two flats of eggs of
60 each.
Then when I came back home Kyle
called and said the gals were out of red
cabbage, avocadoes, tomatoes. So I went back to Smith’s this time in Glendale
then to the Chef Store.
It was nearly 7 before getting home and
I saw that Luisana’s car was parked in the driveway along with Adrians. At the
house was Johana, Luisana, Tutu. Luis Jr. and Adrian who all came over to clean and scrub the house.
I just let them while I finally was
able to feed the pups and I laid down in my room out of the way and when I went
to sleep they were still going at it.
19 September 2024 Thursday
Buddy’s
been gone 5 years now, Today
is my sweet Grandpa Johnson's birthday. He was born in 1901 in Commerce, Texas
and was a farmer in Texas all his life. He was such a tear. When we were kids
he'd grab under our chins and say "gimme some sugar." It aggravated us to no end. LOL He was one of the best men I ever knew. Never met a stranger. He'd strike up a
conversation with anyone to my grandma's aggravation LOL. I am who I am because of him. Now at 73, I am
the grandpa...i had a good role model and miss him and the earthy smell of west
Texas soil and tobacco snuff which was grandpa.
I worked scrubbing the poop deck after
coming home from bringing Sebastion a lunch. I brought down all of Mike
Romero’s winter jackets he doesn’t want or need any more for Luis, Sebastian
and Jesus to use if they can. He had a couple of quilts I can use at the house.
The lot at Papi’s sure looks empty with all the sheds removed as per South Salt
Lake. It took me about two hours to clean up the messes on the veranda but now
the family is coming I have to keep up with it better. Also I spent a lot of
time just generally cleaning the kitchen
Well, there’s a major hiccup with
getting everyone here. Kyle called and said immigration separated the 17 and 8
year boys and sent them to Texas as they were considered unaccompanied minors.
So Kyle is coming home only with Adrian's mom and brother, but without Gabriel and Brayan. Everyone is so
stressed that the boys are being held separated and detained from their mom who
is here with us. Well I guess we are grateful they aren’t in cages like under
Trump.
We will have to figure out a way now to
get them here through the bureaucratic red tape. Just more hopes to go through but it may be
weeks now that they are separated from their Grandma who had been taking care
of then and before we can unite them with their mother.
I went to bed just worried about them
but it’s not like last year when Luisito was separated from his mom and sisters
in the Jungle of Panama last year.
I stayed up way to late watch the rest
of KAOS which turned out to be
disappointing as it never really resolved anything satisfactory.
In the news the Israelis set off all
these pagers and Walkie Talkies in Lebanon as bombs, killing many of the Hezbollah
members. Kind of like a science fiction movie.
20 September 2024 Friday
Enjoy the last day of Summer and Lamma
because tomorrow is the first day of Mabon and Fall. The weather sure has
cooled off as its been in the 70’s all
week. I was so zoned out this morning getting up at 4:30 to fix Adrians
breakfast but I went back to bed and slept until 7:30. I then was up making
sure the house was clean and I didn’t eat any breakfast but made hamburger
patties with mushroom gravy over noodles for Sebastians lunch.
Kyle called me this morning and said they spent
the night in Las Vegas because Yolanda wanted to see the lights. Kyle and
Adrian's mom and brother were finally back in Utah around 8 on their way home.
He said it would be 1:30 when they get in. He was taking Yolando to Olive
Garden first in Sugar House to meet Adrian so he could have some alone time
with her first.
Then Kyle took them to Bewilder for a
touching family reunion. Then they all come back to the house around 4 when I
finally was able to meet Adrian’s mom and invalid brother. I know they had to
be exhausted but Milagros, Lusiana, and Luis Jr were all over for a bit until Lusiana had to go into work
and they all left. Strange that Tutu wasn’t here to her grandma.
So happy that Adrian has his mother here
although I know it must be a culture shock for her and she has to be exhausted.
It’s been 15 years since I was able to hold my mom. Bringing
family together is a good deed. Now we got to get the boys out of immigration
detention. I told Kyle I would fly Johana and him down to get the boys when
they are released and everyone back up
here. Kyle drove and flew 8000 miles for this journey to bring family together.
That’s enough. He never came back home before I went to bed as he had so much
to do, like payroll, ordering, and tomorrow Oktoberfest starts at Bewilder.
21 September 2024 Saturday
Well
I went to bed too early as I woke up at 11:30 and it was after midnight before
getting back to sleep and then had strange dreams interspersed with having to
get up and pee 4:30 came way too early but got up to fix breakfast. Then I
managed to go back to sleep until almost 8.
Yolanda was up so I showed her what
was in the kitchen to fix for her and Angel Jesus’ breakfast. Kyle brought up Angel Jesus’ wheelchair
before he went off to work.
I went back to bed for a bit but at
11:00 Kyle called and asked me to come down to Bewilder. Today starts Oktober
Fest. When I got there he just wanted me to count out the money for pay roll. I
told him I would take Sebastian’s money for him to Papis, which I did and when
I returned, he had me go with him shopping for produce. He really didn’t need
me but I suppose he just wanted the company and share a bit about his Bogota
adventure since we haven’t had to time to visit. He looked really bushed. He
had me hold on to Tutu’s payroll because Kyle was upset with her for not coming
over yesterday to see her grandma and spend time with her like everyone else
did
At home, Adrian this evening took
Yolanda shopping for groceries and I pruned back some of the Sunflowers as the
yard truly needed some sprucing up.
When Adrian and his mom returned
they brought so many groceries that I had to rearrange the pantry so it all
could fit and they stayed up cooking while I went to bed. Kyle went over and
gave Tutu a dressing down about not coming to see Yolanda so she came over to
watch her uncle while Adran and Yolanda were out. She stayed later and helped
out. Kyle said it was typical teenage drama as Tutu said she had fallen asleep
yesterday as she was so tired from school. Kyle did not accept that excuse when
Yolanda traveled 4000 miles. Not to mention the $1000 I put out to get the
family here. Teenagers!
I love this season of Mabon with warm
days and cool nights and trees are a blazed with color... Merry Mabon, the autumnal equinox, the
last harvest and cross quarter day... celebrate by baking something merry meet
and merry part until we merry meet again
22 September 2024 Sunday
I
was up to fix Adrian his breakfast then tried to go back to bed. I guess that
is my life right now, waking up at 4:30 and groggily going back to sleep at 5
and sleeping a couple of more hours. It could be worse I could be sleeping on
the streets I suppose.
Kyle was up at 11 and asked to fix
him his usual Sunday waffle. Then he had to run to the Chef Store to get some
produce so I went with him mainly for the ride. He still has a cold he
caught from his rescue journey. It’s
Oktober Fest all this week at Bewilder so it will be busy with beer drinkers.
Back at the house I played around to
get the Disney Channel to play in Spanish so Chuito which is Angel Jesus
nickname can have something to watch when he’s in his wheel chair in the front
room. He mainly lays in his bed and sleeps.
Jesus and Johana came by to take
Yolanda and Chuito to church. I guess the Cathedral of the Madeleine has a
special mass today.
Yolanda was cooking up a storm today
for Adrian’s lunches for the week. I imagine it makes her happy to cook for him
after all these years so I just tried to stay out of the kitchen. In the
afternoon when Jesus and Johana and Adrian were here around the kitchen table
Kyle joined them and visited for most of
the evening. It felt like family and it’s my new reality I guess to be
surrounded by Spanish speakers, I tried to go to bed around 9.
It seems like Kyle finally has a
family again when I know for so long he felt like he had no one. He’s
affectionate to both Johana and Chuito and basically has become the
father/caretaker of the gang. I guess he truly is a Villalobos now.
I’ve been entertained by 1000s of movies
and books but only one truly impacted my life.. a little known film from 1982
called The Year of Living Dangerously ... the message of Billy Kwan made me
want to live my life with purpose... one of the quotes is-"Don't think
about the major issues. You do what you can about the misery in front of you.
You add your light to the sum of all light."
I know I can’t save all dogs but I
changed the lives of the ones I could. The same with the big issues like
immigration...i can't solve that for all , but for one family, wanting a better
life, I can...
Another quote from the film is was What
must we do? " help the ones God has put in front of you."
I might not have made a huge difference
in this world but I hope my life has for the few that God has placed before me.
23 September 2024 Monday
I
went back to bed after fixing Adrian his breakfast but later in the day I
brought Kyle some soup and the guys their drinks. Sebastian took today off for
some personal reasons. I didn’t do much myself. Yolanda and Chuito went to
Bewilder this afternoon where Jihanna was working today so I had a little time
to myself.
Adrian’s class tonight was canceled
again as they haven’t finished their new building yet. Kyle went with him but
when they came home, Milagros and Luis was here with their mom and I went to
bed around 9.
I saw a message from Ross Poore that
Bill and his sister Janice Marcus Harvey died last Saturday from Alzheimer’s
disease. I only knew her slightly
through Bill and that she was the President of PFLAG for a while here in Utah
about 15 years ago. Her husband Jim Harvey was Bill’s main caretaker before he
passed.
24 September 2024 Tuesday
I
brought Kyle a lunch of pork shiskabobs and curry rice before running around
with him to get chicken for Bewilder and go look at The Other side donut
options for Bewilder. He wants me to come in tomorrow to fix a screw up at Wells
Fago did on a business account Also a Fed Ex package is supposed to come
tomorrow or Thursday for Johana Pereira
to send photos to get her kids out of immigration detention. Yolanda and Chito went
to Papis today and I suppose to get out of the house.
It was quite warm today in the high
90’s, which is unusual for late September. It’s strange that it will be October
next Tuesday.
25 September 2024 Wednesday
There
is not a lot of new news except going to Wells Fargo to fix the business
accounts that were screwed up. Adrian was outside washing the front of the
house of the eggs that had been thrown last spring by kids.
You
can’t fix stupid ... how many Floridians are under threat of 20 feet storm
surges but will vote for Frump and Project 2025 which will eliminate Hurricane
notices
26 September 2024 Thursday
My
phone alarm did not go off and when I looked to see what time it was, it was
5:15! Evidently Adrian’s didn’t go off either so I jumped out of bed and
quickly threw a breakfast for him together while he jumped in the shower. He
didn’t even leave the house until 5:30 when he was supposed to be at work at
that time.
Kyle wanted me to be on the lookout
for the Fed Ex truck as the papers for Johana’s boys was expected today and
they came early around 9 so Kyle came back from Papis to take the photos immigration
required. I guess the boys are near Brownsville, Texas, nearly 1300 miles from
Salt Lake City and over 1300 miles from Yuma where they were separated from
their grandma and uncle.
Since I didn’t have to go to Papi’s
today I went into North Salt Lake and did some shopping at Lee’s Market, got
some lunch at Del Taco, and filled up my gas tank. I was home almost the rest of the day.
Michale Romero dropped Coco off as
he had had an appointment to have his catheter changed out. This Sunday we are
taking both Coco and Lulubelle in for a haircut with the groomer Sally.
Still working on compiling Salvador
Romero’s family history.
It was announced that the actress Maggie
Smith died. She was a movie icon for
sure. I fixed breakfast for Adrian and tried to sleep some more. I had woke up at 3:00 and couldn’t sleep
anymore. I fixed Kyle some ravioli and meatballs for his lunch. I did do some grocery shopping and that is
about all.
Kyle was home early around 6 and Adrian
soon came home afterwards. They talked about configuring Adrians room into two
rooms for more privacy for him and his mom. So that’s going to be another
project for sure.
It can't be any clearer to me that
Kamala Harris is running to preserve Democracy while Donald Trump is running
solely for self-preservation...it shames me that half of Americans can't see
that or just don't care.
28 September 2024 Saturday
It’s
weird that I still think of Billy Bikowski on his birthday. He is 63 today and
was 25 when I tried to celebrate his birthday in 1986 when he stood me up.
I was up at 4 this morning rather
than trying to sleep any more less I oversleep so I was up and fixed Adrian his
breakfast before he went on his way.
Later in the morning I made the
lasagna I said I would while Yolanda cooked up some chicken and rice
combination afterwards.
I didn’t have to go to Papi’s today
but did go out to Walmart to buy Taco a new leash and over to Lowe’s to buy
some mice traps.
When Kyle came home he showed me the
tile he wants to replace the rug in Adrian and Yolanda’s room. It was nice but
I didn’t care. Ain’t gonna need this house no longer ready to meet the Saints.
It was at least 91 degrees here in
Salt Lake today.
29 September 2024 Sunday
I
gathered up Lulubelle this morning and went over to Mike Romero’s place to pick
him and Coco up, to take the girls to Sally the Groomer who is off of 13th
East and 45th South. Once there I saw they had a “Trump” sign in
their window. I just held my nose and delivered the pups because she is kind to
the pups and besides it’s probably her redneck husband.
The pups wouldn’t be ready until after
10:30 so Mike and I drove around looking for a place to have breakfast. It
seems like everywhere is just fast food places but found Village Inn on State
Street. I don’t think young people eat at coffee shops anymore since it’s hard
to find any like Dennys, Village Inn, or Dees anymore. I think it’s a
generational thing.
Michael splurged and had three
pumpkin pancakes while I did the 2-2-2, which was 2 eggs, 2 bacon, and two
pancakes. I gave Mike one of my eggs and bacon. We visited about him perhaps
eventually moving to Colorado to be closer to his brother John in Denver but he
said he hates Denver anymore and actually John is going to be more involved
with his grandkids than looking after Mike if he became sick. We are both at that point we need to look
into eventualities. At least for now, I have Kyle and Adrian to be with me as I
decline.
It was near $30 for our breakfast
and it used to be that breakfast was the cheapest meal you could have but not
anymore. After picking up the pups I made another appointment for Lulubelle for
January 12 at 11 a.m. We didn’t make one for Coco because who knows how much
longer Mike will have her. I noticed with this haircut her face looked really
old.
I took Lulubelle home, changed into
a short sleeve shirt and we went to the Redwood Road clinic to get our flu
shots and Covid booster. I don’t want to get sick with Chuito in the house and
bring something home.
Later in the afternoon I went back
over to Mike’s because I had forgotten to pick up the TV that he is letting us
have for Chuito and Yolanda. I see poor Chuito just lying in bed most of the
time so at least with a TV he can be entertained somewhat. Kyle came up to help
program the Roku and I put it all on Spanish for them.
Well I heard Kris Kristofferson died
yesterday at the age of 88. He was a song writer, singer, and actor.
Today is Dr. Kristin Ries’ birthday
30 September 2024 Monday
Verizon's
mobile network is down for tens of thousands of users in US including Kyle but
not me. Strange. Well my
Samsung Tablet died. I had it for at least 5 years or longer. A message came up
on it saying unplug charger immediately as detected moisture or foreign object.
So I did now it won’t open at all. Oh well nothing lasts forever so I guess I
will be on the lookout for a new tablet but sad all my galley pictures
disappeared as well.
This morning Kyle wanted me to take him
down to Bewilder before his colonoscopy appointment. I was surprised to learn
that he had given up the Bismarck/Mixx coffee stand back to the property owners
because they found another tenant. So I have no idea what is going on but we
were there to remove some equipment. I am so relieved that he let that business
go, as it was a headache he really didn’t need. I hope now he doesn’t have
to pay $1800 in rent for a business we
never used. I know he said giving it up made him feel like a failure but I told
him to knock it off and concentrate on the businesses that are thriving.
While there Yolanda and Chuito showed
up. They are going to be there everyone Monday
with Johana.
Then he wanted to go to Harmons to
pick up a Boston Cream Pie Cake. He bought it for Brian’s 8th
birthday which is today but we can’t celebrate it until they are released from
immigration detention hopefully this week along with his older brother Gabriel.
We put it in the freezer downstairs.
Kyle’s appointment was at noon so
after dropping him off I came home and fixed a bite to eat before turning
around to go pick him up. He was hungry
so we first when to KFC but they didn’t have popcorn chicken for his chicken
bowl so we went to Canes over on State Street.
After that we came home and he went
down stairs to rest and I went and laid down with Adrian to cuddle and massage
him. He said it was a busy day and his feet hurt. When I crawled in bed next to
him he just wrapped his legs around me and we snuggled.
When Yolanda and Chuito came home I
went and walked the pups. It was nearly 20 degrees cooler that yesterday.
Dementia Don on Sunday stated his
views on Climate change: “It’s one of the greatest scams of all time… people
aren’t buying it any more. I don’t want to use bad language, my wife said,
‘Please don’t use bad language.’”
At least 116 people have so far been
killed and hundreds more remain missing after the devastating hurricane made
landfall in Florida last week, bringing catastrophic flooding to communities
and plunging millions from Florida up into the Appalachia mountains into
darkness.
And there are more Tropical depressions
that may turn into hurricanes by next weekend. Those evangelicals and Baptists
better hunker down with their "Thoughts and Prayers"
In 2022 Hurricane Ian hit Florida on the
exact same day at Hurricane Helene this year.
Biden was told not to come by Governor DeSantis back in 2022 when de Santis was running for
reelection as it would be too disruptive for rescue operations.
This year Frump is slamming both Biden
and Harris for not being in Florida and Georgia because they didn't want to
disrupt the cleanup and rescues missions.
However climate change denying Trump is
going as a political stunt. I wonder if he bring a truck load to paper towels.
Watch out Red States, Socialism and
liberals are coming to rescue your asses.
Red States should thank God that
President Biden and the Democrats are in charge during this latest Hurricane
disaster.
When Hurricane Harvey hit Texas and
Louisiana in August 2017, causing catastrophic flooding and more than 100
deaths, Trump was in the White House. When a reporter asked him for a message
for Texas, he replied, “Good luck to everybody.” Which certainly does not
inspire much confidence in his ability to take this seriously.
When Hurricane Maria hit Puerto Rico
which is part of the United States Trump spent one day throwing out paper
towels.
FEMA in 2017 was very different from FEMA in 2005, thanks in
large part to efforts taken during President Obama's administration.
Harvey is tied with 2005's Hurricane
Katrina as the costliest tropical cyclone on record, which occured during
George W Bush's presidency when Michael Brown's FEMA was a total disaster for
New Orleans.
Trump only sent aid to states with
Republican governors.
God help the Red State morons if
disaster hits with a Trump Presidency because Trump and Project 2025 won't.
No comments:
Post a Comment