OCTOBER
1 October 2007 Monday
It's October already....Gay History Month, National Coming Out Day, and
Halloween...Yippee. The weather has finally turned. Saturday we had a soaking
rain which we desperately needed. We only had 65 percent of normal for our
water year that ended Sept. 30. The nights are much cooler down in the 30's and
highs have been in the 60's.
When the weather
turns I feel like cooking. I made a pot of Chili Verde... (pork gravy stew with
green chili for you Gringos), a pot of Vegetable Beef Soup, and homemade Apple
Crisp. Yum Yum. Now I am wanting to make some Corn Chowder... Soups on!
Ben Anderson
went to Wendover on Saturday and let's say Lady Luck was screwing someone else
this week. Not a whole lot of news. Michael Romero's niece is having a baby,
and his parents are thinking about coming down from Rawlings for Thanksgiving
if the weather permits.
I am
entertaining the idea of heading down to Vegas over UEA weekend to see my mom
now that it's cooled off there.
Nothing snappy
happening around here... still thinking about John Cunningham and feeling blue whenever
I do.
I've ordered
season 1 of Ugly Betty from Netflix and Mike Romero and I have been curled up
in the big screen room snuggling in with the pups. It would be nice to have
someone to snuggle with.
2 October 2007
Tuesday
No entry
3 October 2007 Wednesday
I spilt a drink in my car and
some of it leaked into my cell phone! It went dead! Kaput. I Will need to
replace it this week sometime if I can’t fic it.
4 October 2007 Thursday
I spilled a diet coke on my cell
phone and now its dead. After work I went to Centerville to the Verizon store and
this cute guy who was by himself looked at it and said that the water seal on
the battery pack hadn't been damaged so he suggested I take it to one of the
main offices as the phone is still under warranty, but don't say a word about
spilling anything on it and they should replace the phone for free. He then
said don't tell them I told you that.
So I am going to
Verizon near Shopko in Sugar House tomorrow right after work.
Ben Anderson
said he needs to come over to do his laundry at the house. He’d rather be here
than at a laundry mat.
5 October 2007 Friday
I rushed after work to Verizon
and there was bad news good news. The Good News was that they would get me an
identical phone. Bad news the phone was on some type of sleep mode and the
address book could not be recovered. So here I am waiting for people to call me
so I can reprogram their phone into my directory. Fortunately, I had written
down many numbers in my address book the old fashion way. Unfortunately, most
of those numbers had been changed.
Then my Magnavox
TV that I bought just last December decided to have a hissy fit and died. I
didn't save any receipts or warranty because almost ever TV I had ever bought
had lasted far longer then I wanted them to, and I've ended up giving them
away....but no not this one
6 October 2007
Saturday.
It rained and rained and rained
all day Saturday so I made Chicken and Dumplings and Ben came over since the
power was off at his part of the county. Mike, Ben, and I watched a really dumb
movie and that was about it for Saturday.
7 October 2007
Sunday
it cleared up today so and Mike
Romero and I went out for Huevos Rancheros for breakfast and then to Circuit
City in Sugar House where I bought my first High Definition TV Flat screen.
I paid $400 for
a 20 inch screen and Mike Romero bought me a DVD player to hook up to it for
$60. Who knew that TV could be so much clearer? It’s like getting a brand new
pair of glasses and there are substations on the various channels. For Example
on Channel 2 there's also 2-1.
Well I'm not
really much of a TV watcher. I don't even subscribe to cable or satellite but
still it’s nice.
8 October 2007 Monday
No entry
9 October 2007 Tuesday
Another survey from the adorable Tony Jones,!
1. Do you like
cheese? Yes a sandwich is not a sandwich without cheese
2. Your favorite
song? My Cherie Amour by Stevie Wonder
3. Favorite
Christmas song? O Holy Night
4. What's your
favorite piece of jewelry? My rainbow ring
5. Favorite
hobby? research
6. What one trait do you hate about yourself? Too
isolating at times
7. Name 3 drinks
you regularly drink? Diet Soda Pop, iced tea, coffee
8. Favorite
place to be? at home
9. Can you
whistle? nope
10. Favorite
color? canary yellow
11. Would you be
a pirate? Aye Matey and blow the man down
12. Worst injury
you've ever had? cut my wrists by accident
13. Do you love
where you live? yes
14. How many TVs
do you have in your house? six
15. Who is your
loudest friend? Ben Anderson now that
17. How many
dogs do you have? four
18. What is your
favorite book? There's a Boy in the Girl's Bathroom
19. What is your
favorite candy? Tootsie Roll Pops Cherry
20. What song do
you want played at your funeral? Tannhauser Overture
10 October 2007-16 October 2007
No entries
17 October 2007 Wednesday
It's been rainy and feeling very much like fall. Last night a
thundercloud clapped so loud at 2:30 that all the pups came running and jumped
in bed with me. Its raining out right now and might be snow on the ground in
the morning.
Family Tree DNA
sent me an email asking permission to run my DNA out to the 37 marker for part
of a project they are doing for television. They are doing a program on Nials
of the Nine Hostage, the king of
Since they said
only sixth tenths of 1 per cent of all their samples can be traced back and as I
only had a 12 Marker package done, they wanted to do the rest of my strand for
free. That saved me some several hundreds of dollars so I'm glad I waited on
doing it. Still am surprised to know that I'm Irish when for years I thought I
was Welsh. Well Welsh, Irish, Scottish they are all Celts to me.
I made a yummy
corn chowder tonight and we had it with a crusty bread. Mmm.
Joey Bishop the
least known member of Frank Sinatra’s Rat Pack died today. I think they are all
gone now.
18 October 2007-19 October 2007
No entries
20 October 2007 Saturday
It's been rainy so I made a big pot of lima beans with hamhocks and
cornbread. Ben Anderson came over and we watched “The Transformers” which was
just ok and then we took a drive up Emigration Canyon where it was snowing.
Gasoline is
starting to go back up. It jumped 12 cents over night to $2.79
I guess JK Rowling
outed Dumbledore, saying he was a Gay Wizard. Also heard that Joey Bishop and
Deborah Kerr died this past week. Joey Bishop was the least known but last
member of the Rat Pack.
Deborah Kerr of
course will be remembered for the King and I and From Here to Eternity.
We watched the last episode of Ugly Betty
tonight from season 1. It was just one of those fall days where it felt good
just to curl up and watch movies.
21 October 2007 Sunday
I wrote my niece: “Denise I have been getting
phone calls and letters about your student loan because I co-signed for you. I
thought you were going to take out a loan and pay that off and take me off as a
co-signer?”
“Denise you need
to take care of this matter because it's affecting my credit as well as yours.
You are working now and should be able to get a signature loan for the amount
especially with both of your incomes.
I am going to be
retiring in a few years and I really can't afford a lien against my house
because of this.
The sooner you
take care of this the less interest and penalties will accrue. You turned to me
when you needed help getting a loan. Now I am asking you to take responsibility
of this matter. I know it might be a hardship but it is your debt and your schooling
does allow you opportunities you hadn't before. Email me or call me what you
are going to do, My cell phone lost it's address directory so I lost all my old
phone numbers.”
22 October 2007-26
October 2007
No entries
27 October 2007
Saturday
In the evening Ben Anderson, Tom
Folks, Michael Romero, and I drove down to Provo to ride the Heber Creeper, an
old steam engine train that had a Haunted Canyon Halloween theme excursion. Prior
to the train ride, I had Michael drive around Provo and I showed them BYU, and
some of the places I lived 30 years ago, while we goggled the cute Mormon boys.
We then stopped at an Iceberg hamburger joint and I ordered yummy onion rings.
We met up with
Steve Merrill and Richard Packer who rode the train with us. The train ride was
at 9:30 at night and the canyon was chilly but not overly cold. It was G- rated
family fun, corny but it was fun riding the train at night.
28 October 2007-29 October 2007
No entries
30 October 2007 Tuesday
I heard that Dough Winkler
finished his dissertation on Gay Salt Lake I think he called “lavender Lads.”
He was once a roommate of Bobbie Smith when they all lived over on Delmar Court
back then. I wrote him saying, “Aaron Perry says you have finished your
dissertation. Good for you and congratulations. It’s always the shy ones that
get it done.”
He responded “I
still need to do my oral defense and some minor revisions, but plan to graduate
in the spring. Thank you so much...I couldn't have done it without your
support. Doug”
I wrote
back, “Your welcome Dr. Winkler.”
My Arkansas friend Tony Jones said do this survey about my Senior year in High
School. He said the longer ago it was, the more fun the answers would be!!
1. Who were your
best friends? Jerry Smith and Larry Jaeger
2. What sports
did you play? Did not play sports
3. What kind of
car did you drive? 1963 Ford Galaxy
4. On a Friday
night what were you doing? Going to Football Games in the fall Going to movies
with John Cunningham in the Spring
5. Were you a
party animal? Not at all. Very much a recluse
6. Were you
considered a flirt? No I was a closet case
7. Were you in
band, orchestra, or choir? Not musical
8. Were you a
nerd? I don't think so but may be.
9. Did you get
suspended/expelled? nope - I was a good kid
10. Can you
still sing the fight song? Rancho High School hats off to thee To Your colors
True we'll forever Be Firm and strong united are we Rah Rah sis boom bah Rah
rah sis boom Boom Hats off to Ranch High.
11. Who was your
favorite teacher? Mrs. Appy - my English teacher
12. Where did
you sit during lunch? I usually went home for lunch and then ditched. If I
stayed at school ate in the quad with my friends. Later in the year I drove
around with Jerry Smith and Fred Townsend who would drink Kirin Beer during
lunch.
13. Full name of
school?
14. School mascot? A Mexican
caricature in a sombrero
15. School
colors? Green and Gold
16. Rival high
school?
17. Did you go
to Prom? No but I helped decorate it as part of my art school service class.
18. If you could,
would you go back and do it again? Just to be with John Cunningham again
19. What do you
remember most about graduation? I was the only one who had the announcer read
off a false name...Edgar Beauregard Williams. My parents and grandparents were
not amused. For graduation John Cunningham and I skipped out on the Senior
Party at
20. Where did you go senior skip
day? Every day was a skip senior day. I was absent from school on the average
of two days a week because I hated being tormented in PE and since my mom and
dad worked I could easily ditch and write my own excuses.
21. Favorite
memory? Seeing a sun beam land on John Cunningham's desk and having my breath
taken away from the sheer masculinity of his exquisite beauty.
22. Were you in
any clubs? I was never at school enough to be in any clubs except the Let Us
Vote Club that was organized to let 18 year old have the vote.
23. Where did
you go most often for lunch? home
24. Have you
gained some weight since then? lots, and lots of weight. I was 165 lbs in high
school and thought I was fat.
25. Who was your
Senior prom date? No prom no date....Going with a girl? How awkward?
26. Are you
planning on going to your reunion? 2009 with be my 40th and now that John is
dead have no interest ever going back
27. Who was your
home room teacher? we didn't have home room...you started out in 1st period
28. Who was your
high school sweetheart? Secretly John Cunningham
29. Do you still
talk to people from high school? They all Scattered to the wind
30. Did you win
prom queen or king? I think some guys considered me a queen
31. Worse
memory-I and a few others were placed in an advanced Civics class because the
dumb bell political science class was over crowded. The teacher, talking to his
bright students, commented that what was the administration thinking putting us
in his class. I felt about as low as a snail. He complained and all were pulled
out but me because while my grades were terrible my Iowa Test scores ranked my
abilities in the 90th percentile. I got an A in that class just to spite the
teacher but hated him and all the other smug little snobs that looked their
noses down on us.
32. What were
your grades? mostly C's. My school counselor advised me to join the army
because he said I would never get into college. I did any way and there I made
the Honor Roll
Actor and Broadway
singer Robert Goulet, [1933-2007] died.
Halloween 31 October 2007 Wednesday
Well all the ghoulies, ghosties, and witches are about ready to turn in.
It was a beautiful evening for Halloween. We turned off the lights, didn't
answer the door and watched “Psycho.”
I had plenty of
Halloween at school with the party in the afternoon. At the last minute one of
the moms informs me that I am to be wrapped in toilet paper by the kids as a
mummy. Wahoo. The kids had fun and that's what's it all about but I came home
with a splitting headache.
I had to tear
down all my October bulletin boards and put up November's Thanksgiving before
going home. My room is a mess. I have about 14 volcanoes as part of an Earth
Science Project sitting in my room and we have been exploding them with baking
soda and vinegar. So between that and the Halloween Party my room smells like
sweet and sour pork. Halloween will always be my favorite holiday.
NOVEMBER
1 November Thursday
Paul Tibbets, the pilot of the Enola Gay that drop the atomic bomb on Hiroshima died [1915-2007]
2 November 2007-3 November 2007
No entries
4 November 2007 Sunday
Michael Romer left this morning
to go visit his folks in Rawlins so Ben Anderson and I went to the movies and
saw “Star Dust.” It was really cute. Well today is daylight savings.
My
distant cousin John Williams from Virginia wrote, “Hello Cousin, It's great to
hear from you. I would be interested in all the information you have gathered
on the Williams family, especially the papers you have written. I first became
interested in genealogy as a teenager when I found a paper copy of an essay
written by one of my grandfather's cousins.
It was entitled
"The Williams Family: Being Some
Account of the Descendants of Wylie Green Williams and Harriett Kearse
Williams" and written in 1960 by Clinton Edward Williams, a professor at
Clinton Edward
Williams traveled the country interviewing cousins and distant relatives to
compile his information.
My grandfather
died when I was 3 years old so never got to hear any of his stories about the
Williams'. In fact, I have only been able to contact 1 other descendant of
Wylie Green Williams through my research whose last name is still Williams.
Apparently, not
many sons are born to Williams' and the daughters marry into other families and
the last name is then changed. I am a direct descendant as follows: Britton
Williams Wilson Williams Wylie Green Williams Lewis Crawford Williams, Sr. Evan
Greene Williams Max Williams Ron Williams John Williams.
I have never been able to prove (or document)
Wylie Green Williams (as he is listed in the 1960 report by Clinton Edward
Williams) is the grandson of Britton Williams, but I have been led to believe
that by information collected from various websites. I do know for a fact that
Wylie Green Williams is G. K. Williams' father. There are 3 pages of
information on G. K. Williams in the report. I can send you a copy of this if
you are interested. I hope to hear from you soon. Sincerely, John Williams4100
Ebb Tide Ln Apt 300Hampton, VA
Funny that this
family paper was the same one that Grandpa Williams had that got me so
interested in researching the family history. This man Clinton Williams main
error was thinking William Green [Wylie Green] Williams was a Junior rather
than the son of Wilson Williams which I have proved doing my own research.
5 November 2007 Monday
No entry
6 November 2007
Tuesday
We had city elections today and Ralph Becker is the new Mayor of Salt
Lake, a progressive Democrat, supported by most of the Gays here except for the
Log Cabin weirdos.
7 November 2007 Wednesday
I am kind of in a conundrum where
to post anything anymore. I set up the “Multiply site” but not sure when to
begin using it. I notice that Yahoo has taken off the 360 icon so I have to
hunt to find that site which I think they are ending.
It's been one
week into November already. Mike Romero went to
I met a cute
distant cousin on line this pass week named John Williams and I have been
having truly strange dreams. The other day I dreamed that I somehow went back
in time to the 1930's and saw my grandma Williams and my two aunts as children.
They are dead now but in my dream they were alive and I had to tell them that
they wouldn't believe it but I am their grandson and nephew.
It was so vivid
and I was trying to warn them to save some old photographs that I knew would be
lost in a fire. I woke up like it had been a real event.
Then yesterday I
was thinking of John Cunningham while playing on this Ancestry.com site that Ben
Anderson hooked me up to and suddenly I was able to trace John's mother side
back through the 1400's in Scotland. I always knew that his mother's maiden
name was
I learned that
John Cunningham's 2nd great grandfather Thomas Jefferson Hamilton was living in
I am finding out so much about his family and
yet I am so heart-broken because John is dead and I can not share all that I
found about him with him.
I feel so much
like the veil is very thin and I am not sure what is reality right now because
of these strange dreams I am having right now.
8 November 2007-9 November 2007
No entries
10 November 2007 Saturday
I'm not sure whether I am like
the format of this new site called Multiply. I prefer the old Yahoo 360 where
you could read a person's blog right away rather than hunt for it. I have been
kind of jumping back and forth.
The weather has
been gorgeous this fall with lots of color and 60 degree temps but I hear
tomorrow we are in for a change. Gas is outrageous again at about $3.00 a
gallon but you can find it a few cents cheaper but why bother? I only have a 15
gallon tank so at the most I will save 75 cents on a fill up.
Next week is
parent conferences. Ugh I dread it. I dread the long hours and being on stage
and trying to keep parents from knowing how lazy and dumb their kid is because
they really don't want to hear it and they won't do anything about it anyways.
Am having the
most bizarre dreams. I dreamed I was walking with Billy Bikowski, an old flame
of mine, who while talking, told me that he loved me but later when I knew he
was lying, I woke up at 4:30 a.m. and couldn't go back to sleep. There's a lot
of crap going on in my subconscious.
An email-pen-pal
is coming to Salt Lake from
Norman Mailer
who wrote the Executioner Song about Gary Gilmore died today [1923-2007] over
30 years after Gilmore was executed in 1977 at the Point of Mountain. Seems
like a lot of authors have died this year. Madeleine L'Engle, who wrote Wrinkle
In Time died earlier this year.
11 November 2007-13 November 2007
No entries
14 November 2007 Wednesday
Courtney Moser invited me to a
Thanksgiving dinner. “Hey Ben, I'm sure you are booked up solid with plans but
just in case there is a hole in your schedule, We are going to have a
thanksgiving dinner on Thanksgiving evening here at our house. People can start
to arrive at 3:00 pm to watch movies and stuff and we will eat at about 7:00
pm. Please let me know if you plan on coming so that I can plan accordingly.
See ya soon, Courtney and Kelly.”
I responded “Thank you for the invite and
thinking of me. Normally I would jump at the offer but Mike's parents are
coming down over Thanksgiving from Rawlins to stay with me and guess who's
taking a train trip to CA? Mike's folks have been really good to me over the
past 14 years and still think of me as a son-in-law so I will be spending time
with them.
If things fall through and they can't make it
down of account of weather if its okay I might come over for movies but don't
count on me for dinner. I know it's tricky getting a head count. PS are you in Salt
Lake now?”
Courtney wrote back: Alas, we have not been
able to sell the house yet. With the whole mortgage situation several people
have wanted our house but have not been able to get financing. it may take
several months. I guess We'll just have to be patient.”
15 November 2007 Thursday
No entry
16 November 2007 Friday
Michael Romero is leaving in
about an hour on a train trip to California and Washington state for about a
week so I will be spending the Thanksgiving Holiday Mike Romero left the 17th
for a train trip to California and Washington so I will be babysitting the pups
and keeping house. His mom Faye Romero called to day and said that they weren't
going to make it down after all so la de dah.
This past week
was parent-teachers conferences and that is always rough on me because of all
the preparation and the late nights but all in all they weren't bad.
I am still
trying to figure out where I am going to land with my “blogging.” I will miss
the Yahoo 360 format because it's become so familiar but then hey I could just
save my thoughts on “LiveJournal”.
This kid I've
been pen paling with from
17 November 2007
Saturday
I met my pen-pal
friend from Nebraska who was out for a conference with his lover in Salt Lake.
I went to their hotel room and we had a three-way. That was fun.
18 November 2007
Sunday
No entry
19 November 2007
Monday
I paid for a massage that was
really great by a guy from South America. I found him through a site that Ben
Anderson told me about. I must have still been horny since my escapade last
Saturday.
20 November 2007
Tuesday
No entry
21 November 2007
Wednesday
I met a guy from Pakistan named
Mohammad on this Gay site who said he'd give me a massage if I gave him one so
I went to his place down in Taylorsville and that was so relaxing. I guess I
had been so tense from school and of course the human touch from strong
masculine hands was great.
22 November 2007
Thursday Thanksgiving
I invited Ben Anderson over for
Thanksgiving Dinner since Mike Romero has been gone this week and Ben is upset
with his son Jared who is spending the day with his mother and step dad rather
than with him.
I cooked a turkey breast, cornbread stuffing,
yams, potatoes and gravy, corn, and fried okra along with biscuits. I made a
pumpkin pie for Ben. I am not crazy about pumpkin pie so sent it home with him.
We spent much of
the day decorating this pink Christmas tree I bought at Wal-Mart. We wrapped a
pink feather boa on it, and through a flutter of cloth butterflies and other gaudy
ornaments. It looked fabulous and so Gay! Kind of looks like Ben Anderson.
23 November 2007
Friday
Ben Anderson and I went to the
Cinedome complex on 33rd South and saw “The Mist” and it sure left you not in a
holiday mood unless depression is your normal holiday mood. We then went to
Amber Restaurant next door and had a late lunch.
At home I strung all my Christmas
lights on the house and front porch because it’s been so warm, in the 60's.
24 November 2007
Saturday
No entry
25 November 2007
Sunday
Mike Romero came in today and I had
Ben Anderson over. We are still eating Turkey leftovers.
26 November 2007-29
November 2007
No entries
30 November 2007
Friday
Motorcycle Dare Devil Evel
Knievel, [1938-2007] died today no more death defying stunts for him.
DECEMBER
1 December 2007 Saturday
It's the first of December and we have been
pounded with snow. At least 10 inches fell. So after snow blowing the driveway
and sidewalks, I mainly stayed in all day and watched movies; Richard Gere in
the “Hoax” and Gregory Peck in “On the Beach.” So much time has gone by since
my last entry posting. The second week of November was filled with Parent
Teacher Conferences and I would come home exhausted and the following week was
Thanksgiving.
Well I've been
using Ancestry.com lately tracking down my Patton relatives from Cookeville,
Tennessee. I found that my grandpa Johnson's 2nd cousin Walter Patton moved to
Walter was 32. Walter listed himself as head
of household and
I think I found
a Gay man and his lover from 1930. Tony from
Today is my
nephew James Wachs 39th Birthday.
2 December 2007 Sunday
I am pissed. About 5:30 this late
afternoon Mike Romero and I went to return some movies and take the dogs for a
ride when I got pulled over by a cop who said I made an improper lane change.
That was bullshit because the road I was on was a one lane which splits into
two lanes where he pulled me over and I had been in the right lane the whole
time.
I wasn't speeding, had my lights on, and seat
belt, so that was bogus...he asked me if I had been distracted by being on the
phone, I said I wasn't on the phone, he asked me if the dogs had distracted me
and I said no and they hadn't. They were in the back seat and smokey on Mike's
lap.
He then said my
vin # didn't match the color of my car and I said that wasn't my fault. Anyway
he gave me a citation and I am going to dispute it...It was one of those days.
Earlier Mike Romero
broke this ceramic pheasant that I loved and had brought back from a Lazy Bear
Retreat in California but I was determined just to not let it bother me and then
I get this stupid ticket which will be a pain to deal with.
3 December 2007-6 December 2007
No entries
7 December 2007 Friday
Another blizzard blew into Salt
Lake City right as Ben Anderson's Italian boyfriend was flying in from Italy. Ben
was a nervous wreck and I was afraid he'd have an heart attack before it was
all over.
Mike Romero said
he's take us to the airport in the Blazer so we picked up Mattia Lumaca and got
him home safely. I thought I'd have a stroke just trying to keep Ben from
having one.
My Cousin
Stephanie Wrote a holiday greeting: Happy Holidays friends and family. I hope
you are all well. I have been so busy switching jobs, taking David to and fro,
working on the house, trying to go to school, spend time with Deb.
Stephen met a girl and it looks as though he's
moving to Texas. I haven't been as attentive to all my loved ones as I would like. But you’re in my thoughts
always. I hope this has been a good year for you and that the next one will be
even better. Love Steph –
8 December 2007
Saturday
No entry
9 December 2007
Sunday
Mike Romero and I helped Ben
Anderson and Mattia moved some furniture and bedding for them into a two
bedroom apartment at Aspen Hills on 9th East and 39th South not far
from Iceberg Drive In and Jim’s Restaurant.
10 December 2007 Monday
My cousin Barbara Danforth wrote:
Hi Ben, I've looked for your phone number and no longer have it. I wanted to
let you know that my dad passed away. We're not sure of the circumstances, so
I'll tell you what I know.
Alan saw him
last Wednesday at Dad's apartment. He was on the phone with Billy Hodges, in
Earth,
On Saturday Alan
was scheduled to take Dad grocery shopping so he starting calling Dad's
apartment early in the day to make arrangements, but there was no answer. So
Alan went over to the apartment and found Dad.
The police and
paramedics came and they believe he may have had a heart attack because they
could see a place on his forehead where he apparently fell into the night
stand, however, there was no loss of blood, which leads them to think there was
a heart attack.
Alan knew what
things were in the refrigerator on Wednesday and could see from what was
missing that there was enough to make him think this all took place sometime on
Thursday.
Rigor mortis had
set in, but there was no decomposition (which occurs after two days). That's
all we know.
He is survived
by his children Beverly, Barbara, and Alan. Grandchildren
Sympathy cards
can be sent to the family in care of Alan Danforth 5896 Forest Oaks Place
Fontana, CA 92336 Please pass along as much of the information as you feel
appropriate. Thanks, Barbara.”
11 December 2007 Tuesday
I learned that Norman Danforth
who is my dad's cousin but more kind of like a brother died of an heart attack
probably last Thursday. My cousin Alan saw his dad last on Wednesday and went
to take him grocery shopping on Saturday and found him dead for a couple of
days.
Mike Romero went
to the movies with some guy from his work tonight so I am alone with the pups.
Christians are
killing each other left and right in Colorado. Some of the killings are at the
megachurch in
Romney made his
speech on Mormons to calm people down about his candidacy and people still
think he's a doofus.
My Aunt Marie Williams wrote “I am sorry
Norman died. I thought that a heart attack would be an easy way to go but it is
hard on the family. I Saw your mom the other day and we had a real good time. Hope
you are doing well. Love Marie My
address: Marie Williams 225 Deer Trail Drive Sedona, AZ 86336
928 204-0062”
12 December 2007- 15
December 2007
No entries
16 December 2007
Sunday
Singer Dan Fogelberg, [1951-2007]
died today. I remember Billy Bikowski saying that he was his favorite recording
artist back in the 1980’s.
17 December 2007 Monday
No entry
18 December 2007 Tuesday
I wrote to my cousin John
Williams: “Handsome John Williams, I got your Christmas Card saying you
graduated on the 15th! Good for you. What an accomplishment...I know the work
probably wasn't that hard for you as smart as your are... but getting through
all the college bureaucratic bullshit now that's amazing! Is that your partner
in the picture? You both look great....Merry Christmas now go have a good
time....Old Ben Williams PS my partner is headed for Denver for Christmas so I
am going to have a “four hound dog good time” on Christmas.
John Williams wrote
back that his boyfriends name is Derrick and they had been together for over 7
years. Derrick is an African American.
19 December 2007 Wednesday
So I have another Gay cousin John
Williams. I have a first cousin Stephanie Williams and a niece Denise Wachs
that are also Gay. I was the pioneer in the family back in 1984.
Ben Anderson and
his Italian husband are having people over for Christmas but I am not sure I
will go. Mike Romero is going to Ft. Collins Colorado to see the folks while I
am here babysitting.
20 December 2007
Thursday
No entry
21 December 2007
Friday
School is out for the rest of the
year for the Winter Break. The kids had their Christmas party this morning and
a school sing-along assembly after lunch before cutting everyone lose.
22 December 2007 Saturday
I heard from Mom that Stephanie
Williams is going to Vegas to see her Mom for Christmas. Marie is spending a
few days at Mom’s place. I am staying snug as a bug here. It's too cold to go
any where.
Mike Romero flew
to Denver to see his family for Christmas so it’s me and the pups this year.
I wrote
Stephanie, “Met a Gay cousin of ours on line. His name is John Williams and
lives in
23 December 2007 Sunday
Mike's folks from Rawlins sent me
$50 to take a friend out to dinner for Christmas and Ben Anderson Mattia gave
me this Jesus head from Italy whose eyes follow you everywhere. It's kind of
creepy
I wrote Cousin Stephanie about having a family
Reunion in Las Vegas in the Spring. I said, Memorial Day is always a good time before it
gets too hot, gives plenty of time for making reservations also. The Park’s Recreation
room is good and we can just do a Costco
thing...kids just like finger food anyways...they don't know the difference
like we do when Grandma Williams and Aunt Beulah's did all the cooking...People
can always go out to the buffets also.
I'm glad you are
liking your job it sounds way toooooo smart for me...I am so glad you and Terri
Williams made it to Norm's funeral. We've always been so close and you know
Grandma Williams would have been pissed if no one made it to her nephew’s
funeral LOL. Won't be too many years we will be the ones in our sixties and
seventies and the younger ones just won't know any of us. But it's their time
to be wild and crazy. We had ours LOL. Merry Christmas to all of you Cuz Ben AKA
Junior.
Stephanie
emailed back: Hi Ben, I thought I was going to get some time off work, but
alas, I am not. In fact, I am working tonight. Pulling a 12 hr shift. I got a
new position up at Boeing in El Segundo. 2nd shift supervisor. We are building
Satellites. My formal title is Technical Services Specialist Integration Lead.
I am in charge of the space simulation lab where we do environmental testing. I
have 4 to 8 techs that I take care of and we have 2 birds in test right now.
So, that means no shutdown for me. It's a big change for me from being the crew
to running the crew, lol. But I really like it.
We went to
Normans funeral and Terrie went too. It was good to see Barbara, Alan, and
Beverly. Everyone was really great. I think it was Gina that did a beautiful
eulogy about being a perfectly imperfect man. Very real, loving, very touching.
And I don't think we were the only "family" there either, lol. There
are a lot of things that I think are in the gene's, LOL.
They said Norman
almost didn't get buried there cuz that’s a Catholic cemetery, LOL. Almost
didn't let him in. Dang.
Bev, Barb, and Alan would sure like to all get
together again and so would Terrie. So I don't know. Maybe we could all talk
about trying to do a get together. But I don't want Aunt June going to no
bother. But Vegas to me is a good place. It's been a little while since the
last time. If we do it there, I want her to just relax and let everyone else do
the work and she just have fun. Well do food and shop and clean or we can all
go out to a place too. Let’s brainstorm something.
24 December 2007
Monday
It snowed a shitload this Christmas
Eve so there was snow everywhere so I just stayed home and watched Charlie
Brown Christmas and the Grinch before calling it a night
25 December 2007
Tuesday
Mike Romero was in Fort Collins for
Christmas day but flew home this evening and I picked him from the Salt Lake airport.
He said flying has become a nightmare. I spent Christmas day however alone with
my hounds and calling family. Made some clam chowder soup. It was quiet and
kind of nice. Ben Anderson and Mattias Lumaca wanted to spend their first
Christmas together alone. Am I relieved that Christmas is over? Hell Yes!!
26 December 2007
Wednesday
Mike Romero and I went to the
Walking Crane store off of 7th East and bought these bedsheets made
in India. We then took them to an Alteration place on 21st and
highland and had them made into poncho robes or caftans to wear around the
house. They should be ready by Friday the tailor said.
27 December 2007 Thursday
No entry
28 December 2007 Friday
I had the strangest dream last
night. I want to write it down before I forget it. I was in a strange place,
town, and in a house I knew was mine but I did not recognize.
Two men came to
the screen door on the front porch. They looked about the same age, in their
thirties, but one was my father and the other was John Cunningham. I recognized
him immediately but don't know how. He was wearing a dark blue suit and a light
blue shirt and tie. I knew that these were what John was buried in.
I hugged him and
cried as hard as I could, holding him again. He said he knew how hard I had
tried looking for him and knew I hadn't found him. He said he had died because
he had colon cancer and didn’t want to suffer.
I laid on the
bed with him and held him as long as I could and cried, then my dad said they
had to go. I asked if John would come again to see me but he didn't think it
was possible.
Such other hard
vivid dreams last night...I was in a little civil war town in Tennessee looking
on down the road and over the layout of the town. I saw a slough of Johnson men
all looking very much like my grandpa Johnson.
Then Mark Angus
called out to me in the dream and remarked how the Faeries had progressed...
When I woke up
it was as I had really spoken with John, it felt more like an experience then a
dream. It's the first time I dreamt of John since learning of his death.
December 26 was the 4th anniversary of my dad's death....
I have been
spending an inordinate amount of time among the dead doing intensive
genealogical research into my Johnson folks from Putnam County, Tennessee.
Hours upon hours literally immersing myself into the 19th Century.
I haven't kept much
abreast with anything going on around me for nearly two weeks. I have really
secluded myself. Maybe it’s time to rejoin the living.
Can anyone
really be dead that can be so alive and vivid in my heart and head? I wonder.
I wonder what
cosmic faerie dusts connects us all.
29 December 2007 Saturday
No entry
30 December 2007 Sunday
I don’t have any special plans
for New Year's Eve. I’ll probably have some friends over to ring in the new
year.
31 December 2007
Monday
This was a hard year for deaths,
John Cunningham, Chad Keller, and Kathy Worthington. It was a hard year for
saying goodbyes as my long time neighbors Randy and Kimberlee Giles moved away.
That was almost a great a loss as a death.
Ben
Anderson seems to be happy with his Italian husband while I am more and more
unhappy with Michael Romero as we grow ever more distant.
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