October
1 October 2008-2 October 2008
No entries
3 October 2008 Friday
President Bush signed the “Emergency Economic Stabilization Act” which
created a 700 billion dollar Treasury fund to purchase all those failing bank
assets to keep Wall Street from collapsing
4 October 2008-9 October
2008
No Entries
10 October 2008 Friday
I can’t shake this cold I am coming down with. In the news Connecticut
legalized Gay marriage. Its all a piece meal quilt of states. Alaska is investigating Sarah Palin’s abuse
of power as governor. Who vetted this idiot?
.
11 October 2008-12 October 2008
No entries
13 October 2008 Monday
I took off from work today. Sick
with a terrible cold. I know I caught it from the kids as its all over the
school. I had Dorothy Pratt come in and sub for my class. School has been so
hectic that I haven’t had the energy to keep up with this journal. The UEA
Conference is coming up and I can really use the time off.
Mark
Andersen has been coming over more and more and spending time with Mike Romero
watching porn in Mike’s bedroom and when Mark sleeps over its on the twin bed
in the front room.
14 October 2008
Tuesday
No entry
15 October 2008
Wednesday
I've been a recluse from the Gay
community after getting Ben Anderson off to Italy last summer and I've been his
US intermediary almost ever since. Once he decided to stay in Italy for the
summer and this fall, I had to clean and close up his apartment and dispose of
furniture and stuff. Then I have had to scan and email him all his VA mail.
His Italian visa is about up so he has to come
home this month and before he can go back to Italy he has to go to the consul
in San Francisco and also be here for a period on official permanent
disability.
I talked to him a couple of days ago and he
said he has been awfully tired for the past few weeks and thinks it’s his
heart. Mattia Lumaca wants to come over
with him but it's about $3000 for the both of them. They want to get married in
California since they will have to be there anyway but they will be staying
with me
Mattia is
worried that Ben won't be well enough to return to Italy and he can't stay here
in the United States because of visa crap... it's a mess.
Speaking of
messes, Michael Romero’s a 28 year old UPS driver, married from Utah County, has
attach himself to us. He calls Michael Papa bear, and me, Mama bear... He works
here on the west side of Salt Lake City as a driver but his wife is in Salem
Utah and they live with her parents.
He stays up here a couple of days a week to
"save on gasoline" but in reality he wants to play on his Play Station
that Mike bought for him and look at porn.
He sleeps in the
front room on a single bed and Michael plays with him at night after I go to
bed but I "snuggle" with him in the morning. He tells people that Mike
Romero is his adopted dad and tells his wife that he has "two dads"
with us and that he loves us.
He used to say
he was straight but admits to Mike Romero that he isn't all that straight.. I'd
say not since he loves being fondled... but he's a real sweet heart even if his
head is not connected to his emotions...
I don't think he
really is Gay according to my concept of what being Gay is. He's not
romantically in love with us but has great physical affection for us and wants
to be hugged and massaged and etc... It's puzzling...for sure...
Hell we old activists fought for the younger
generation to be what ever they want to be and now that they are it's really
NUTS! But we love our son...like two old
queens should.
Additionally he
has a 9 year old daughter from his 1st marriage. The bimbo he is married to in
Salem is his 2nd wife and she would rather spend her time with her
"friend" Becky... Talk about your SORDID LIVES... and I'm not even
living in a trailer park..
I'd love to
write something for Michael Aaron’s paper but getting up at 5:30 a.m. to crawl
in bed with the kid before getting up to fix him his breakfast and a lunch to
take with him, I am pooped, but smiling.
I am going to try to be at Bingo this Friday
as that Michael, Tom Folks, and Mark Swonson are doing an Art walk (free wine) downtown
at the galleries and I don't want to..
I have a cold I am getting over, so if I feel
like I can be seen in public I will try to be at Bingo
16 October 2008-17
October 2008
No entries
18 October 2008 Saturday
Mark Andersen is out deer hunting
this weekend. It’s a butch Utah thing I suppose.
19 October 2008
Sunday
No Entry
20 October 2008
Monday
I was invited to attend a Gay
nude yoga class but I declined as I am just getting over a cold I have had for
much of the month and did not want to spread it. I do want to get involved in
the community again..
.I am fat and
old and need to get more limber and find some peace while doing it. Years ago in the early 1990’s, I was involved
with Dyal Singh’s [Tom Hennacy] lass but mostly I am a novice at any yoga
attempts.
I've just been
sick this entire past weekend. I talked to Ben Anderson and told him not to
worry that I’d pick him up at the
airport this coming Friday.
21 October 2008-26
October 2008
No entries
27 October 2008
Monday
Mike Romero and I went down to
the Northwest Multipurpose Center and
voted early for Obama and Biden. I saw Andy Dalrymple and Morgan Smith there
who were working as election officials checking registration.
28 October 2008-30 October 2008
No entries
31 October 2008 Friday Halloween.
Tom Folks, Mike Romero, and Mark
Andersen all went to Dan Fahndrich’s Halloween party. I didn’t because Ben
Andersen came into today from Italy and I knew he would be exhausted after
picking him up and I didn’t feel right about leaving him here at home alone.
Michael spent
$70 for a strap on dildo for Mark to wear to the party and Mike Romero wore the
caftan we had made last January from material we bought at Walking Crane. Mike said Mark was so excited being at the
party just like a little boy. He was
showing off his dick to anyone who asked.
November
1 November 2008-3
November 2008
No entries
4 November 2008
Obama and Biden won decisively
over McCain and Palin thank God. Obama they said was the first Democrat to win
an outright majority of the popular vote since Jimmy Carter in 1976. It’s a sad
day in Utah ha!
5 November 2008
Wednesday
Lilly Arthur, my cousin Frances
Ann’s granddaughter through Alyssa wrote me asking for some information on the
family. Nice that I can share my work
with another generation.
So
Ben Anderson has been back now for a
couple of days and he’s really antsy about getting back to Italy but he has so
much he has to do first to make that happen.
I
think Utah is in shock that America chose a black man over a white man for
President of the United States. I am too but in a good way. The mood at school
among the staff and most of the kids was dismal because John McCain lost.
6 November 2008
Thursday
No entry
7 November 2008
Friday
It’s almost been a week since we
have seen Mark Anderson or heard from him. Mike Romero is in one of his dark
moods again and there’s no talking to him.
I’ve got Parent Teacher Conferences next week so I am not in the mood to
cater to Mike’s attitudes .
8 November 2008-13
November 2008
No Entries
14 November 2008
Friday
Mike Romero is furious with Mark
Anderson after Mark said that he and his wife Tiff are going to try and
reconcile.
15 November 2008 Saturday
I sent Mark Andersen an email
trying to keep the lines of communication open between . I want Mark to know
that my home is still his home and Mike Romero has no say in the matter. They
have been fighting since Mike has gotten so possessive of him and Mark has
stopped coming around. Some times Mike is unbearable
16 November 2008-23 November 2008
No Entries
24 November 2008 Monday
I took today off from school to go to my dermatologist to have the
growths on my arms checked. I was only
with him for 15 minutes and he burned off a growth on my left ear and a growth
on my right leg. He said the ones on my arms are naturally occurring as one
gets older. I guess that’s a relief that
I don’t have skin cancer. I only work tomorrow then I am off for the rest of
the week for the Thanksgiving Break.
25 November 2008 Tuesday
Ben Anderson finally got his permanent Visa from the Italian consulate
in San Francisco. He’s so happy but his plane ticket home isn’t until the 4th
of December and it would cost $400 to
change it. He doesn’t have the money he said and Mattia Lumaca is all mad at
him for not coming home to Italy right now.
26 November 2008 Wednesday
Ben Anderson and I went to
Chuck-A-Rama for lunch as we kind of had our Thanksgiving dinner there
early. Ben had wanted me to make a big
dinner tomorrow but I didn’t want to go through all that fuss especially since
it would be just the two of us and Ben was also planning on going with his son
Jared up to Park City for Thanksgiving at some expensive restaurant there.
I have been
doing a lot of genealogy on my aunts by marriage, Marie Buelhman Williams,
Jerrie Bernhardt Williams, Mattie Lee Jarnigin Williams lately.
27 November 2008 Thanksgiving
Mike Romero went off to Wyoming
and Colorado to see his folks and Ben Anderson left this morning to go over to
his son’s for the day so I was left alone.
I had checked
out some books from the library “Ten Big Ones” “Eleven on Top” “Twelve Sharp”
“Plum Lovin'” “Lean Mean Thirteen” and
“Fearless Fourteen” from the Stephanie Plum series of Janet Evanovich’s novels
yesterday so I spent most of the day reading.
I did decide to
get ambitious and whipped up chicken-stuffing casserole after all it is
Thanksgiving. So I had corn, a baked
yam, cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes, and my casserole for my Thanksgiving,
all alone. Of course I had a Marie
Calendar pumpkin pie.
Ben didn’t get
home until after 10 tonight and said they spent nearly $300 for the three of
them at the restaurant and he said it was awful and they charged him $6 for bottled
water since they didn’t serve water in a glass.
I am glad I had
my little snuggly Thanksgiving at home although I really miss Mark
Andersen. I am really angry at Michael
for driving him away.
My cousin Barbara
Danforth Nasady wrote me about her Thanksgiving. “Alan, Bev and I didn't spend Thanksgiving
together. Bev is back in Washington State. Alan is still in Fontana. I am
living in Ventura. We are all so far away, and frankly, the holidays just don't
seem as important anymore.
I was with my
girls and their dad today at the Simi Valley home. Even though I don't live
with my husband anymore, it is an amicable split.
I believe Bev
and I will be living together within the next year. It just makes sense.
Neither one of us will ever want to be married again.
My daughter,
Alana, was in Provo again recently. My niece and her husband had a baby so
Alana went to help out. I'll be going there to visit when ever my niece needs a
hand, like new mothers sometimes do. It was so nice to hear from you. Give my
love to everyone. Love, Barbara.”
I wrote Barbara
Nasady back saying, “Mom was asking if I had heard anything from you guys
lately... I hope you are all well. Aunt
Marie is ill with cancer...Stephanie and her boys are with her for
Thanksgiving... Denise and her son came up to Vegas to spend the holiday with
Mom and Charline... I am enjoying being alone today just me and my hounds vegging....wonderful...
although I did cook me some fried okra.”
I wrote to Michael
Aaron also: “I haven't written much in a while but it doesn't mean I am not
thinking about you... congrats on the expansion.... is there anything you would
like for me to write about? Is there still an interest in a history column?
I've had Ben
"Bunny" Anderson with me for a month now while he's trying to get a
visa to stay in Italy... he just received it from the Italy consulate so he's
set to return to Tuscany December 7. I hope to attend you Christmas Party.
28 November 2008 Friday
No entry
29 November 2008 Saturday
I wrote my cousin Stephanie to
wish her a happy birthday “I am glad you are able to spend your birthday with
your mom and your boys...”
30 November 2008
Sunday
No entry
December
1 December 2008 Monday
It’s my nephew James Clark’s 40th birthday. In the news we
might be heading towards a Depression as The Dow Jones dropped 680 points, its
fourth worst drop in its history. A year ago the economy officially entered a
recession.
2 December 2008-3 December 2008
No entries
4 December 2008 Thursday
Ben Anderson left today to return
to Italy. His son Jared came over about 5:30 a.m. to haul all his stuff off to
the airport as that . It was time that
he had left. He had been here 34 days and I have been out of my bedroom the
entire time.
Ben didn’t say
good bye to me all though he left a curt note.
He took everything back with him, the sleep apnea machine, his Pineapple
Lamp, everything that I had saved from his apartment when he abandoned it last
summer.
As soon as I got
home from work I stripped the bed and cleaned the room. It’s so good to have my
space back instead of living in the front room.
To tell the
truth Ben had over spent his welcome since he originally was only going to stay
until the 19th of November.
While he did pick up the check a few times when we went out to eat, not once did he offer to pay me any money for
staying here even though he spent $200 gambling in Wendover. I would never had asked for any money but the
offer would have been nice.
I think he was
upset with me this week because he was at the Genealogy Library late each night
and when he came home and wanted to visit I wouldn’t because I want to go to
bed for work the next day.
I love Ben but he’s very high maintenance and
child-like has to be entertained all the time and to be honest I just didn’t
have it in me anymore.
I am still really upset about Mark Andersen being
away and how Mike Romero treats him like he doesn’t exist anymore.
5 December 2008-11
December 2008
No entries
12 December 2008
Friday
The unemployment rate in the
United States is at 7.3%, the highest since December 1992. President Bush is
leaving a wrecked economy for Obama. Actor Van Johnson died at the age of 92.
He was the greatest closet homosexual star before Rock Hudson. He had the all
American boy looks.
13 December 2008 Saturday
No entry
14 December 2008 Sunday
The first real snow fall this
year since last October. The whole time Ben Anderson was here, the weather was
unseasonably warm and nice but not today.
We got dumped on and I went out and shoveled the snow because the Snow
Blower wouldn’t work. Mike Romero thinks it’s the carburetor.
15 December 2008 Monday
Coming down with a head cold.
16 December 2008 Tuesday
No entry
17 December 2008 Wednesday-
We Put on our holiday skit “The
Bell that couldn’t Ring” all day. I was sicker then a dog with a head cold but
had to come in. Last night I had the
chills and think I was running a fever.
18 December 2008
Thursday
During an Iraqi press conference President
Bush had shoes thrown at him from an Iraqi journalist.
19 December 2008- Friday
I am feeling very melancholy on
this snowy, snowy evening. Missing Mark Andersen, our Summer romance. I was
hoping he would spend the night since the roads are treacherous but alas.
I took off today,
this last day of school until January. I am still getting over my cold and I
know Dorothy Pratt could use the money for substituting. It’s been a bleak week and hardly feels like
Christmas is less then a week away.
The kids are
wearing me thin so I needed to stay home and rest and glad I did since its been
snowing all day and the roads are packed. Mom called Wednesday to say that even
Las Vegas was snowed in!
Mike Romero and
I went looking at Christmas lights and took the dogs for a ride. I had fixed
vegetable Beef soup, garlic bread, and a cheese cake for dinner hoping Mark
might come by.
The month is
going fast. Haven’t heard a word from Ben Anderson since he left on the 4th
to return to Italy. He came on Halloween so it’s been a long for him to get his
visa and complete disability. I slept up
stairs and let him have my room but I was so relieved when he left so I could
enjoy my own room again and have some privacy.
The recession
and the near bankruptcy of Ford, GM, and Chrysler is all that in the news. I am
really disappointed in Barack Obama for inviting this evangelical creep named Warren
Character to give the inauguration invocation. He was a very vocal critic of
Gay marriage in California and was a strong supporter of Proposition 8 which
repealed Gay marriage in California.
It’s really a slap in the face of the Gay community.
Aunt
Marie Williams called wanting Grandpa Williams Chili Recipe so I called her
back and we had a good visit. Told her how I had been doing some research on
the Buehlman family which is her people.
20 December 2008-Saturday
It Snowed all night and the roads
were bad this morning when Mike Romero got into a collision on Redwood Road.
This Tonga guy made a right turn from the outside lane while we were coming up
on the inside lane. I could see that the
jerk was going to turn right but I think Mike Romero just was going to speed up
around him like he always does instead of backing down and being cautious.
Well this time
it didn’t work because the Tonga turned in front of him and even slamming on
his breaks we slid into the Tongan’s passenger side. No one was hurt and the Tongan was mad
saying it was our fault to the cops because he was signaling to make a right
but we claimed one never make a right from the left lane on a two lane road no
matter what the road conditions are.
Mike Romero was
in the right but I know it could have been avoided if Mike Romero would have
backed down in the first place…he’s too aggressive in the snow just because
he’s from Wyoming.
Like last night
he kept taking chances and I kept saying it’s not your driving I am worried
about it’s the other crazies out on the
road and sure enough bam! Well maybe
this will teach Mike Romero to be a more cautious driver.
The dogs were
with us but no one was hurt. Mike Romero
had a busted driver taillight and some small scrapes on the fender but the
Tongan’s passenger side was all smashed in with the window shattered.
Michael
Aaron put Thomas Monson, the Mormon President, on the cover of the Q Salt Lake
as Man of the Year since he more then anyone else is responsible for
reinvigorating the Gay Civil Rights Movement by being against Gay marriage.
21 December 2008-22 December 2008
No entries
23 December 2008
My old friend Curtis Jensen who
now lives in San Francisco California sent me a YouTube link of him making a
Gingerbread House in the shape of the church Santa Maria della Salute in Venice. It was fun to watch and he’s so
creative.
24 December 2008 Christmas Eve
Mark Andersen just left after
dropping off a Christmas package for Mike Romero and me but of course Mike
Romero was acting all indifferent to him. I wasn’t. I was so happy to see him and it warmed my old
heart that he thought enough of us to bother.
After he left Mike
Romero was acting like the stuff Mark brought should be thrown away and I said
to stop being like that. No one else has
bothered to drop by on Christmas Eve to see us. He had Christmas music going and I just went
down stairs.
Mike has no
Christmas in his heart and I’m not going to let him ruin my happiness that Mark
came by to see his Mama bear. I sent him
home with the Jägermeister that I bought for him last November before the big
blow up between him and Mike Romero. I also sent home the Tequila Rose. I had
about 2 shots out of it only. I said to him give it to Tiff because it’s a
girly drink.
Mark wanted Mike
Romero to have a shot with us to toast and he wouldn’t. So let Mike Romero wallow. As for me God Bless Us everyone.
The best
Christmas present was seeing Mark again and giving him a big bear hug because I
had a melancholy dream a few days ago that he was never going to come over
again and I was so sad…
I got my new cellphone today and Mike Romero
and I went to Chuck-A-Rama for a nice lunch but now I don’t care if I ever do
anything with him again.
I sent this email To Kimberlee Gile: Glad
you got settled in...80 degrees nice...it's about 25 degrees here with snow on
the ground. Will be a White Christmas for sure.
Norma and Lynn Chaffin
brought a treat over the other day. Tim's been home from his mission now for
about 5 months. Our neighbors sheet rocked their garage. I think they are going
to use it as a family room.
Michael had a
collision last Saturday when some Tonga made a right in front of us while we
were in the right lane. It was icy so couldn't break in time. The dogs were with us but no one hurt and
just a broken tail light and some dents... The Tongan got it worse.
My house guest
returned to Italy December 4th after 31 days here. He finally got his visa and
permanent disability so I guess he will stay there and die in Italy.
Nothing major
going on. I am getting over another cold but I am off for two weeks. Mike
Romero and Tom Folks have been going to a lot of parties... I stay home and
stay warm.
I am not going
to Vegas for Christmas. It's as cold there as here.
Mike Romero and
his little UPS boyfriend had a falling out when he returned to his wife...
Michael went nuts but has calm down now. We are on our way to Chuck-A-Rama for
lunch. You can't imagine how much we miss you and Randy. Merry Christmas.
Kimberlee Gile wrote back: Hello
Christmas Family! I apologize for my Christmas card coming to your email this
year, but it has been a crazy month, and I literally ran out of time to send my
traditional cards and letters out on time. In short, we’ve moved! Back to Florida, that is! We are so excited to be back with Elyse and
my dad. Montana was just too cold and
too expensive.
Since business
had slowed, Randy’s boss could not afford to keep him, and the State of Montana
Department of Revenue could not afford to pay me enough for us to survive
there. We put our home up for sale
(please keep us in your prayers), and we moved back to Gainesville, Florida where
Elyse was born 20 years ago.
We are very
happy in the 80-degree weather! Elyse
made the Dean’s List again this semester at the college here, and Kayla also
made straight A’s at the Kalispell Middle School before we left Montana right
after Thanksgiving.
I will try to
write more after the holidays, but I just wanted to wish you all a very Merry
Christmas and a Blessed New Year! Love,
Kimberlee, Randy, and Kayla Gile (and Elyse, too)! Our New Address (don’t
worry, the mail is being forwarded from Montana): 2249 NW 14th Avenue
Gainesville, FL 32605
Christmas 25 December 2008 Thursday-
Like most Christmases that I spent living with
Michael Romero, I spent it alone. No Christmas greeting. Nothing to acknowledge
I even exist.
I am still
disappointed in how he treated Mark Andersen yesterday. Mark was the only one to have given me a
Christmas present this year.
I stayed
downstairs on my computer for most of the day and watched some movies I got
from Netflix. I finally watched “No Country for Old Men” which was best picture
for 2008 at the Academy Award. I thought
it was depressing as hell. I had ordered
from Netflix the instant watch box that can be hooked to my TV so I can watch
movies and shows without ordering them as CDs.
I called mom
this morning and we talked for an hour and a half. No one was coming for
Christmas this year and my sister Charline had to work.
I wrote an
article for QSaltLake on a Lesbian wedding here in Utah from back in 1975. I’ll
see if they use it before I write anymore.
I called John Reeves in Boston and wished him
a Merry Christmas and we caught up with things in our lives. He sent me a link
to a clip on “Prop 8 the Musical” which I thought was so worth while that I
emailed it all my Gay friends.
I sent this email to Richard Butler: MERRY CHRISTMAS TO THE BUTLERS! Hope
the holidays are a happy time for you and your family. Nothing new here. Still
teaching school but am on the Winter Recess until January 5th. Hope to retire
in five years.
Mike Romero,
well Mike Romero is still Mike Romero... he's working at the Quest star office
where he's his own boss so that's good. Steve Merrill and Richard Packer your
knew from Napa Auto are moving to Tennessee.
Our old
neighbors Randy and Kimberlee Gile moved to Florida over Thanksgiving from
Montana. They couldn't make a go of it up in Kalispell. Having a hard time
selling their house there. But they are loving Florida. 80 degrees.
Smokey had a
rough summer when he came down with Pancreatitis. He almost died but $1500
later he came home and we have him for another Xmas. He's much better too.
Priscilla is
well just getting older and sleeps a lot. She will be 13 in May. The pups Buddy
and Daisy keep the house lively. They will be three years old in March.
Some Tongan made
a right turn in front of Michael last week which smashed Mike Romero's Trail
Blazer's tail light... no one was hurt just a bummer.
I know we don't
see each other as often anymore and I am so happy you have a family to look
after you but still I wanted you to know I will always value your friendship.
Ben Williams
Rich Butler replied: Your always in
our thought at this time of year as well. Having a family really cuts into the
free time. But I love it very much and enjoy the challenges it brings. We have
a puppy (we got him 2 weeks ago) Miley. Cute little bit of a thing. We need to come
by or meet somewhere. With my schedule at Kennecott its very hard to plan
anything long term.
Brenda and I
will be counting down the New Year at Little America downtown this year. We
will be staying over night at the little America Towers. If you plan to do
First Night let us know and we can get together for a few hours. Merry
Christmas and Happy New Years to you and Mike Romero. Richard, Brenda, Austin
& Desi
I sent this email to my Uncle JW Johnson and
Cousin Kay Campbell. Dear folks,
Just a note to let you know I love you and am thinking of you. I know it must be hard having Christmas with
out Aunt Pauline as it is without dad... but they had wonderful lives and would
want us to have a merry Christmas.
Mom says she
would be doing okay if she wasn't so crippled up with arthritis. She said she just doesn't drive much anymore
and is grateful that Dennis and Charline are there to look after her.
She called me to
tell me of the big Las Vegas snowstorm... I think she was tickled by it because
she didn't have to be out in it.
There is snow
here in Utah with plenty more expected Christmas day so we will have a white
Christmas for sure.
I am still
teaching school and looking towards retirement in about five years if I can
hold out that long. Each year I get grumpier and grumpier.
One of these
days maybe I'll make it back to Texas but doubt if anyone would recognize
me...gray beard, no hair, and short and round.... must have got all of them
short Dutch Fenter genes!
Well I know you
are busy with your loved ones so just wanted to drop a line to let you know you
are all still in my heart. Love Junior
PS Aunt Pauline
sure hated having her picture took. You had to sneak up on her. Here’s some I
took back in the 1960's.
My Cousin Kay
wrote me back: Hi Junior, Thank you for the pictures and the nice note. Dad read it to me at his house & it meant
a lot to both of us. I hope you can come
back to Texas sometime soon & yes; we would recognize you! Your cousin, Kay
I sent this email out to the Williams side of
the family: Aunt Marie called me the other day wanting Grandpa Williams
Chili Recipe because her daughter and grandkids were coming to visit.
It got me to
thinking how Aunt Bonnie always made the best Rice Crispy treats… and how
Grandma and the aunts were all busy in the kitchen chattering about family and
recipes.
Grandma Williams
was in charge of the pies….Her specialty was a dark chocolate pie she learned
to make when she and grandpa ran a cafe in Texas. It didn’t contain milk so it could withstand
no refrigeration. There were usually a
pecan pie, a banana cream pie, date-nut bread, banana bread, and fruit cake.
Aunt Marie made the best banana cream pies. Of course all of these treats were
made from scratch.
Christmas Eve
was reserved for Grandma Williams house where ever they were living, either on Dinwiddie,
Colfax, or Woodruff Streets.
Grandpa Williams
always made Texas Chili which he would cook for days before Christmas Eve. Two huge pots would be simmering, one
contained chili meat stewing in a magical savory concoction of New Mexican
Chilies, Eagle Brand chili powder, and cumin. Grandpa never put any tomatoes or
onions in his chili.
The other pot
had pinto beans cooked tender and full of hearty flavor. Grandpa never cooked his chili with beans.
You had to mix them in your own bowl.
Served with the chili was grated cheese, ketchup, and saltine crackers.
No better eating.
Under Grandma’s
huge Christmas tree and flowing outward were presents galore for Grandma’s many
grandchildren. Grandma was once asked by
Aunt Beulah who was her favorite grandchild and she replied, the grandchild
that I am with… and that’s how she was.
She loved all her family equally.
I always felt
sorry for Aunt Minnie because her birthday was Christmas Eve and I always
thought she got cheated out of a birthday but looking back she was lucky
because all her nephews and nieces were there with her on her special day.
It always seemed
like an extra special Christmas when Uncle Wad and his family attended because
often they were in Texas . The same with
Uncle R.L. and Aunt Jerrie. They lived in
Northern California near our Peacock relatives and didn’t get to come down
much.
While R.L. never
had children of his own he and Jerrie raised Colleen who was Jerrie’s
granddaughter. As a child I could never
figure out how Colleen was related to me because she was like a cousin but not
quite.
Sometimes the
family would have a secret Santa where we would draw the name of a relative and
we would buy a gift for that person… I can’t remember any of the names I drew
and of course I never knew who drew mine but it was fun.
The strangest
gift I ever got as a kid on Christmas Eve was from Aunt Bonnie. When I
unwrapped it I found myself looking at a
tube of tooth paste! I think Aunt Bonnie
was sweet but toothpaste! Really?!
Grandma’s house was never overly decorated for
Christmas. There was always a huge Christmas Tree with old fashion light bulbs
and lots and lots of old glass ornaments.
Usually the tree was dripping silver string icicles.
Grandma also had
an old fashion Manger setting today I think they are called “Nativity Creches”.
I do not really
remember any of the gifts and presents I received on Christmas Eve at Grandma
and Grandpa Williams but I will always remember the warm feeling of belonging
to a family that cared about each other.
Once I remember
when my mom’s parents were out for Christmas and they went with over to Grandma
and Grandpa Williams with us when they were living on Colfax. My grandma Johnson was just sitting and
enjoying seeing everyone open their presents when I spied Grandma Williams
hurrying to the bedroom and pulling some knickknack off the shelf, quickly
wrapping it, and handing it to my Grandma Johnson. I will never forget the look of surprise on
my Grandma’s face not expecting a present and I will never forget the act of
kindness that Grandma Williams did to make everyone’s Christmas happy. Merry Christmas And God Bless each and everyone!
This
is Grandpa Williams Chili Recipe -4 lbs coarse ground beef (with lots of fat)
-1/2 bottle Gephardt Eagle Brand Chili powder -4 tsp of New Mexico Chili flakes
- 1 whole pod of garlic -1/2 tbsp of ground or crushed cumin -Salt to taste
-Gallon of Water -Boil then simmer to consistency desired Love
Cousin Jr.
My cousin Terrie
Williams wrote me: “Gary and I were just thinking about the family holidays
together too. Yes, they are
memorable!! All the cousins, aunts,
uncles, granny Rose, aunt Beula, Uncle Ed and the whole clan. What a house full of warmth, love, and
messes. I think we are very blessed to
have such a warm & loving circle to remember.
I was very fond
of Grandma's homemade cherry pie. Yes,
there was a lot of love put into that food.
I was glad that Grand Pa made his beans separate from the meat. I love beans even to this day and I account
my good cooking to those good cooks before me.
I wish everyone a good holiday and an awesome 2009!! Love, Cousin Terrie
Singer and Cat
woman Eartha Kitt died today which seems ironic since Santa Baby was one of her
big hits.
Some crazy man while
wearing a Santa suit, killed nine people in Covina, California during a
Christmas Eve party and burned down the house.
26 December 2008 Friday
My father died five years ago
today, and as then, I was out shoveling snow. We got dumped on last night…at
least 7 inches. So I put my boots on and started shoveling.
I didn’t do
Michael’s side of the drive way. Let him do his own since he won’t help with
any shoveling.
I spent much of
the day downloading old photographs from WWII and WWI of soldiers bathing and
in a naked state. It wasn’t porn, just pictures from the time when people
weren’t so hung up about natural nudity.
I watched “Mr.
Magorium’s Wonder Emporium” which except for the kid actor wasn’t all that fun
nor memorable.
My article for
Lambda Lore: Thirty-three years ago the Salt Lake Tribune editorial board did
something they do not espoused today and that is endorsed marriage between same
sex couples. To be fair the board probably was not endorsing same sex marriage
as much as saying that there was no impediment to same sex matrimony in Utah .
On Tuesday
January 6th, two women applied for a marriage license in Salt Lake County The pair was turned away and referred to the
Salt Lake County Attorney’s office for a ruling; however the pair did not
follow up by seeking out a decision on whether they could get a license. The
pair however must have contacted instead the Tribune who then contacted the
Attorney’s office on the 7th of January.
According to the newspaper a spokesman in the Salt Lake County Attorney
office said that “ Utah statue does not specifically prohibit marriage between
members of the same sex”.
On the basis of
this comment, the Salt Lake Tribune executive editor wrote as an editorial on
January 8th, saying “Two women who had applied for a marriage license in Salt
Lake County probably should have been issued one, according to Utah law.”
The Tribune did
not mention the name of the women but they may have been Camille Tartaglia and
“Shirley”, two Lesbians who had their marriage publicly acknowledge earlier in
the November- December 1975 issue of the Gayzette by editor Babs DeLay.
This wedding
announcement is the first that I can find of a same sex couple in Utah . The pair was just referred to as Camille and
Shirley for while same sex marriage might not have been illegal in Utah in
1975…sodomy certainly was.
The wedding was
held at a Gay bar at 996 South and Redwood Road called the Rusty Bell. The
owners, Paul Douglas, Mack Hunt, and Jim Beveridge had just opened the tavern
the previous July. This location would
become more noted for being the home of the premier Lesbian bar in the 1980’s,
Puss N Boots.
The Reverend Bob
Darst who had just resigned from the Grace Christian Church on Halloween agreed
to perform the ceremony. Grace Christian
Church had splintered off from the Metropolitan Community Church of Salt Lake
City two years earlier and had a membership of nearly 50 at the time of the
wedding. The owners of the Rusty Bell
and Camille and Shirley may have been members or had association with the
church since the Rusty Bell held fund raisers for them.
Camille and
Shirley were engaged for over a year when they were married 20 November 1975 in
a double ring ceremony. “Marty”, who was a member of the first Imperial Court
of Utah (Royal Court of the Golden Spike Empire) as “Queen of the Realm” was
“best man” and “Hilda” was matron of honor.
The Gayzette reported that “Shirley wore a white satin gown of her own
design and Camille wore a baby blue pants suit.” After the vows were exchanged
a reception was held “immediately afterwards with an abundance of champagne and
wedding cake”.
The article went on to assure readers that the
ceremony was not illegal since “No marriage license was required as the state
of Utah does not recognize Gay marriages as yet”. Shirley then stated “To us the vows are as
legal to us as any other marriage ceremony.
The license makes no difference to us because we take our marriage vows
very seriously.”
While the
article went on to say that the wedding between Shirley and Camille “was the
first wedding to be held at The Rusty Bell since the bar opened,” it may have
been the only one since no other weddings have been found to have occurred.
Camille Tartaglia
went on to become Prince Royale III Camille
of Imperil Court of Utah with “Marita Gayle” her Princess Royale. I
suspect that Marita Gayle was her “best man” at the wedding. Also involved in
Gay activism, she, as a member of Women Aware, helped organize the boycott of
homophobe Anita Bryant at the State Fair.
As time went on
the Rusty Bell, which should be noted was the home of the first coronation of
the Royal Court of the Golden Spike Empire, closed and reopened at Puss N Boots
in 1981. Today the location is home to K
& K African Market “specializing in African and Middle Eastern groceries”
and The Outer Rim “an all ages music venue.”
Mack Hunt would
go on to open a series of bars in the 1980’s most noticeable Back Street which
now lying as a burnt out hulk at 108 South 500 West where it’s last incarnation
was Club Ice across from the Gateway. Paul Douglas died in 2005 as I believe Jim
Beveridge did.
And still some
33 years later Utah still does not recognize legally same sex marriage “as of
yet.”
27 December 2008 Saturday
I went up to work finally today
to check my classroom. I was surprised that the parking lot was cleared of snow.
I straightened the room up and did some work there but didn’t stay more then
two hours. Only one student had left me
a present… a coffee mug. That was more then I got from Michael Romero.
I bought the
dogs from more food and went to the library and checked out a couple of movies
and books.
Over
Thanksgiving I read all of Janet Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum books from 10
through 14 plus some of her short ones.
So I started reading over this break her Barnaby series. I like her books but I prefer the Plum
series.
I watch “To Wong
Foo Thanks for Everything, Julie Newmar” and “Prehistory Park” this evening. I
have been living on junk food and it’s got to stop.
28 December 2008 Sunday
I was up all night peeing and
that usually happens when my blood sugars are out of whack.
Bill Romero sent
me his email address today wmromero1935@yahoo.com. They sent me $50 for Christmas. They never
forget me.
I spent much of
the day reading Janet Evanovich’s Motor Mouth a sequel to Metro Girl. I also watched a restored version of
Hitchcock’s Vertigo.
I have been working fervently to flesh out
this journal for the year 2008. I did a
horrible job of tracking my thoughts and the events of my life.
I started with 7
pages but now have 45 by going through all my emails from the year to try and
reconstruct it significantly.
This was the
year of taking care of Ben Andersen and falling in love with Mark Andersen… No
I don’t love Mark as a lover but as part of my family. I so loved having him here to take care of
and to hug and to hear him say I love you…but Michael Romero has taken that
away from me. He just doesn’t care about
anything but himself and perhaps Smokey.
He went off somewhere for the most of the
day. I am not feuding with him but am
not going out of my way to include him in what I am doing. Still angry over how he treated Mark on
Christmas Eve. So I have just been doing
my own thing and letting Michael do his own.
29 December 2008
Monday
I finished reading “Motor Mouth”
and tried reading Fanny Flagg’s “Welcome to the World Baby Girl” but after 120
pages I just could not do it. I like her style of writing but the plot is
dragged out way too long.
I fixed a
Spaghetti Casserole yesterday but I guess I will be the only one eating
it.
In the news
Israel is bombing the shit out of the Gaza Strip to get Hamas to stop rocketing
Israel.
30 December 2008
Tuesday
Mark Andersen texted me today
asking if I has seen the Bluetooth I had given him last October. He thinks he left it here but I told him I
hadn’t seen it. If Mike saw I am sure it was tossed out.
I went to my
masseuse today. I hadn’t had a massage since a year ago Thanksgiving. I went back to him because he gives an
“erotic” massage. In other words I pay
him $70 for him to be in the nude while massaging me… Well at my age I guess it’s
okay to pay to be touch.
The weeks that
Mark Andersen stayed with us while I often gave him a massage he never
reciprocated but I really didn’t mind.
31 December 2008
Wednesday
Well here it is another year in
the life and times of Ben Williams about to be complete. Mark Andersen text messaged me this morning
saying I love you Mama Bear.
My day was kind
of like this…I drove over to Washington Mutual to see about refinancing the
house because interest rates had dropped but the office was closed…not for the
holiday but forever…
Then I went to
the 13th South Wal-Mart which I really don’t like to and the place was packed
considering it was in the afternoon. I
wanted to buy a small crock pot and toaster to replace the supersize one’s that
Ben Anderson had left. I mean I really don’t need a four slice toaster and an 6
quart crock pot.
I bought a cheap
2 slice toaster for $6 and a 2 quart crock pot for $10. While there I thought I might as well pick up
a couple of bath towels and some groceries… well when I went to check out every
line was five cart deep…so I picked me a stand and as soon as I got in line two
checkout lines opened around me and there was a mad dash of carts to them so I
stayed put because I was only the third in line…well as luck would have it
something was wrong at my stand and all the checkout lines cleared out before I
even got to pay for my stuff… so it was one of those days.
Went to the car
wash to get the salt and grime off the car and there was a line for that also…
it was crazy for a weekday.
At home I
changed the bedding and was cleaning up when Mike Romero came home early from
work. While I was making some clam
chowder in my new crockpot, Fed-Ex
delivered my Netflix instance watch box.
It’s a receiver so I can watch Netflix movies and programs on my TV
instead of ordering the DVDs through the mail.
Mike Romero hooked it up for me so I guess I am over being upset with
him and I told him to have some of the Clam Chowder…
So that’s what I
have been doing instead of going outside and partying. As I am typing I hear the fireworks and the
bangs so I guess it’s officially the New Year.
Goodbye 2008.
Here’s 15 things few people know
about me.
1) I devour the Janet
Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum series of books.
Will finish them in one setting.
2) I'm a published columnist for a
Gay paper in Salt Lake City.
3) I look like my dad, but act like
my mom. Except my temper -- I got my dad's temper.
4) I have a female miniature
schnauzer who’s a compulsive over eater.
5) I *love* dogs.
6) I hate snakes. They freak me out.
7) I am a direct descendant from
Nials of the Nine Hostages a 5th century Irish king/chieftain
8) I get weak in the knees for tall
skinny guys
9) I can’t roll my tongue like into
a U. Don’t have the gene.
10) I lived in a haunted house for
six months.
11) I was on the radio for 7 years
as a Gay commentator for a weekly program called Concerning Gays and Lesbians.
12) I went through puberty in the
6th grade and shaving every day in 7th
13) In 7th grade I had three art
projects shown at the Laguna Beach Festival of Art.
14) I worked at Disneyland at
Carnation Gardens dishing up ice cream especial a concoction called Fantasia.
15) I shook hands with Segregationist George
Wallace in 1967 when he was running for President.
16) I’ve had dead people come to me
in dreams to tell me where to find genealogical information about them.
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