APRIL 2021
1 April 2021 Thursday
The Build Team crew unloaded a pile of lumber
and hauled off a lot of old demolition debris like the counter from the old
bathroom which had been sitting on the side of the garage all winter. Tomorrow
the tub is supposed to be going away.
Some
of the wooden posts went in today to rebuild the deck but the hot tub wasn’t
able to be moved because it was too heavy even with six guys, so Kyle Foote
bought some dollies to set it on and to move it that way tomorrow.
It
was in the 50’s today, but it didn’t feel like it much but then I wasn’t
outside any either, only to sit with the pups some. I did assemble my rototiller
this afternoon, so I have no excuse now, not to finish the front parking strip.
I
did clean all the leaves and trash from the north side of the house that had
accumulated over the winter. The Build Team crew is using the north side gate
to enter the back yard.
Hearts
for Paws had a Labradoodle up for adoption, so I contacted Laurie Epperson to
let her know we are interested. Kyle wants a labradoodle to be his buddy on job
sites so we may or might not be getting a new member of the family.
I
made a chicken pot pie for supper, but it was hard to regulate the little oven
to thoroughly cook the crust all the way, so it was still a bit doughy. I just
shouldn’t make things that need baking in an oven I suppose.
I was tired and went to bed really early around
8 and woke up after midnight. So, I got up and organized some of my research on
Dora B. Topham until 2 in the morning, then managed to get back to sleep until
6 this morning.
Mike
Romero had the day off for Good Friday, so he didn’t bring Coco over and the
Build Team Crew was here by 7:30 this morning. My old bathtub was finally
hauled away with other building debris. The hot tub was moved this morning into its new
position where my old tool shed used to be. It sure opens up the yard.
Kyle
Foote asked if I’d dig around the south end of the concrete which will be tiled
so that is about all the yard work I did, besides mowing the back yard once the
workers left.
I
went into Bountiful to deposit a $200 check that was refunded back to me from
Loan Pal who had financed the Solar Panel. I also had the FIT drive through Mr.
Wash up there to get some of the road grime off from the rain splatters from a
week ago. It was warm out today over 70 degrees although it started out chilly.
The Build Team was done
for the day at 3:30 this afternoon. The new deck framing is about finished so next
week the trex will be laid and stairs off the north end of the upper veranda
will be completed...
I think I am addicted
to baking. It seems weird not to have something baking in the oven. I tried
making a chicken pot pie yesterday, but the little toaster oven just couldn’t
get the crust done and flakey. It was still a little doughy, so I put it back
in the toaster and it burnt the crust. I guess if I cook any more it will just have
to be stuff, I can cook in the crock pot or on the stove top. Oh well I will get
through with the withdraws and eat jellybeans.
I wasn’t all that
hungry this evening and I was having belly aches again for much of the day. I
don’t know whether it’s something I ate or didn’t eat or just gassy but it’s
not pleasant.
I watched an episode of
Ghost Adventures this evening and when I went to bed at 10, Kyle still hadn’t
come home.
3 April 2021 Saturday
Kyle Foote was gone all day. It makes me a
little anxious when I don’ know where he’s gone but that is just me, I guess. I
did some yard work cleaning some of the construction debris in the back yard,
pulling some weeds in the front yard, and mowing the south side yard. I
collected a lot of the bark from the stumps of the poplar trees that I had cut
down and hauled them to the front yard where I had mulched last year.
That
is all the yard work I did for the day. Tomorrow maybe I will do some rotor tilling
of the vegetable patch. In the house I cleaned my bedroom, changed the sheets,
and mopped the floor. I also did about three loads of laundry, so I did a lot
of Saturday chores.
I
had a belly ache for much of the day. Not as severe that sent me to the
emergency room last year but just uncomfortable enough to be unpleasant.
It
was a beautiful day about 70 degrees. My forsythias are in full bloom but
surprising none of my bulbs have bloomed yet.
I
made some potato salad today out of one russet potato. The days of making
quarts of salad are over. One potato made more than enough.
It
sure doesn’t feel like Easter. I keep waiting to hear at LDS Conference that
the Mormons are picking up and heading back to Jackson County, Missouri but
still no luck... Darn
Some
fellow, from Denmark, contacted me wanting information on Irene Green Hayford,
the Ogden girl who was murdered by her lover Dan Mallos back in 1919. He must
have somehow connected my writing about it as part of my research on Second
South Street.
4 April 2021 Easter Sunday
It was a quiet Easter with Kyle Foote gone
until the late afternoon. I tilled my vegetable garden patch and got it ready
for another cycle of renewal and growth. I took all the bark that was coming
off the old poplars and spread it around the front yard as mulch to keep some
of the weeds at bay. I even mowed the front yard. I noticed I had a couple of
daffodils blooming but the rest of my bulbs are late starters.
I fixed a small plate
for an Easter dinner even if for just me. It helps me remember Easter’s past,
of being with family and friends. I made a potato salad yesterday using one
potato, opened a can of some Bush baked beans, baked a couple of slices of ham
with an orange marmalade glaze and had a deviled egg. I made 8 of them from 4
eggs. It ain’t Easter without ham and deviled eggs. I put little pimento crosses
on all of them to remember why we celebrate Easter. Tradition.
When Kyle came home, he
inspected the work the men did last week, and we also visited with Victor, the homeowner
behind us where Reed Hall’s family lived. He’s building an enclosure for his
husky who is an escape artist. We just chit chatted about home improvements.
Then, since Kyle was a
little hungry and in the mood for Taco Pastor, we went to Taco Don Daniels down
on Tenth North and Ninth West that has been there since 1995. Mike Romero and I
ate there once, and I was not impressed but that was probably 20 years ago, so
Kyle and I gave it a try. All the servers only spoke Spanish and the gal
screwed up our order, so it was a trial.
I wanted a bean tostado,
but they didn’t have that, or the gal didn’t understand me, either way I
ordered two taco carnitas. We also ordered some chips and salsa, and it was $18
for 5 tacos and chips and salsa. The tacos were really small also so I don’t
think I will be going back.
So, another Easter has
come and gone. It was really a beautiful day and I suppose about 80 degrees. Springtime
in the Rockies. 1,233 Utahns are not spending Easter with loved ones this year.
5 April 2021 Monday
I went down to the Dog
Grooming School this morning because they had their phone still on the
answering machine. I needed to make an appointment for Lulubelle and the
earliest I could make it was for April 14 at 11. Then I went to Smith’s here in
Rose Park and geez everyone must have decided to shop at the store at the same
time. Only one section of their self-checkout was opened and only one checker
was opened. It was crazy.
At
the house, my new hot tub deck will have a Grand Staircase. I told Kyle that my
hot tub enclosure will be grander than my house with the concrete being tiled
in a terra cotta paving stone.
A mighty wind came up
here in West Pointe after taking Coco home. Kyle Foote just came home about the
same time, and it was really gusty. The wind blew open the Southside yard gate,
so Kyle and I had to go secure it which was difficult due to the wind. I kept the
pups inside with the doggy door shut just in case until the gusts died down.
I fixed some saffron
rice and teriyaki chicken for Kyle’s supper and about 5:30 the power went off! The
power was out for two hours. I have a kerosene lamp and plenty of scented
candles, thanks to Bill Poore who has given to me over the years so at least I won’t
be sitting around in the dark. On the other hand, Kyle likes it pitch dark in
his space. He said because of all the years he spent in prison it was never
dark as there was always a light on somewhere.
The
power came back on around 7:30 this evening so I watched a few episodes of
Ghost Adventures before heading to bed.
It was so windy tonight,
the wind chimes never ceased, and I kept hearing creaking and thumping outside,
so I am not having a real restful night sleep.
It was pretty out, in
the 70’s today until the cold front came in this evening with the fierce winds.
It may even snow tomorrow.
6 April 2021 Tuesday
So, I got up several
times during the night to check that the backyard gates still held so I’d know that
the pups were safe to let out. I woke up at 4 because I was dreaming, I was
taking a college level reading test. I hate having to take tests in my dreams.
Day time tests are stressful enough.
Surprisingly the Build
Team was over at 7:30 this morning and I made a pot of coffee for them, but
they only stayed for about a half an hour because the weather wasn’t clearing
up.
Utah Springtime
weather... snow on the daffodils. It was a good steady moisture coming down
intermittently as snow and rain. I had a pot of pinto beans cooking. It’s what
you do in this kind of weather.
I fixed a roast for our
supper tonight with medley of broccoli, cauliflower, and carrots, new potatoes,
and gravy. Kyle Foote said he was really tired after he came home because he
didn’t get much sleep and was up at 3 in the morning, so he just took his plate
downstairs to eat later when hungry.
By the late afternoon,
the sun came out and it’s supposed to be nice weather for the rest of the week.
7 April 2021 Wednesday
There’s lots of
work going on at the house of the barking dogs. The planks are almost all down on the
new deck. The stairs from the veranda will go in tomorrow then a roof will be
put over the hot tub.
When Kyle Foote came home,
he asked if I wanted to go with him to Lowe’s in Bountiful where he needed to
order some supplies. I said certainly and it was a good thing I did because he
had left his wallet at home in his backpack so I had to use my I.D. so he could
get a temporary purchase order.
While at Lowes I looked
in their garden section which was starting to fill up with spring flowers and
plants. I just wanted to look at all the colors.
We
stopped at MOD’s Pizza in Woods cross on the way home because I hadn’t made
anything for dinner. I just had a few slices and Kyle took the rest downstairs
for the evening. They days are getting warmer, but in the 60’s it was still
chilly with the breeze.
8 April 2021 Thursday
The Lights, on my upper deck veranda, were
installed today. There are three lantern type LEDs, so they look amazing. Juan
finished the stairs going down to the hot tub from my bedroom so the pups now
can go that way to access the garage for their car rides. Tomorrow the roofing
over the hot tub and a wooden privacy fencing that will go around three sides
of the deck will be installed.
I
didn’t feel like cooking and when Kyle Foote came home, he wasn’t hungry so just
made some nachos and called it good. He did come up later and fixed himself a
plate of nachos too.
Kyle
Daniels didn’t come over this afternoon and it was just as well as I was
feeling out of sorts.
9 April 2021 Friday
I was up half the night having to
pee. I think my blood sugars must have been out of whack from all the jellybeans
and slices of pecan pie I have been eating lately. I really need to stop that.
I put away all the candy and gave Mike Romero the rest of the pie when I took
Coco home.
Just John and Braydon
were here to work on the deck, and they put on the plywood cover over the
decking and put up a privacy fencing around the back and sides. It really looks
grand. It’s almost like an amphitheater.
Rich
Butler quickly visited at 10 this morning and brought me over bags of flour and
sugar that his tenants who are leaving left him. I won’t’ have to buy flour and
sugar for quite a while especially now that I am not baking because of my oven
is broken.
He
brought me these beautiful wind chimes for my birthday also and wanted to visit
a bit to let me know how the move was progressing. Next weekend, I will doggie
sit
Miley and Sophie. Brenda and he have to be away
for the open house.
When the boys went to lunch,
I climbed into the hot tub and cleaned out the little bit of stagnant water
that remained and wiped it down really well. I ordered from Amazon a really
nice room divider partition to place in front of the hot tub when I am using it
now that I am more exposed to my neighbors on the south.
Then because it was
nice out, I worked on the parking strip rototilling it, dumping some wheelbarrow
of dirt, and sweeping the gutter. That really tired me out but doesn’t have to
be done all in one day.
I had a package from my
cousin Kay Johnson that contained a lot of old family photos from the Johnsons
and Williamses get togethers. They probably were a lot of what Aunt Pauline had.
I need to divide them.
I wrote her on Messager,
“Thank you Kay for the birthday wishes and photos...what a nice surprise...I
will go through them more thoroughly and send to Donna and Charline’s' kids
those I think they will treasure...hope
all is well in Texas...I’ve gotten both by Pfizer inoculations but still
wearing my masks and trying to keep some distance...so far, I’ve felt pretty
good and having a lot of work done around the place keeps me from petrifying
... I don’t feel 70 until I look in the mirror...still doing yard work, trying
to keep up the house and I have 4 pups of mine to entertain me and I doggy sit
2 more...Grandma would have a fit because I know how she felt about animals in
the house ha! I talk to Donna about twice a month... she moved out of Yucaipa
to Bullfrog Arizona with her son Kevin...she seems to like it well
enough...Kevin finally got his driver’s license so that takes the pressure off
of her...he still hasn’t found a job yet. Charline's kids are fine, or I'd had
heard...Hard to believe that Denise is a grandma... I get a kick out of Chris'
postings... he cracks me up...I am glad he and Dana came out to Utah once so I
could show them around... well I hope all of yours are well and staying safe...
love always.”
When I took Coco home,
while waiting for Mike to come in, Taco has found his favorite place to wait on
my dashboard. It’s like I have Taco Bell bobbing head fixture on my dash. He
such a hot mess but I love him. I have not heard when Jim Dabakis plans to
return.
When Kyle Foote came
home and he had a moment, I asked him to sit down because I had something
serious to discussed. I was kind of anxious how he would react, but I told him
that I wanted to leave the house entirely to him and not share it with Mike
Romero. I said that Michael can keep the balance of the $30,000 I loaned him
several years ago, but I wanted Kyle to have the house.
Then I broached the
subject of marriage as a legal means for him to have the house as my spouse. I
said I thought about it for a while and turning 70 has really made me realize
that I needed someone with Power of Attorney but with Kyle being my spouse he
would have complete legal rights to make end of life decisions for me and I
wouldn’t need a will to probate what little I have. I told him to think about
it and I think he is seeing the value of having a “domestic union.” I said no
one needs to know it’s a marriage but think of it as legal contract. I know I
have love and affection for Kyle and in his own way I think he has for me also.
I
made some spaghetti for supper, and he hadn’t eaten all day, so he was hungry.
Before going downstairs, he explained how he wants to enlarge the dining room,
which would also then enlarge the kitchen. I told him that whatever he wanted
to do to the house was fine with me because I trusted his design sense while
not really telling him that I am getting to the point that material things
don’t seem to matter as much to me.
Prince Phillip died today,
and he had to leave behind all the wealth and palaces like any other mortal.
10 April 2021 Saturday
Today I became elderly. I've been a baby, a
kid, a teenager, a young man, an adult, middle aged, a senior, and now elderly.
I've been a college
student, a war protestor, a Mormon, a married man, a genealogist, a schoolteacher,
a Gay activist, a radio talk host, a gay history columnist, a faerie, a liberal
Democrat, historian, a homeowner, puppy parent, retired, and hopefully a good
friend.
I never sought wealth
just a home and creature comforts. Material things are becoming less and less
important to me and relationships increasingly significant at this point in my
time around the sun.
It's been a trip and
I've loved all those who traveled with me even briefly. There’s still lots to
do but it's a winding down time to do what is essential and to wrap it all up
in the coming years.
Bill Poore took me out
for a Birthday brunch at 11:30. I picked him up and we went to Village Inn on
4th South. We both have lots of good memories there. Mine are from going out to
coffee after the Lesbian and Gay Student union meetings were over or after
Affirmation. I look around and, in my mind, I can still see my friends laughing
and sharing. Village Inn will always remind me of David Sharpton for some reason.
It was a gorgeous day
out driving into the city and Liberty Park and the 9th and 9th area was packed
with people. I am so glad I live in a quiet part of the city here in WestPointe.
Bill was a mess. He
forgot his hearing aids and he’s really starting to not care about his
appearance at all. He was unshaven and has not had a hair cut in a year. More
than anything he seems to forget a lot and asks all the time about simple
things, like what he had ordered or about things I had just told him.
He also said that he
can’t access his debit card because he screwed up his pin number and then he
took five one hundred bills out of his pocket and was counting them in front of
me. I got after him and said to put that money away because you never know who
might see him with it and knock him in the head for it.
He ordered Eggs
Benedict and I had French Toast which I ate what I could while listening to
Bill tell stories of his time in Alaska when he was in the coast guard.
He also ordered a roast
Turkey dinner and a slice of banana cream pie to take home because he said he
didn’t have any food in the house. He spent $46 on our meals. When I took him home,
he wanted me to take two shirts he bought which he couldn’t wear so I did. I wore
one out to dinner with Kyle Foote later.
Before heading back
home, I went to the NRP store on 13th South to see what kind of
plants they might have. They didn’t have much out yet, so I went to Sutherlands
where there was a mob waiting at the checkout line. They had their $8 tomato
plants on sale for $2 and people were buying plenty. I didn’t want to wait in
any extensive line so maybe tomorrow I will go down and get some if they are
still on sale.
When
I came home around 1:30, I had a shock because the side gate was wide open, and
I couldn’t find Taco Belle anywhere in the house. I frantically started
searching the neighborhood so afraid he had taken off again. By chance I looked
at my phone and Jim Dabakis left a message that he had taken him. I was so
relieved. I was so scared that I was going to have to tell him I lost his dog.
When he had come over,
Kyle Foote was home and so he thought Kyle had told me that he came for Taco,
but Kyle wasn’t home when I came back to the house. I guess the gate didn’t get
shut properly and none of the other pups had left the house thank God. Kyle
said that Taco got away even while Jim and he were visiting so not to feel bad.
Kyle also said that Taco may be coming back on Wednesday as Jim and Steve are
taking off again for a week. So, he will be here when I babysit Sophie and
Miley next weekend. Jim wants to take me out to lunch on Monday.
My former neighbors the
Giles were in the neighborhood and wanted to quickly visit. I don’t know how
many years it’s been since they have been to the house. They brought me a sign
for my garden which read “Weeds are Flowers too once you get to know them.
Kimberlee got it for me because I once told her that a flower is just a weed that
you like.
Kyle came up to visit
and we showed them all the changes to the house, especially the outside
decking, my bathroom, and Kyle’s space downstairs.
Then we sat and visited
for a couple of hours catching up. I guess Randy is going to have to have a hip
replacement in June. He’s turning 60 this year himself. Kimberlee is still
working for First Security Title from home. They said the pandemic hadn’t
really affected their lifestyle all that much; just worried about bringing
anything home to her mother Gay Elder.
Randy said that Kayla
was going through a rough patch having developed bulimia and having issues with
drugs and alcohol, but she went for treatment and is doing better. She had at
one point moved to San Diego, but it didn’t work out, so she returned home. A
lot of her issues seem to stem from when she was molested in Florida as
adolescent by Elyse’s husband at the time.
They asked about
Michael Romero because he never returns Randy’s messages and it had been a year
this April that he had heard from him. It was good to catch up with the Giles
and that was a pleasant surprise for my 70th birthday.
At 6:30 Kyle treated me
to a birthday meal at Market Street Grill. He had a $50 gift certificate. Actually,
all I wanted was the clam chowder and lots of crusty bread and butter which
came with the meal he ordered, so I just had his. He ordered oysters as an
appetizer as well as wine with his dinner.
Michael Aaron commented
on my having the clam chowder, “Best clam chowder west of the Atlantic. A New
York City client took one slurp and said, "I had to fly to the middle of
the country to a desert state to find the best clam chowder on earth." It was really tasty.
We sat and visited
sharing some stories about our families, his mission, and just stories from our
youth. I never knew that originally Kyle’s mission call was to the Portuguese
speaking area of Boston but at a last minute was changed to Brazil. We talked
about the last time we saw our fathers. His father died while he was in Brazil;
Died of prostate cancer. I said I was grateful that my father went fast and
quick from a stroke and did not suffer.
We were at the
restaurant until 8, which surprised me that we visited so much and afterwards
we went to Baskin Robbins in Bountiful for ice cream. I was full but knew Kyle
likes their chocolate shakes. I had a single scoop of Jaimoca almond fudge. There
were lots of people out and Baskin Robbins was crowded. Maybe it just seemed
like there were crowds out from being cooped up for a year. There was a Jazz
Game downtown and out here in Westpointe there was a night game going on at the
Soccer Fields
So, Kyle spent my 60th
birthday with me and now my 70th. I had lots of birthday wishes from family and
friends; My sister Donna Jones, my nephew James Clark, my niece Denise Wachs,
my cousins Stephanie Williams, Terrie Williams, Kay Campbell, Kay’s on Neil
Ballard, Chris Johnson, and wife Dana.
I had lots of friends,
some I’ve known for 35 years, also wish me happy birthday; Alan Anderson, Andy Dalrymple, Craig Hunter, Ron
Johnson, Ruadhan O'Sheridan, Teinamarrie Scuderi, Alma Smith, Kathryn Warner, Michael
Aaron West, and Chuck Whyte,
Some
I’ve known less than ten years; Andrea Lindseth Boone, Merrill Crosbie, · Daniel
Cureton, Jim McMullin, Danny Montoya, Doug Murri, TJ Otaka, and Roy Zang.
Richard P. Butler
wrote, “Happy Birthday Ben! So glad I got to know you and hitched a ride on
your life.”
Randy Olsen wrote, “Happy
Birthday! And you have always been a mentor. Thank you for being who you are.
One of the kindest souls I am privileged to know.”
Kay Campbell wrote “Happy Birthday!
Put on that list “fantastic cousin “. You will always be my cool cousin from
California. Even though you reside in Utah now. Love you. Enjoy your day!! I responded “deep inside I am still the cool
cousin from California
Erick Myers wrote “Happy
Birthday Ben! Hope you’ve got at least another 30 left in you!” I responded “sounds
like a curse lol... I will settle for 10 without senility lol
Benjamin Atticus West [Don
Williams] wrote- “Dearest Ben, your guidance and influence helped me to better
understand and accept myself. I don't think of you as elderly; I think of you
as an Elder in the community. Thank you for being you ❤”
Kimberlee Gile wrote; “Happy
Birthday to one of the sweetest, kindest, loving man I know! Thank you for the
many times you have been there to help my family. We are all better people for
knowing you. We still quote so many of your wise sayings. Even if we don’t get
to see you as often as we would like, you still hold a big place in our hearts
as a brother, an uncle, and a true friend. Happy Birthday! Looking forward to
many more!”
Roland Ron Holmgren wrote:
“Happy Birthday, Ben. You have lived a remarkable life. While we have never
actually met, I consider you an important part of my life. I so enjoy you
allowing me to be a minor part of your life through Face book. Have a great day
and remember 70 is the new 50.”
James Dabakis wrote “you
forgot to add—a poet!!!”
11 April 2021 Sunday
I went to Sutherlands
this morning and bought me three tomato plants that were on sale from $8 to
just $2. I also bought some pansies and Dusty Millers for my planter boxes and
pots. I planted some in the front in the pots along the castle bricks leading
up to Kyle Foote’s door and then in the planter boxes which I place in the
railing in the back deck. I need to start hauling wheelbarrows of dirt from the
parking strip to my backyard vegetable patch but that’s a job for another day.
Kyle wanted to go get
some lunch at El Loco Pollo this afternoon, so I went with him, and I treated
us to lunch. I then worked on my research of the characters of Second South
before deciding to use the hot tub. I sat in the hot tub for the first time in
a couple of weeks and I wore boxer shorts so that Kyle wouldn’t have to bail me
out of jail for indecent exposure. I’ve ordered a nice privacy screen that
hopefully will arrive this week...
It was a pretty day
here in Westpointe across Jordan but a little too cool to break the Sabbath by
doing too much work. However, the Lord approves gardening because he made a
garden before he made man.
This evening I watched
a Netflix documentary on Richard Ramirez the Night Stalker who was terrorizing
California in the 1985. I was still working at Ticor Title Insurance in Santa
Ana and my ex-wife Fran, and I were living in Orange near the 55 Freeway. I had
decided to move back to Utah because we were unhappy in California; basically,
I was unhappy in my marriage and with my life.
I left in August 1985
ahead of Fran to find us a place to live. Now it seems like a lifetime ago that
I was living another person’s inauthentic life.
I locked the back doors
after watching Ramirez invade people’s homes at night to murder them.
12 April 2021 Monday
I had an appointment
with Dr. Stoneburner at 8:40 this morning which meant I didn’t get to see him
until almost 9:30. It didn’t matter. He’s been my doctor for over twenty-five
years now. I must be one of his long-term patients. My blood pressure was 137
over something and everything was fine except that I had gained 14 pounds since
I last was weighed in, so I guess I better knock off the sweets. He wants me to
get some lab work done and schedule a colonoscopy which I said I would.
So, I had my first in
person visit with my doctor for a check in over a year and that shows things
are slowly opening up, but it will never be the same, I think, as before
Covid19. I know it will lot more normal to see people wearing masks in public.
Jim Dabakis came by at
11:30 and took me to Cucina this Italian bistro up in the Avenues for a
birthday lunch. I ordered lasagna and he a stuffed Portobello Mushroom. We both
ordered a beet salad. It wasn’t all that great, but Jim seemed to have really
liked the place. I was there more for the company anyway. It was fun catching
up on his adventures in Panama. He’s such a social animal and loves to travel,
not to sight see but to interact with people.
Two of the Build Team
crew came to the house today to work on building a stairway down the side of
the deck to access the hot tub’s heat pump and pump if they ever need
servicing. They did a little roofing but didn’t have enough of the material to
finish it.
It was nippy out today.
When is it expected to warm up?
Rich Butler asked if he
could bring his pups over on Thursday instead of Friday and I said sure. So, I
will have a full house by the end of the week.
It’s been five years
now since I agreed to foster a little Chihuahua named Zeus. He was so
underweight. Not so much anymore the sticker I renamed TJ.
13 April 2021 Tuesday
I took Lulubelle down for her grooming appointment
at 11 then headed down to the Redwood Clinic to have some blood drawn that Dr.
Stoneburner wanted me to do. I then went to the Glendale Smiths Grocery store
mainly to buy some water softener pellets but was astonished that they didn’t
sell them at that store. I have never seen a Smiths that didn’t have a boat
load of bags sitting in front of their stores. While there I bought some meats
for the pups and when I came home, Jim Dabakis had dropped Taco off.
I
received a call from the groomers that Lulubelle was ready to be picked up.
There was still money left on the gift certificate that Jim had given me last year,
so it didn’t cost me anything.
There
were no workmen here today, so I was alone the rest of the afternoon until Kyle
Foote came home at 4:30. I hadn’t fixed anything to eat so he made a plate of
nachos and went downstairs after giving the pups and me a hug. He is really
under a lot of stress keeping his business going. It’s at a place where it’s
too big and yet not big enough, if that makes any sense.
I
have been researching for a week now accounts of the killing of a police
officer in 1907 by robbers who had just left the old Albany Saloon on Second
South. I am now ready to write it up after finding out all I can about the cast
of characters involved in the tragedy.
Before retiring for the
day, the weather report warned of high winds all along the Wasatch front, so I took
the Mexican blankets off the deck railing, so they don’t blow away.
Wayne Niederhauser was appointed
Utah’s homeless czar. He is the same Utah senate leader who wouldn’t let a bill
banning discrimination against Gay and Trans people be heard in 2014.
14 April 2021 Wednesday
I slept in until almost 7 this morning which
for me is almost unheard of. I woke from a dream where I was with friends
sitting beneath a leafy shade tree in the summer in downtown Salt Lake City
reminiscing about places we had lived and how many Gay people lived in those
buildings. I woke just as I said, “I love Salt Lake City.”
I
noticed at first, we didn’t get the wind at my place that another place may
have gotten. I hardly heard my wind chimes at all. Later Kyle Foote said I must
have been zonked out because it had been really windy all night long.
I noticed when Mike
Romero dropped Coco off there were dark clouds over the mountains and shortly
afterwards it began to rain here. The temperature this morning was warm too
around 43 degrees.
We had a good soaking
April rain all morning and much of the afternoon. The pups were all sleepy
because of the weather. I made 4 mini loaves of meat loaf for tonight’s supper.
I had to cook in small batches because of my tiny toaster oven.
My privacy screen came
today to shield my “au natural” butt from the view of my neighbors when I am
enjoying the hot tub.
I had a nice surprise
this afternoon when Richard Harmston and Charles Bigo dropped by for a visit
and brought me a flowering plant. It was good to see friends again. We all had
our 2nd shots, so we are a little more daring about seeing one another. Richard
asked for some help seeing if an uncle of his is still alive.
I brought Michael
Romero one of the mini meatloaves when I took Coco home and when Kyle Foote
came home, I fixed him a plate of meatloaf with brown gravy, mashed potatoes,
and Italian green beans for his supper. I fixed me a small plate, but Lulubelle
got most of it.
Tomorrow I will have 8
pups running around here, Maxx, TJ, Lulubelle, Buster, Coco, Taco, Mile, and
Sophie. I am dog sitting over the weekend because Jim Dabakis went back down to
Mexico to see a friend who is doing poorly, and Richard Butler is having a
realty open house this weekend so supper time will be crazy here and bedtime
also when they all will want to puppy pile on me. At least Coco goes home at
night and doesn’t stay over the weekend...
15 April 2021 Thursday
We had rain mixed with snow here in Westpointe,
so it was good weather for beef and barley soup don’t you think? I had it simmering
for a couple of hours.
Rich
and Brenda Butler brought Sophie and Miley over at 11 this morning, a little
earlier than I thought. I will have them until Monday afternoon.
The
winds have all died down, but it was damp and cool for much of the day, so I just
stayed home mostly and wrote up my research on the characters involved in the
robbery of the Albany Hotel and the shooting of policeman Charles Ford in
December 1907.
Mike
Romero came to the house to pick up Coco because I had too many pups here to
try and take her home. I gave him a jar of my beef and barley soup. When Kyle
Foote came home, he just wanted another plate of the meat loaf, so I fixed him the
same as yesterday while I had the soup for my supper.
In
the news the Johnson and Johnson vaccine inoculations are put on hold so the
CDC can figure out why some women are developing blood clots, another killing
of a black man in Minnesota during the George Floyd trial is causing a ruckus
in Minnesota and in Chicago, an officer shot and killed a 13-year-old boy.
President
Biden wants to end the war in Afghanistan by September 11, and he has placed
sanctions on Russia for its cyber-attack on the United States and its
interference in our elections, which the treacherous Trump never would do.
16 April 2021 Friday
The weather cleared up this afternoon but this
morning it was still wet out with some precipitation. It was too cool out to do
any real yard work however I did pull weeds along the south side parking strip
where I had placed bark last year. I didn’t want weeds to get a start along the
base of the sidewalk and curb.
At 3 this afternoon I
had a call from my nephew James Clark who just wanted to touch base and wish me
a happy birthday. He caught me all up with all the news from Charline’s kids.
I was surprised to learn that Denise Wachs had
a stint put in her heart a couple of months ago. She is only 49 and won’t be
fifty until October but I guess she is doing okay with it. She had been laid
off for a couple of months from her last job but found new employment that pays
about the same. She had been babysitting her grandson, but I guess she won’t be
able to it anymore as she is going back to work.
Denise got Dennis Wachs
her dad’s diabetes under control so that he’s not taking insulin anymore. I guess
he’s doing fine also even without Charline to keep after him. I always wondered
how he would do as he was so dependent on her for everything.
I didn’t hear anything
about Michael Wachs, so I guess he’s doing okay back in Kansas still.
James
said that he has to go in for a checkup about his heart also, because like dad
he has that irregular heartbeat. I guess he took after dad more than I ever
did. Otherwise, he’s doing fine still working for Frito-Lay as a delivery supplier.
He hasn’t gotten his Corona Virus inoculation yet, but he said he’s planning on
it as soon as he can get an appointment. I told him I doubt whether Donna and
Kevin Jones ever will as they never go anywhere there in Bullfrog.
He
said he took some equity out of Mom’s house and is going to build a swimming
pool in their backyard and fix some things around their place. It is hard to
believe that they had been there now over ten years as that mom died 10 years
ago this April. It was ten years ago last April 13. It seems strange that it’s
been 10 years without speaking to my mom. I have so much to tell her. I suppose
the house is in James’ name now or he wouldn’t have been able to borrow against
it. So that’s about all the news from Arizona.
17 April 2021 Saturday
I mowed the front yard and pulled a lot of
weeds while the ground was still moist from this week’s rain. It was pleasant
to be out seeing the tulips in bloom and grape hyacinths and cleaning up the
yard from pesky ragweed.
Kyle
Foote ordered some Hindi Indian food for his lunch and left me a small plate. I
took a few bites to see if I still didn’t like Indian food and I still didn’t,
but Lulubelle wasn’t as picky.
I
spent most of the day organizing my research on the events surrounding the
murder of a police officer on the corner of Sixth West and Second South in
1907.
At Supper time I make sure
everyone was getting their fair share of grub and not shoving the little ones
away. I fed the seven pups a pork loin roast tonight with some leftover meat
loaf. I ate some soda crackers and beef and barley soup.
In
the evening I was just about to go out and get some onion rings when Kyle Foote
pulled up into the driveway. I went with him to get a shake and some onion
rings at Arby’s on Redwood Road but once there found out they discontinued
selling them, so we left.
It’s one of the reasons
I don’t eat at Taco Bell anymore once they stopped selling tostados. So, we
decided to drive into Bountiful to go to Culvers so I could get onion rings and
Kyle could get a shake but first we stopped at Lowes because Kyle had to get
some paint samples for a client. I sat in the car and waited, looking at my
phone, and it was now getting dark, close to 8:30 when we headed to Culvers.
We
could not believe the number of cars waiting to go through the drive up so late
at night. There had to have been at least 30 cars in line and in the parking lot,
so I said to Kyle let’s just go to Baskin Robbins for his shake because there
was no way I wanted onion rings that much to wait a half hour or more.
Baskin
Robbins was not busy at all, but now it was near nine at night. Kyle got his
usual chocolate shake, and I got a single scoop of Rocky Road. I paid for both,
and it was $8.50 which was more than minimum wage is! A person working an hour
wouldn’t be able to afford a small cup of ice cream and a shake. Welcome to
America in the Twenty-Twenties. However, if it was a nice get away, our trip to
Bountiful and Kyle shared some ideas he has about splitting his company into
three businesses, design, construction, and storage.
Yesterday,
I told Michael Romero about an eight-year-old female Schnauzer that Hearts for
Paws was listing, and he said he was interested so I filled out an application
for him today. I said I would baby sit her if he got her until he retires at
the end of May.
The
month of April is now more than half over. That seems weird.
18 April 2021 Sunday
I
woke from a dream where Kyle Foote was moving out of his basement studio apartment,
and I was so sad to see him go, and that Danny Montoya was with him. I wonder
where that came from?
I fixed me a breakfast
of a biscuit with milk gravy, a sausage patty, and one egg this morning. When I
looked at it, I thought this was what a normal portion looks like and if I
would have eaten this way for most of my life, I probably would not have gotten
fat and developed diabetes.
I had a burst of energy
to work in the yard and in the house today. I spent two hours working in the
back yard, mowing the back yard, moving patio furniture up to the new hot tub
deck, and raking tree debris mainly twigs that had fallen from the globe
willow. My nectarine tree is in full bloom with pretty pink blossoms. After
that I treated myself to a soak in the hot tub. I like my new partition privacy
screen, but it is kind of light weight, and any strong breeze seems to topple
it.
I went to Apollo
burgers for some onion rings that I have been craving, then to Taco Bell for a
taco and bean burrito finally ending up at Exxon for my drink. I have gone back
to drinking Diet Dr. Pepper, which I always liked as well as the regular stuff.
It’s funny the onion rings weren't as tasty as I remembered. I think things
taste better in my memory than they do now in reality
Arby’s no longer sell
Onion Rings... boo... hiss. It was the only thing I really enjoyed getting there.
I really like Iceberg’s Onion Rings, but I am not willing to drive all the way to
39th South and 9th East for them. They would be as cold as an iceberg before
getting back home.
I didn’t see Kyle Foote
all day although he left a container of cooked rice upstairs so he must have
ordered something. I saved it to make a rice dish to go with the chicken breast
I am marinating in the Greek lemon concoction I made last week.
In the evening I
noticed that another vehicle was parked behind Kyle’s so he had a visitor downstairs
as I could hear them watching something with lots of booms and explosions. He probably
brought a date over. I noticed the vehicle was still there when I went to bed
but was gone when I got up at 2 to pee.
Funny that Danny
Montoya has been texting me lately. He wrote me that he was tired today and
didn’t want to work. I don’t want to engage with him too much as that Kyle has
broken it off with him. So, I suggested he take a cat nap and then there was
this response that he couldn’t, that he was already at work, but there was eye
candy on board the plane. I responded that should perk you up and then he said
he hadn’t been able to sleep more that 5 or 6 hours and I responded I was sorry
to hear that as its rough when you have to work and then he sent me a picture
of some guy on his flight who had the same body type as Kyle. Games people play
I suppose.
When I said it’s rough
having to be at work and on your toes, he wrote “my twinkle toes, I’d rather be
on my knees, and I said who wouldn’t and he replied “dead.” So, I sent him a
quote from Andrew Marvel’s poem To My Coy Mistress “The grave’s a fine and
private place but none, I think do there embrace.”
After that I looked
around at how dirty my floors were getting from pups tracking in mud and some
dried pee spots and I had enough. It was time to do some heavy-duty mopping.
Besides the house was starting to smell so if I can smell it, the house must be
getting an odor. So, I removed all the small rugs and washed them and replace
the carpet beneath the coffee table with the one I bought some time ago that I
had down in the garage and mopped and steam mopped the living room and dining
room to get the first layer of grime up.
That was about two
hours of work, moving the lazy recliner and the other two chairs to mop beneath
them and to spray them with Febreze.
Rich Butler said he and
Brenda got a firm offer on their West Valley house. The other day he said he
had a high bid of $440,000 so this one might even be higher. Sophie and Miley
have been no problem, and Sophie is just a cuddler, but she is a big gal when
she plops on you.
19 April 2021 Monday
Rich
Butler came over at noon to retrieve Sophie and Miley. He said he had a firm
offer of $435,000 on his West Valley house when he listed it at $399,000 so
he’s a happy camper. Kyle Foote said Rich could come by this Saturday to borrow
the trailer for his move to Mesquite.
I went into Bountiful
this morning to deposit a check that Horace Mann insurance sent me, I guess as
an over payment. While up there I took the Fit through the car wash and went
shopping at the Smith’s Market Place where I used to shop at a lot. I bought a
few things, especially some Mizithra Cheese to make brown butter spaghetti sometime
this week. I bought some vegetable seeds to plant in my garden patch sometime
soon.
Then
I went to the Arctic Circle that is in North Salt Lake up on Orchard to see how
far it would be from my house. The closest one in Salt Lake County to me is on
17th South and 5th East. There I bought their onion rings
and an Angus burger. I still prefer Arctic Circle burgers over others because
they are tasty and not so huge.
I
spent much of the rest of the day just working on the phantoms of West Second
South.
Coachman restaurant on
State Street and 13th south is closing after 60 years. I didn’t eat
there a lot, but it’s been a fixture on that corner for as long as I can
remember.
20 April 2021 Tuesday
I
decided to work on cleaning my bedroom this morning as it was too cool to be
outside. I stripped my bedding, remade it, but decided it is time to buy
another blanket as the comforter I have now is years old. I also removed the
wall mounted shelf that held a small television. I realized that I never really
watch T.V. in the bedroom and that it was just in an awkward place. I took it
all down and then swept and mobbed the bedroom. After having seven pups here
over the weekend it was time to get serious about cleaning. I let a lot of
things go because I spend hours at the computer doing research.
Jim Dabakis came by to
retrieve Taco Belle, back from his trip which I guess was to Puerto Rico rather
than Mexico. He said the island is still recovering from Hurricane Maria and the
earthquake they had a few years ago. He asked about my research, and I told him
how I’ve gone down the rabbit hole researching the sensational event and
characters surround the killing of police officer Ford at the intersection of Sixth
West and Second South in 1907.
In
the afternoon I went to Wal-Mart to buy two new pillows for my bed and to look
for a new comforter but did not see any blanket that I liked. I did buy the
pillows and some dark chocolate coco powder I wanted, that I used all up the
other day. I mix it with my instant coco for my Mocha Coffee in the mornings.
When Kyle came home, I
fixed him a plate of Mizithra Cheese and brown butter noodles, a small spinach
salad and a garlic roll. He ate up here in the kitchen and we visited some and
afterwards went out into the backyard and he started to speak of his grand
plans for the back and front yards. I just listened and basically said I didn’t
mind what he wanted to do as eventually I will get too old to take care of the
yard anyway.
He said he’d like to
level out the slope of the yard by eventually bringing in fill dirt and using
castle blocks for a retaining wall. He wants to extend the east facing fence
almost to the sidewalk. Whatever he does will be a project for another time maybe
next year at the earliest.
Three years ago, I was
flown down to Albuquerque, round trip at the cost of $800 for only the day
because I wanted to be home in time to feed my pups. This Australian television
company wanted to film me as a historian on a program they were doing on women
who kill. I had authored an article about a SLC Lesbian who had killed her lover’s
boyfriend back in 1963. They spent a lot of money for the 1 minute of which I
was featured lol ... the hotel we filmed in, is said to haunted
In the news people are
celebrating the Minnesota verdict of finding Chauvin guilty of murder in the
death of George Floyd. Some say it’s a historic day as it’s not often and
extremely rare for a police officer to be held accountable for the killing of a
person of color.
21 April 2021 Wednesday
I went to the Gay men's noon sack lunch group
for the first time in well over a year. There were five of us in person and I
think six who were zooming that we could see on a big television screen. I have
to say it was different. I felt connected with those in person and disconnected
with those zooming as I really couldn’t see them well nor hear them very well.
Most of the time it looked like I was just staring at disembodied faces looking
back at me.
I ended up mainly
conversing with Richard Harmston, Charles Bigo, Bill Blevin, and Dale Sheld who
were there in the flesh. I was told we were the only group regularly meeting at
the center which doors are still locked. We are allowed to meet probably
because they know we are harmless and have been all been inoculated.
While it was good to be
out and see folks again, I think I will wait until zooming is a thing of the
past. Everyone our age has been inoculated and if they haven’t, then they are
either an idiot or conservative, maybe even both. Robert Moolman wrote me, “I
was told that if we didn’t let this group come there would be consequences! You
are meeting due to the all-round fabulosity of the people in the group (and a
threat by Deb!)”
Sad to hear that Rob
has put in his resignation and has asked the board to start looking for a new
director for the Pride Center. I honestly think he was the best director the
center ever had besides Carol Gnade.
While
I was resting at home at 3, I hear a knock on the door and thinking it might be
a package delivery I went to answer and was surprised to see a man there
serving a summons from some New York Bank who said the Build Team Company owed
them $20,000. I had to sign that it was delivered and when I was asked my age,
I said 70 for the first time. The guy said he would never have guessed it. So
that is something I suppose. Anyway, I was a little freaked even though I know
businesses get served suits all the time and mechanic liens and such, but I
called Kyle Foote to let him know but it didn’t seem to bother him.
When
he came home after 5, we talked a little and said that it kind of upsets him
that I get this disappointed sound in my voice like his father’s. I had to
explain that I am just a schoolteacher and money matters always freak me out,
ever since Fran caused the IRS to come after me and I was so poor and indebted
for years paying off her fines. I didn’t bring up also the financial bind Kyle
put me through ten years ago.
Anyway, he said to me
the reason he is putting off us getting married is he wanted the Build Team
Company to become successful first so that I wouldn’t be encumbered by any
issues that might come from his business. Kyle said he thought it was a good
idea that, for legal reason and inheritance, we get married but we should wait,
and I half-jokingly said we could marry on my deathbed.
I started watching “Genius
Aretha Franklin” on Hulu tonight night. I had no idea what she went through to
become the legend she still is. I always enjoyed her 1960's hits when I was a
teen but her private struggles were kept out of the limelight.
22 April 2021 Thursday
Two and a half hours of
shoveling dirt, hauling it, roto tilling, and sweeping is plenty for any 70-year-old
man...if I drop dead, it will probably be among my flowers. Two little old
Mexican ladies, not speaking much English, kept walking pass my yard finally
stopped and pointed at my Rosemary bush so I figured out that they were asking
if they could have some of it, so I got some shears, and they took a large
bundle of it...I have no problem with people taking twigs from it...Rosemary is
awfully hard to grow in Utah...
When driving on 10th
West noticed that Brad Hart had his house up for sell. He said last year he
wanted to move to Colorado. So, I guess it was better we broke it off a year
ago rather than have my heart broken now.
Tomorrow I will get
back into the harness and haul more dirt from the parking strip to my backyard
vegetable garden patch but for now my back is sore... I want to put in bark so
as not to waste water on grass when I can use it for flowers.
I love my spring
tulips, very colorful this year I am a colorful person and a person who likes
color.
After Kyle Foote came
home and went downstairs, I went outside to put out the trash bins and to cut
up some cardboard to recycle. While out, it was the first pleasant evening with
mild temperatures and no wind, so I spent another 2 hours cleaning out flower
beds along the north side of my driveway and the parking strip where my mailbox
is. The ground was still moist and not hard as a brick yet, so it was a good
time to pull the weeds. I nearly filled my yard waste bin full. Pride of
homeownership...I learned that expression from Rich Butler 25 years ago...
I feel connected to the
earth when my hands are in the soil... Happy Earth Day.
Incredibly sad news,
Utah lost a great historian...Michael Quinn died yesterday at the age of 77 in
California. He used some of the old Utah Stonewall Centers archives for some of
his research once. I remember being on a panel with him at the City Library
seems like a hundred years ago now.
23 April 2021 Friday
It’s like I am putting
in a good day’s work...from 6 to 10 in the morning I work on my research then
from 10 to 12 I work in the yard except today I did three and a half hours
hauling wheel barrels of dirt into the back yard and then pulling weeds all
along the west fence line in the backyard. The pups were typical critics,
supervising but not offering to help.
I am super stiff today
compared to yesterday, but I got a lot done. I went to Subways because I felt
like having a sandwich and bought a foot long cold cut sub. I ate half of it,
which kind of surprised me. I saved the rest for later.
Because I was sore and tired,
I took a hot shower in the late afternoon and then heard Kyle Foote come in. He
was home rather early. I took Coco home and afterwards Kyle ordered dinner from
China Delight. I just wanted some soup as I was still full from lunch, but Kyle
was hungry from not eating all day.
I watched some television
programs I like in the evening, “Mom” and “Young Sheldon,” and two more
episodes of Aretha before heading towards bed.
Statehood for
Washington D.C. and Biden’s proposal to help reduce Carbon over the next ten
years is all that is in the news. I guess the Johnson and Johnson vaccine has
been approved to be used again.
I found today that the
capture of the handsome desperado Joe Sullivan in 1908, had had 1500 people at
the police court trying just to get a look at him. Newspapers carried details
about him, the robbery of the Albany Saloon and the shooting of police officer
Charles Ford, almost daily. It was the sensational event of 1907 and 1908. Now
the drama that happened at the corner of Sixth West and Second South is long
forgotten.
24 April 2021 Saturday
Rich Butler came over at 11 o’clock completely
frazzled from all the issues of selling his house, so on the way to Centerville
to pick up the Build Team trailer, I listened to him vent. He just needed an
ear and I think it helped him calm down.
Kyle Foote met us there
at his office. After hitching up the trailer to Rich’s truck there was a
snagged when Kyle’s keys did not fit the locks. He called Bryan Devereaux who
works for him to meet us at the North Salt Lake warehouse on Center Street west
of Redwood Road. There were issues there too, but long story short, keys were
found, we emptied what was left in the trailer and Rich was finally on his way
by 1 in the afternoon.
I
wanted to treat Kyle to lunch for taking up some of his day and we went to
Costa Vida in Woods Cross. I just find pleasure in Kyle’s company. While
visiting he told me that he had to fire John and Braden the two guys who had
worked moving my deck and hot tub because of their poor work ethics. That kind
of surprised me. Kyle told me last weekend that on Monday last he was going to
have to fire some people, but he didn’t say who.
Back
at the house I had to go to the grocery store to get some chicken for the pups
and I bought some items to make banana pudding for tomorrow dinner with Bill
Poore. Then I decided to soak in the hot tub, but Maxx was being really
annoying barking at the husky next door through the wooden slats. After getting
out went back and tried to work a bit on organizing my writing when I notice
that Taco Belle came running into the bedroom. I had sent Jim Dabakis a message
earlier asking if Taco could come over for a play date.
The
weather warmed a bit back up so I went into the back yard and put some plywood
up against the fence so the pups and the Huskies couldn’t see each other and
since I knew now that John and Braden wouldn’t be coming back, I decided to
clean up some of the construction mess left behind. I also took down a part of
the temporary fencing separating the patio from the back yard so the pups could
have access to the entire back yard without going up and down the veranda.
I must have OCD because I wanted to move a huge
pile of construction debris so I could mow and so it doesn’t kill the grass I
just seeded last fall...so I stacked the lumber all in neat piles except for all
the boards that have nails in them. That was about two hours of work. Who knows
when people will be back over to haul it away?
That
about wore me out so watched a little television and then fell asleep in the
lazy boy.
Kyle
Foote sent me this message, “I may have a guest come over and there's a chance
we'll use the hot tub... I'll close the doggy door if we do and reopen it when
we're done.” Evidently, he did, although because I went to bed at 8:30 I didn’t
hear a thing and the door was back open with the pups still “in and out” much
of the night.
25 April 2021 Sunday
Just when you think you know a person, it is
still shocking to see another side of someone you love. I don’t know where to
begin, writing about this awful day when Kyle Foote and Bill Poore got into a
terrible confrontation during the Sunday dinner I had prepared.
I
had been up since three this morning as I had gone to bed so early. I put the
pot roast on and tried to rest some, but it was useless, so I got up and worked
on the Joe Sullivan case from 1907.
I took a break to make the banana pudding and
at ten I started fixing the rest of the meal, cutting up the potatoes, frying
bacon for the spinach, and letting the dinner rolls continue to rise. I mopped
the dining room floor and at noon Bill Poore came over bring me some flowers
and treats for the dogs. Michael Romero never responded back to my invite, so
it was going to be just the three of us.
Bill
came in really winded. He had bought a new tee shirt and pants because he
hadn’t done any wash and of course he didn’t wear his wear his aids. I had to
shout to be heard. I said his long scraggly hair and shaggy beard was making
him look homeless.
Bill sat down at the
kitchen counter and was wanting me to fix him a plate. I said to him for him to
just help himself and he said no he wanted me to dish him up a plate. So, I
asked him when he was planning on going into an old folk’s home, where they’d
dish up his meals. He jokingly said probably soon.
Kyle came up from
downstairs to join us and as he was fixing his plate, Bill went off on one of his
tirades, saying maybe he should move in downstairs instead of a retirement home
as he would pay me more in rent “then your convict boy does.”
Bill thinks everyone
knows when he’s joking when he is actually being highly offensive. I think some
of that comes from his becoming somewhat senile and just not caring about what
others think.
However, what he said
hit a nerve with Kyle and all of a sudden, he exploded like the few times he
has in the past with me when his rage is out of control. Why it was so shocking,
was how sudden it was. He got right into Bills face pointed his finger at him and
screamed “FUCK YOU.” Then before anyone could stop him, he picked up Bills
plate and shoved it in his face. I was alarmed. Bill was stunned and I stepped
in, to separate Kyle from Bill as he stormed out.
I had never witnessed
Kyle ever do anything this violent before. Yes, scream and rage but never acted
physically on his out-of-control behavior. Both Bill and I both took a moment
to process what happened and Bill kept saying I was only joking. I didn’t know
what to think or act but clean Bill up the best I could while we processed what
had happened.
I could not justify
what Kyle did to Bill in any way, but I also said to Bill that he constantly
brings up that Kyle had been in prison, that he thinks he free loads off of me,
and generally has a disdain of him that he disguises as joking when they are
seen as taunts.
I explained that Kyle
is under tremendous stress from his business but there was no excuse for him to
move pass losing his temper and shoving Bill’s plate of food in his face. Bill
said he needed to leave, did not feel safe, and would never come back to the
house as long as Kyle lived here. I packed him a huge container of food to go
and walked him to his van. I saw that Kyle had taken off.
I was just heartsick
and somewhat traumatized by the confrontation. Bill was not physically hurt
just his bruised ego and not accepting that he did nothing to provoke Kyle. After
he left, I went to bed and cried a little trying to process what I had
witnessed and how unnecessary it all was and how I was caught in the middle
between defending Bill and Kyle.
Kyle returned about a
half an hour after Bill left and we went into the front room to process what
had happened. He said that he felt bullied by Bill and that Bill is a bully who
doesn’t care what he says and thinks that because of his age he can get away
with saying anything he wants.
I said Bill’s
unfiltered mouth in social places may be from his complete isolation and some
from his deteriorating mental clarity but that’s no excuse for Kyle to have
shoved a plate of food in his face. I said I had to talk Bill out of pressing
charges. Kyle was still very defensive and said let him I don’t care if I go
back to jail because I won’t be bullied.
Actually, he was rather
calm considering what happened and he took a plate of food downstairs. I of
course was too shaken up to eat and I took to my bed weary and needing to nap.
I felt so conflicted over what happened and bewildered by it because it’s just
not in my nature to be violent or even confrontational.
Later I see that Bill had
sent me a message saying that he had called the police and pressed charges of
assault and battery against Kyle saying he wanted him in jail for what he did,
and he said he had put me down as a witness.
That felt like another blow
upon a bruise. I let Kyle know what Bill said he did, and he came up stairs and
we discussed the ramification of charges being filed. Now Kyle was more
contrite from facing the reality of coming up again against the legal system.
I asked what will
happen and he said the police will have to investigate and ask me for what I
saw happened. That made me sick because I do not want to betray either Kyle nor
Bill and I hated being put in this position. Bill should have known I can never
do anything to harm Kyle and Kyle should never have lost his temper with Bill
to have put me in this dilemma.
If I say anything other
to the police that I don’t know anything about what Bill charged against Kyle,
I will be lying and betraying Kyle. But if I say anything that might warrant
further investigation, I would be hurting Kyle’s chances of creating a new
life. What Kyle did was inexcusable, but an anomaly, and I knew I could never
be the one to harm him. It felt like 10 years ago when I knew I could not be
the one to send him to prison.
Maybe there is
something fundamentally flawed in my character that I love Kyle so much. He’s
as if he is my surrogate son, and also my comfort as I grow old, and want to
pass on what I have to someone I love.
After he went back
downstairs, I watched a little mindless television and every time the dogs barked
out the window, I though the police were on my doorstep. I was hoping and
wishing that Bill was just spouting off and had not actually called the police.
First it would have taken a lot of effort on his part, effort which I know he
doesn’t have, but when someone is riled and feels wronged, they are capable of
almost anything.
Bill did message me
later and said he appreciated me fixing him dinner and that the hug I gave him
after he was sitting covered with food meant everything to him. I asked if he
wanted to go on a day trip to Carbondale his hometown this week sometime. He
said that he would, but we left it like that.
Amazing how a day can
turn on a dime. I was just expecting a normal Sunday dinner like scores I had
fixed before not to be full of drama.
26 April 2021 Monday
I did not sleep well. My mind was still agitated,
and the pups were restless up and down and fussing with each other. I’d wake
up, get up to pee and then back to bed. I actually slept in until 7 this
morning and saw that it was gloomy and rainy out. In fact, it rained almost the
entire day almost an inch out here by the airport. Rainy days make for
sleepy pups, but happy flowers. My mind is still unsettled by what I witnessed
between Kyle Foote and Bill Poore. It’s like a surreal experience that I cannot
process. I’ve been so worried all day that the police would show up wanting a
statement.
27 April 2021 Tuesday
I made some ravioli for supper, but Kyle Foote
brought home some Chinese food from China Delight so he had that. We will eat
the ravioli tomorrow. Down the rabbit hole again today. I have found out so
much about one of the characters involved in the robbery of the Albany Saloon,
when he was one of the least known. I am a surprisingly good genealogist and
historian and detective.
It
was overcast most of the day but didn’t rain any. I just want to escape into
the past and not have to deal with the present.
28 April 2021 Wednesday
The doorbell rang which freaked me out. I was
certain that the police were here as the dogs were going wild barking out the
window as they do when someone is out front. I kind of went into the front room
and saw out the bay window that actually it was a huge delivery from Lowe’s.
The wooden fence slats
and patio tile was delivered and placed in the side drive. Kyle Foote wanted it
moved to the back, so he came home, and I helped him moved some of the 36 boxes
of tile. Each box I bet weighed at least 25 pounds or more as they were ten
terracotta squares in each box.
Kyle had his employee
Mike Callahan come and help and as they were 30 years younger than me, they did
most of the moving while I cleaned up. I signed for the invoices and saw that
it was at least $1,800 for all of material.
Kyle
said it wouldn’t be until maybe this summer before he’d have a crew available
to work in the back yard again. He just stayed at the house after moving all
the material into the back yard. That was very labor intensive for sure.
I had made ravioli yesterday,
so he had that for his supper. I wasn’t very hungry myself but had some
spaghetti sauce dipped in garlic rolls for my supper.
I
listened to President Biden address a joint session of Congress and it is so
refreshing to hear someone who is articulate and expresses views similar to
mine. He said that while Wall Street is important, Wall Street did not build
America. The Middle Class built America and Unions built the Middle class. He’s
proposing tuition free community colleges which California had 50 years ago
before Ronald Reagan ended it.
People are talking about how historic it was to
have two women stand behind him as Vice President and Speaker of the House.
29 April 2021 Thursday
I finally posted a portion of the research I’ve
done on the Albany Saloon robbery of 1907 on my Utah Stonewall History Site and
edited it for most of the morning. I went to Arby’s for lunch and had a Greek
Yeero and curly fries but ended up only eaten the curly fries.
Jim Dabakis came over
at 3:30 this afternoon. I heard someone knock on the door and my first instinct
was that the police were here for a statement, and I wasn’t going to open the door
until I saw Taco Belle come bounding into the room. I went and invited Jim inside
who was still at the door, and we visited a bit.
He had taken Taco to
the vet on North Temple, the Dog Park, I used to take my pups too and was
concerned that they were just too expensive. They wanted $900 to clean his
teeth and I said I had the same problem with them when I needed to have dental
work on TJ, and they quoted $1000 for what I had done at Brookside for half
that amount.
I told him about the
Warm Springs Veterinarian I go to now, who is reasonable and accessible. So,
he’s going to switch Taco over there. It’s not like the Dog Park folks aren’t
good people, just too expensive, especially for me having four pups I have to
care for.
Before taking Coco home,
I mowed the front and back yards. The rain we had this week really greened up
the yard and the grass was getting tall.
I took Coco home and
was surprised when Mike Romero wanted to know what my mortgage interest rate
was as that he suggested that he was planning to stay in his townhouse and not
sell and move away from Salt Lake City. He said he only owes $130,000 still on
the place and the townhouse on the corner sold for over $300,000. Salt Lake is
his home I suppose, after 25 years of living here.
When
Kyle Foote came home around 5:30 I fixed him some street tacos and Spanish
rice. We visited and went outside, and he looked at the yard and we talked
about the dining room bump out he still wants to do. It’s going to be bigger
than I thought it would be.
Looking at him, he was
back to his genial self, and it seems like what happened last Sunday was done
by an entirely different person. He doesn’t seem effected by it at all while I
am still sort of traumatized, fearing to answer the door in fear I might be
questioned by the police about what I witnessed, and also knowing that my
friendship with Bill Poore probably can never be repaired as long as Kyle lives
here.
Before
he went downstairs, he said to give him a hug, and I said there was a time I
could only hug you once a month, and then only once a week, but now I get to
embrace you every day. I am an old Gay man now and this little bit of affection
is beyond measure.
I
finished watching “Aretha” tonight. The last episode towards the end of her
life was especially moving and brought me almost to tears when she sang “Nessum
Dorma” at the Grammys back in 1998.
30 April 2021 Friday
It was the warmest day since last fall at 85
degrees today. The weather sure made all the yellow dandelion flowers turn into
wish makers. My yard is still pretty with tulips but won’t be long before they fade,
and poppies and irises abound. I dug and raked some of the parking strip into
three piles of dirt to haul away but was not energized enough to do much more
than what I did.
Kyle
Foote and I finished off the ravioli rather than go out to eat. He was bushed
from driving all over the place today going from one job site to another. I am
doubting now, that the police are going to be coming over for a statement about
the incident last Sunday which I still can’t wrap my head around. I think Bill Poore’s,
and my friendship will be a casualty of the affray, as he won’t ever want to
come here again as long at Kyle lives here. I am not ready to do things with
Bill again and have him rehearse the wrongs he felt done to him by Kyle.
So
today ends another April my birthday month. Seventy years ago, I had just come
into the world and completely dependent on my mother and father for life. I
hoped my life was worth the effort.
1 May 2021 Saturday
Merry Beltane everyone, it’s the cross-quarter
day between Spring and Summer. Juan, Kyle’s Build Team guy, came over this
morning to retrieve the metal roofing that was over the old hot tub, which I
was glad was being repurposed. He’s going to make some raised garden bed for
his wife he said.
I didn’t do much of
anything except, I did some research on my 1907 Convicts, and made some Chili
Verde from the pork roast I bought the other day, which some of it I used for
the dog’s supper but they didn’t seem to want to eat. Only Buster, he eats no
matter what, as he probably remembers a time when he went hungry before I
adopted him.
I
took Taco home at noon which was about the only time I went out to enjoy the
pleasant air. Jim Dabakis will bring him back over on Wednesday when he takes
off to Panama.
When Kyle came home, I
was surprised to see him in shorts and a tee shirt as usually I see him only
his blue jeans and his Build Team shirts. He said he went for a walk over in
Sugar House Park which was crowded again he said. He was excited that I had
made some Chili Verde because I think that is one of his most favorite dishes I
make. I said I should give him the recipe so after I am gone, he can still make
it, but he said it would never be the same if I didn’t make it. That’s kind of
true as the things I try to make that mom and Grandma used to make just doesn’t
taste quite the same. I think memories must add flavor.
I just researched some
more before retiring. It must be the lusty Month of May as Kyle had “company”
this evening.
Actress Olympia Dukakis
has passed away. My favorite role of hers was the mother of Cher in Moonstruck.
2 May 2021 Sunday
What a difference a week can make. No drama. No
trauma. Just a normal day. I worked on my research until 10 this morning and
then went to work in the front yard preparing it for the bark sometime soon. I
hauled the three piles of dirt into the back yard but wasn’t satisfied so I
roto tilled, and hand spaded the section again that gave me even more piles of
dirt to remove. I even had to saw through a huge Hawthorne root that was three
inches in diameter. All in all, I spent four hours working in the yard, but it
was a pleasant day; only in the mid-sixties.
When
Kyle finally emerged, he went off to his office to do some paperwork and I
soaked in the hot tub and tried to rest some as I knew we were going out to eat
later.
I
was surprised that he had changed plans from going to the Old Spaghetti Factory
to making reservations at the Texas Roadhouse in Bountiful. When I was looking
up the menu for the Spaghetti factory, I noticed that the prices for the same
dishes in Taylorville were higher than the one at Trolley Square as much as by
$2 for each item. That surprised me as I thought they were all the same.
Anyway,
Kyle drove us to Bountiful where we still had a 15-minute wait. It was kind of
surprising that it was still so busy for even a Sunday, as the city is so
Mormon and many places still close down on the “Sabbath”
I
was happy just being with Kyle and he ordered his medium rare steak and a Long
Island Iced Tea.” He said he hadn’t had one in nearly 15 years, and it sounded
good to him. While visiting he said he had talked to some Latin guys who said
that Club Karumba in Sugar House still had a “Gay Night” on Sundays. I didn’t
even know that Club Karumba was still a thing.
Anyway, they invited
him to go out early sometime with them and he thought they meant around 6 in
the evening or so, but they meant 10:30 at night! Kyle said he’s too old now
for that nonsense and isn’t able to stay up past 9 o’clock anymore. Yes, we all
get older, and these pretty Latino boys he likes probably don’t even have to
get up until 10 or 11 in the morning. I thought that was fun that he was
sharing that with me.
He also said that Danny
Montoya is down in Orlando, Florida taking classes to see if he wants to join a
new airline owned by the owner of Jet Blue that will be based here out of Salt
Lake also.
So,
we had a good time just relaxing and visiting although I hardly ate a thing. I
ordered a small cup of Texas Chili and a loaded baked sweet potato. I had
originally thought of getting the chicken fried steak or the barbeque pulled
pork but then realized there was no way I could eat more than a bite or two of
them. My appetite is all memory now and I was right. I barely ate the chili and
some dinner rolls and did not touch the sweet potato which I had to take home.
I
bought dinner as my treat. The bill was for $48, and I left a $10 tip. After
leaving we went to Culver’s where Kyle bought us a small chocolate shake and I
had a small cup of custard ice cream that I too barely finished.
I told Kyle how I
remembered that Mom had decreased her appetite also when she was in her
seventies too. I suppose it is what old people do. I said that Kyle had me to
model what aging looks like as that both his parents died when he was quite
young.
3 May 2021 Monday
This morning at the Dollar Tree market I saw
this little old lady, stooped over, and having trouble with remembering her pin
number. She was frazzled and apologized saying she was 69 years! I was taken
back at that. I had to think at 70 I'm not doing so badly.
I dug out an entire
parking strip hauling away load after load of dirt up an incline into the back
yard and I spend at least 4 hours a day researching and writing up that
research. My mind and memory still appear to be sharp and while it takes me a
lot longer time to do yard projects, I am still able to do it.
I can’t imagine not
having a piece of land to grub in. Gerald O'Hara told Scarlett anyone with a
drop of Irish blood in their veins knows that land is the most important thing
there is. Well since I descend from an Irish King, I must have a love of the
land
4 May 2021 Tuesday
After posting some research onto my history
site, I went down to Sutherland’s as it was Senior Discount Day, and I bought
some material to cover the parking strip to prevent weeds. I bought 150 feet
worth of it and I am glad I did because the 100-foot roll was just about two
feet short from doing the job. My parking strip in front of the house must be a
little more than fifty feet. I also bought some Thyme herbs, another tomato
plant, and a pair of pruning shears.
Back
at the house, I got to work rolling out the ground cover and placing some of
the scrap wood from the back yard to keep the wind from lifting up the lightweight
material. Kyle Foote said he’d order some mulch to be delivered this weekend.
I
was still a bit sore from yesterday so a soak in the hot tub felt nice. For
dinner I fixed a Sheppard pie and when I took Coco home, I gave Michael Romeo
the rest of the weed preventer which I didn’t use. Kyle was home by the time I
came back from Mike’s. He ate some of the Sheppard Pie and then retired downstairs.
I wasn’t all that hungry but had a small bowl of it and let Lulubelle have the
rest of it.
It
was a pretty day to be outside.
5 May 2021 Wednesday
I finally got my garden
planted. I am growing everything from seeds, except for my tomato plants, so I
guess I will see what sprouts in a couple of weeks. To be a gardener you have
to be an optimist. I went out this morning and spread the piles of dirt that I
had hauled from the parking strip evenly throughout the vegetable patch. I dug
three holes for the tomatoes I had bought at Sutherlands a while back and then
planted seeds of watermelon, squash, cantaloupe, and oregano.
I watered with the
sprinkler pretty well now it’s a matter of waiting. I found out that a weed
that I have been pulling up and discarding for years is actually edible and has
medicinal properties; Cheese Weed, kind of a funny name...malva neglecta.
Kyle Foote brought home
Mexican Food from Chubby’s since it was Cinco de Mayo today. He said that he
would go with me to see the high school production of Follies at Hillcrest.
Alan Anderson bought us tickets. It’s the last performance that will done in the
school’s theater as it is being torn down. Due to Covid19 restrictions, seating
was limited but still things are slowly opening up here. Poor India is
collapsing under the weight of a Delta virus, a new wave of deaths from
Covid19.
6 May 2021 Thursday
It was the warmest day of the year so far. The
temperature was near 86 degrees. I wasn’t outside much except to fill a waste
bin with discarded construction material from the back yard since tomorrow is
trash pickup.
Jim
Dabakis came over this morning to bring over Taco Belle. Jim’s going to be gone
a month to Panama and Costa Rica. He said that Taco had his teeth cleaned and
some pulled at the Warm Springs veterinarian who only charged $400 compared to
the $900 that the Dog Park quoted him. He said he put $300 on my account at the
vets to use for my pups, I imagine because he was grateful for the suggestion
and also for taking care of the scamp while he’s gone globetrotting.
When
I took Coco home, Mike said that his pension had been approved from Napa and is
just waiting to hear from Social Security that will take a couple of months as
I recall. He’s looking into refinancing his townhouse too, if he can, at 2.75
percent.
I
made some lasagna today, just a small portion because it’s all that can fit in
my little countertop oven. When Kyle Foote came home, he needed for me to go
with him back to his office to get the title to the truck he bought last year
that had the utility panels. He said somebody wanted to buy it. Kyle only paid
$4500 for it and the guy was willing to pay $11,500 for it. The only trouble is
that the guy lives in Hurricane down by St. George. Kyle needed me to take him
to his new warehouse to retrieve the truck. He said he’d drive it down to
Hurricane early in the morning and fly back to Salt Lake from St. George. I
will have to pick him up from the airport tomorrow at 1 in the afternoon.
While
at his office, he brought out one of the expensive counter top ovens he had
bought a while back for his employees to use. He had bought two of them and he
said no one ever used them. I had mentioned that the one I bought did not bake
evenly and mostly burned the bottom because it didn’t heat evenly. So now I
have a really nice one to use. I imagine Kyle paid $200 for it or more.
He
liked my lasagna because even he at first just took a piece and went downstairs
he came back up later and got another. Lulubelle helped me finish off my
portion.
7 May 2021 Friday
It was really windy today as a cold front
passed through. Kyle Foote left for Hurricane, Utah early this morning to sell
one of his trucks to some business down there. He then had to take an Uber into
St. George to catch a flight back to Salt Lake for a business meeting. I picked
him up at the airport at 1 this afternoon and was surprised by how many people
were there. I guess people are back to traveling again.
I
spent much of the day researching a convict named Abe Major who was sent to the
Utah State prison who had tried to escape with Joe Sullivan in 1908. He had a
sad and pathetic raw deal. He was sent to Folsom prison when he was just 15
years old for a series of robberies. When paroled he and an older brother were
passing through Utah heading east, when out of money and starving they held up
a man for his food. When a posse was sent out to arrest the brothers, his older
brother was shot dead and so was a captain in the Ogden Police Force who was
the brother-in-law of a Utah Senator.
Abe was framed for the
killing and sentenced within two weeks of the shootout to be executed. He was
only 19 years old. Eventually after protests by non-Mormon Christian groups his
sentence was commuted to life. Eventually it came out that the dead police
officer was actually shot by friendly fire from officers behind him. Major was
not pardoned until 1918 having spent nearly 20 years of his youth in jail.
8 May 2021 Saturday
Kyle Foote took his sister Jamie Fultz out for
breakfast for her birthday which was yesterday. They were at first going to go
to Ruth Dinner up Emigration Canyon, but there was an hour wait time. It being Mother’s
Day tomorrow and it being so pretty today. I suppose people were itching to get
out and eat in their favorite restaurants again. Except for the location, I
never thought Ruth’s was all that special. They ended up going to Village Inn
on Fourth South and Ninth East. They were there more for the company and to
catch up with one another than there for the food anyway.
When
Kyle came home, he said they had a really good visit and he learned about a half-brother
he never knew he had. I guess his father, before meeting his mom, had a child
out of wed lock. Families do have their secrets.
He
asked if I still wanted to get mulch and I did, so we went to North Salt Lake
to pick up his truck and then went to Stakers-Parsons quarry on Beck Street
that also had diverse types of mulch as well as landscaping gravel. It’s the
same place we went to nearly 10 years ago to get the rainbow pebbles that we
used to put around the old fire pit. I bought a yard and a half of mulch for
$90.
It
only took a little more than an hour to shovel it and spread it in the parking
strip. It looks so much cleaner and tidier than the old grass that was full of
crab grass, and the weeds that spread out over the sidewalk. So besides not
having to mow or water anymore it will be so much easier to keep up and it will
look more natural than rock when leaves and berries fall from the Hawthorne
tree.
I
made several small meat loaves today to try out the new countertop oven and it
worked perfectly. It should, as that Kyle said it was top of the line when he
bought it for his office and paid nearly $300 for it. So, I feel like I have an
oven back in which to bake again.
I
noticed when I took off my rings to hand mix the meat, that my rainbow ring was
missing from my right-hand finger. That surprised me because I didn’t notice it
before and have no idea where it might have slipped off. I still have my 50-year-old
class ring and the silver amethyst stone ring that I bought back in 1988 when I
first started teaching. Chuck Whyte had given me the porcelain rainbow ring probably
20 years ago now, when he used to travel. Oh well nothing lasts forever. Maybe
it will show up if not I hope someone else will find it and enjoy it.
Kyle
came up for supper. I fixed spinach, creamed corn, instant potatoes, and meat
loaf for our supper. Kyle really enjoyed the meat loaf. I had mixed ground beef
and ground turkey together, with shredded carrots and green bell pepper for
flavor and an egg and crackers for a binder.
So,
it was a nice day, and I finally accomplished the front parking strip that I
started last March. Except for helping shovel out the mulch I did it all by
myself.
I
watched some light weight shows and a movie Madea in Witness Protection before
heading to bed.
9 May 2021 Sunday
Today is Mother’s Day and it still seems
strange that I have no one to send a card or flowers to anymore. I worked on my
research on Joe Sullivan and the Utah State Prison in the earliest century
until 10 this morning and then decided to go work in the front yard weeding for
four hours. I needed to clean out the rag weed that likes to take over. I
filled nearly an entire yard waste bin plucking the weeds one at a time on my
hands and knees.
Kyle
Foote came home from the office and asked if I wanted to get some lunch and I
said sure but then he said, in a little while because he had “company coming
over.” So, I continued pulling weeds and
saw a kid pull up in a black wrangler jeep probably in his late twenties
looking really cute. So, Kyle had himself some afternoon delight. They were
done with whatever they were doing in less than a half an hour and I wave to
the kid when he left, and he waved back.
Then Kyle came out and we went to El Loco
Pollo for some lunch. I am finding that El Loco Pollo isn’t my favorite because
there’s limited options to what I like to eat but it’s Kyle’s go to place, so
it’s fine.
After
I stopped working, it hit me how sore and stiff I was from working in the yard.
I soaked some in the hot tub that helped a little, but I was tired for much of
the rest of the afternoon and evening.
10 May 2021 Monday
I decided I really needed a haircut so I went
to my usual place next to the Post Office, but my Vietnamese barber wasn’t in
so this younger girl I never had before, cut my hair. She was good but I didn’t
feel as confidant as with my usual barber. I gave her a $5 tip anyway because
after last year’s shut down, I am grateful to even getting a haircut and beard
trim.
I made some spaghetti
sauce tonight as well as baked a chicken breast in the new countertop oven. It
turned out really good, I think. So, I made for Kyle Foote’s dinner, mashed
potatoes, chicken gravy, peas, and creamed corn. Kyle came home briefly at 5
saying he had another client meeting he had to rush too so I just made him up a
plate that he took downstairs so he could eat later when he came back home.
I
mowed the front and back yards today and weeded a little. It sure doesn’t take
as much time to mow now with all the parking strips covered with bark, except
where the Russian Sage is.
Poor
India is having as much as 400,000 cases of Covid19 a day now with their
medical facilities near collapsing. Some Russian Criminals hacked a major oil
pipeline from Texas to the East Coast with ransom ware and that is causing a
gasoline panic back east.
11 May 2021 Tuesday
I didn’t venture outside all day but finished
writing up the research on Abe Majors and his brother Ralph Wagner, the
homosexual psychic. I finally got around to posting it on the Utah Stonewall
history site. That took most of the day.
It
was cooler today, only in the low 60’s but not unpleasant. I’ve gotten three
bites or pimples from the back of my neck that is annoying. I’m not sure what
that is all about and my ears are really itchy too. I wonder if they are from a
rash from going to get my hair cut yesterday and having a new person giving me
razor burns.
Kyle
Foote texted me “Hey, when I get home tonight, I'd like to go over something
with you. I'd like to put the bank accounts for the new businesses in your name
to keep them totally separate from Build Team. But I'll need you to go the
banks with me to open the accounts and grant me permission to use them to
manage the businesses.”
Anything having to do
with finances really makes me anxious from past experiences so I wrote back
“Will this affect me in any liability?”
He wrote back “No. The accounts won't affect you or your taxes. My goal
is to limit all liability for both of us and protect our future.”
When
I took Coco home, Mike Romero said he’s that much closer to getting his
townhouse refinanced. He said he doubt now that he’d ever sell it as Salt Lake
City is home to him now and where else could he live so close to the city as
cheaply as he will when he gets his mortgage down to under a $1000 a month.
The housing market here in Utah has exploded
and with the low salaries paid here there’s going to be a whole class of people
who will never be able to afford to own a home and many will be permanently
homeless due to high rents.
When
Kyle came home, he ate the spaghetti I had fixed yesterday and then we talked
about his plans for Build Team. He said he’s been talking to a lawyer regarding
the best way to separate his business into three components and having them all
separate from Build Team seems to make the most sense. He assured me that
because they will be LLC business and that the accounts will never show that I
am making a profit, there will be no tax liability for me as the accounts will
be in my name. Makes me a little nervous why Kyle can’t or doesn’t want to open
new accounts in his own name.
I
told him I don’t understand finances and never have. I just know I need to
protect this house for the pups from ever having judgments placed against it.
He said the reason he is putting off us getting married is for that reason so
there’s no liability against me if something happens to the business. He’s says
he has a lawyer looking into this and doing it all as above board as possible
so I guess I will just have to trust that Kyle knows what he’s doing.
12 May 2021 Wednesday
I went with Kyle Foote this afternoon to open
two accounts for his businesses one at Golden West Credit Union and one a
Mountain America Credit Union both in Centerville. Afterwards I took the FIT
into the car wash in Bountiful.
I
made fajitas and Spanish rice for our supper. Other than that, it was kind of a
bland day. But at least all the pups and I are healthy. Mike Romero says that
there’s a hold up on the refinancing of his mortgage due to the terms and
conditions of his original mortgage.
In
the news the CDC now says masks are no longer required if one has been fully
vaccinated but there is no accountability except for the honor system. All the
people I know, and love have been inoculated and can’t die from the disease nor
spread it so let the conservatives who think it’s all a conspiracy catch it and
die for all I care.
I
heard that the radical right Republicans ousted Liz Cheney from her position in
Congress because she refused to propagate Trump’s Big Lie that President Biden
won the election. Not a fan of Cheney by any means and she supported the worse
of the trump regime but interesting that not every Republican is a Trump
cultist.
13 May 2021 Thursday
Today is the anniversary of John Cunningham’s
death. He’s been gone 14 years now. Is he in anyone’s memory but mine now? I
spent the entire day researching Greek Town now that I have finished with the
killing of Officer Ford on Second South in 1907.
I
went and bought gas for the FIT today because I was on empty. I must only have
a 10-gallon tank because it usually only takes 8 gallons to fill it when the
empty light comes on. Gas was at $3.35 at Smith’s but I had a 20 cent per
gallon discount. It cost $26 to fill up.
It
was warm today; I think near 85 degrees, but I wasn’t out in it. I noticed Kyle
worked out of his Casita downstairs for most of the day making conference
calls. He did leave the house in the afternoon but was back at 5 to get ready
to go meet Alan Anderson to see Follies at Hillcrest High School.
Allan
called about 5:30 and said that Kyle Daniels wasn’t going, and I tried to reach
Mike Romero to see if he wanted to use the ticket, but he never answers his
phone once he’s home from work.
I
drove Kyle as I knew he was tired from driving, and I also had a full tank of
gas. Bhanni and Corky went crazy to see me, the hyper little things. I guess I
am still their favorite auntie. Allan asked me about Bill Poore, and I wasn’t
sure what he meant and then he asked about Bill’s car accident. I was surprised
to hear about it because Allan said it was all over his Face Book Posts. I made
the excuse that I hadn’t been on Face Book much which is true, but I haven’t
seen a posting from Bill since that horrible Sunday. He must have blocked me.
Evidently
Bill totaled his car while driving in East Canyon, but Allan didn’t tell me
much except that he didn’t go to the hospital and his Gay nephew has been
bringing him food to his place. I wonder if that was what his brother Ross
wanted to talk to me about last Friday when he left a message that I never got
back to him.
Allan
said they should take his license away from him and I said he’s told me many a
time that he’s run a red light or almost hit some pedestrian in a crosswalk
that he didn’t see. It’s so sad that it has come to this.
Follies
was the last production being held in the old Hillcrest high school theater and
they used past teachers and alumni who taught musical theater there in the
production. The theater was only half filled due to social distancing guidelines,
and we were still required to wear a mask the entire time, but it was good to
see live performances again.
I know why they used
this show to be their last performance because it was about a reunion of former
follies show girls because the theater they had performed in was being torn
down and they could use an older cast for the 1971 characters and students for
the 1941 characters. It’s not my favorite Sondheim musical but I always
appreciate the energy of Hillcrest’s musicals.
The
musical was long, lasted from 7 to 9:30 at night and I was tired since I had
been up since 3:30 this morning. I tried taking a nap in the afternoon and I
think that saved me.
On the way home we
stopped at the Arctic Circle on 72nd South and State Street because
Kyle hadn’t really eaten much all day. I ordered him a moose tracks shake, and
fries and I just had a hamburger. I had not driven at night in a long time, and
I can tell that my night vision is not what it used to be. We came home at 10.
Kyle
still had to go back to Centerville to retrieve a paper he needed to send down
to Alicia Montoya regarding his business. I just went to bed.
14 May 2021 Friday
It was really warm again today so just stayed
inside researching Second South although I did some watering. I guess we are in
a bad drought this year from what they say. I took Coco down for her grooming
appointment at 8:30 this morning and she was ready by 1. I still need to take
Maxx in for his nails, but they were really busy today so wouldn’t have been a
good day for it.
I
fixed kielbasa sausage with baked beans, roasted potatoes, and squashed for
dinner tonight.
15 May 2021 Saturday
It was a nice day, so after quitting at 10 this
morning, researching the Greeks of Second South, I went into the back yard and
weeded for about two hours, especially along the West fence line. I noticed
some of the seeds I planted are starting to sprout. I worked until noon and
then just watched some television and napped since I woke up so early this
morning at 3:30.
I didn’t see Kyle Foote
but once when he came up about 4 this afternoon to get some corn chips to snack
on. I had some left-over fajitas for my lunch and actually had a bit of the
steak I cooked up for the pup’s supper. I had to cut it into ridiculously small
pieces for me to chew it, but it was the first really steak I think I had in
years.
I’ve been watching
several episodes of “Shitt’s Creek,” and I watched “Moonstruck” featuring Cher
and Olympia Dukakis again. It’s one of my all-time favorites that I never get
tired of watching.
16 May 2021 Sunday
I woke up around 1 this morning by the pups all
barking. I got up to see what was going on and Kyle Foote was entertaining
someone in his Casita. After he was done entertaining, and his tryst went home
I finally was able to go back to sleep even then I was up at 5:30. I tried
making some biscuits and gravy but didn’t eat but a little bit as two biscuits was
too much. I should have known that.
My
routine is now to work on my journal and/or my research until 10 then I go
outside to work in the year until noon. I mowed, watered the front yard, and
finished clearing up the weeds in the back yard.
Kyle
came up around noon and wanted to know if I wanted to go get lunch and a drink.
He wanted to go to El Pollo Loco, so I quickly suggested that I was making
dinner of a baked potato and steak and he was fine with that. We did go to
Maverick as that is his go to place for a drink and I guess I was distracted
because I entered without a mask and was inside before I realized I hadn’t one
on. There were others inside mask-less too, but mine was unintentional. I felt
like I had done something wrong, but more and more people and places are not
requiring masks.
When
I went to Lucky’s later in the day, I noticed they still had a sign out saying
masks were required but almost all stores have removed their one-way stickers on
the floor in their aisles.
When
I sat in the hot tub, I noticed the water level had gone down some about 5
inches since I last filled it so it concerns me that I might have a small leak.
I put the hose in to refill it and went to the store and when I came back, it
was overflowing. My bad.
We
had a springtime shower, almost a summer like, about 5:30 this afternoon with
thunder and lightning. The shower only lasted for maybe 20 minutes but enough
to soak the parched earth. It frightened Lulubelle and she hid beneath the
ottoman for a long time while the others ate their supper.
This
evening I watched some more episodes of Shitts Creek and then started watching
Ryan Murphy’s new Netflix show “Halston” about the fashion designer. Ewan
McGregor plays Halston and has some yummy Gay sex scenes where he is getting
butt fucked.
17 May 2021 Monday
Michael Romero wanted to know what the payoff
for the loan I gave him in 2019 from my retirement account. So, I called Tyler
Ferguson and it was $21,130. I asked if they could lower the payment, but it’s
set at $500 a month for the five years.
I
went to the Mr. Wash car wash this afternoon on Third West and 15th
South. Still way too crowded, so I won’t be going to that one again, just to
the one in Bountiful from now on. I did finally vacuum out the FIT really well
after I had washed all the dog blankets in the back. There’s so much dog hair
from Maxx.
From there I went to
the plant store at the NRP place at 15th South off of Redwood Road
where I bought some herbs, mainly Thyme for my garden. I saw while there that
they had the type of evergreen trees, Emerald Green Arborvitae, that we had
seen at Mill Creek Gardens. They were smaller but much cheaper, so I sent Kyle
Foote pictures of them.
My cousin Frances
Williams’ granddaughter contacted me about some genealogy, so I guess there’s
someone on that side of the family who is interested in it. She mainly wanted
help with her material side of the family.
When Kyle came home at five
this afternoon, he was beat and didn’t want any supper. He did say some kid
he’s been talking with named Jake from Rock Springs may be coming over this
evening which he did. I didn’t meet him, but I know they used the hot tub and
when I went to bed, he was still here. I guess he was on his way to see his
folks in California,
I don’t think TJ is
feeling well as he didn’t eat any supper. He may have a stomachache as that is
stomach was gurgling.
Two years ago, I
received my Lifetime Achievement Award from the Pride Center. That seems like a
lifetime ago. I am so little involved in what is now the LGBTQ community.
18 May 2021 Tuesday
I had a strange dream about Billy Bikowski. I
was somewhere, like at his house, and we were reminiscing. Talk about a lifetime
ago. This morning after working on my research I became ambitious and moved all
the piles of lumber that had been sitting on the concrete pad since the hot tub
was dismantled. Lots of planks of wood I carried down to the Southside gate. I
wanted to tidy up the concrete and I also took down the temporary fencing, so
the pups have full access to everything thing again.
Kyle
Foote came by the house at noon to get some papers notarized then we went and
looked at the Arborvitae trees. We are going to order some, I think. Kyle said
Jakob from Rock Springs is going to spend another night with him before taking
off to the Bay area to see his folks. Kyle said that Jakob is really petite lol.
I haven’t met him yet. I don’t know if I will.
When
I took Coco home, Mike Romero said that he had been approved for Social
Security and Medicare and he’s going to take the train over his birthday to
Denver and he and his brother John are going to Grand Junction. He wants me to
babysit Coco for about a week while he’s away. He still hadn’t gotten
vaccinated yet and I got after him saying he needs to do it before he travels.
I
talked to Chuck Whyte this afternoon and I said I’d come over this Sunday at 3
to visit with him and his brother who is up from California visiting
Yellowstone. Rich Butler is coming over tomorrow to return the Build Team
Trailer. I guess he damaged it a little.
I
went to Papa Murphy’s for the first time in a long time and bought an Alfredo
Chicken thin crust pizza. It actually fits in the toaster oven and baked it
really well. Actually, faster than the oven. Kyle didn’t eat with me and spent
the evening with Jakob downstairs.
19 May 2021 Wednesday
Rich Butler came over
at 5:30 to bring back the Build Team trailer he borrowed from Kyle Foote. He
had a little accident with it just damaging a little of it in the front, but
Kyle didn’t seem to care. He gave Kyle an expensive air compressor that he
didn’t want to take with him.
I
guess the move to Mesquite is a done deal and after Brenda gets back from
seeing her daughter in Virginia they will leave on Tuesday for good. Rich has
been a good friend but also is a character whose stories about the most mundane
just drone on and on, but I listen patiently as I suppose he doesn’t really
have anyone who really listens to him. He’s really has helped me with home
projects over the 25 years I have lived here. I gave him a long hug saying
goodbye. I know I will hear from him on Face Book, but I wonder if I will ever
see him again.
Kyle
stayed upstairs and we visited some more than usual. Alicia Montoya is back in
town and he and she went to the Texas Roadhouse for a late lunch and brought me
some of the leftovers. Actually, Kyle and I should always just split a meal. Anyway,
he talked to me about his new love interest Jakob from Rock Springs something
Kyle rarely does. He’s a young kid, twenty years younger than Kyle, which makes
him fifty years younger than me. Kyle thinks this kid is really enamored with
him. He couldn’t love him anymore than I do, I suppose.
20 May 2021 Thursday
This morning I saw that Michael Aaron sent me a
message saying that Charles Frost died yesterday from his colon cancer at the
age of 67. I am not sure how to process this, as at the end of our friendship
we stopped speaking to one another.
At One time I
considered Charles one of my best friends but his narcissism when we started
Gay Men Aloud ended all that. Charles, like all of us, was a complicated person
and you only got to see what he wanted you to see. I suppose that was the actor
in him.
He was extremely funny,
even mischievous but also a vicious gossip full of his own self-importance. He
attracted some odd characters like Babs DeLay, Brent Marrott, Kent Frogley, and
others who were also people I would not associated with otherwise. I will think
of Doug Lott, his ex-husband, who I used to bake desserts for all the time,
fondly.
When someone like
Charles passes, so does his other persona, Dottie Dixon. I still am having
ambivalent feelings about hearing about his death. He really hurt me when I
felt betrayed by him when I had supported him so much, and we were confidants. I
have a beaded necklace and nine cobalt blue Saki bottles to remind me of him
when we were friends.
I
made chili Verde and black beans for supper tonight as that Kyle Foote was
bringing Alicia Montoya over for dinner. I had to really clean the house well
and mop the floors since company was coming over. I finally took Maxx down to
the groomers to have his nails clipped this afternoon. I should take TJ in
tomorrow.
All
the homeless and transients have moved to the north side of North Temple
congregating on the sidewalk just south of El Rancho Market now that they had
been chased away from the south side of the street due to the construction
going on there. Salt Lake City sure is a different place from what it was when
I moved back here in 1985.
Back
at the house in the late afternoon, another guy served Kyle’s business with a
summons. I just can’t get upset about it. I suppose Kyle knows what he’s doing.
I
was mowing the front yard when Kyle and Alicia showed up for dinner. They both
were tired from a crazy day they had. After eating, we all sat in the front
room and chit-chatted for much of the rest of the evening, playing with the
dogs also. It was nice for the company and since we all have been inoculated,
we could hug again. We talked a little about Charles Frost and what a
complicated man he was. It’s hard for me to really miss him because our
friendship died years ago.
His son Ryan wrote on Face
book “My Dad, Charles Lynn Frost, died today. He was on his couch taking a nap
with his dog Cash and passed away quickly and without a painful decline. Me and
my siblings are together right now and wanted people who loved him to know.”
21 May 2021 Friday
I made an appointment for a colonoscopy July 14
today. I figured that after Charles Frost died of colon cancer, I should get
myself checked out. We had rain showers off and on for much of the day so
didn’t do any yard work but did take TJ down to get his nails clipped.
Because
of the weather, it was kind of a lazy day with the dogs sleeping for most of
the day. I even took a long nap.
When
Kyle Foote came home, he looked beat but said he felt like he should go out and
do something with Alicia Montoya. I guess they were to Bambara in the Hotel
Monaco.
My
cousin Francis Anne’s great granddaughter Lilli Ogden has been corresponding
with me on Face book about the family. She’s not the Church of Christ
conservative the rest of that clan is. She first contacted me wanting to know
if I had information on the maternal side of her family which would go through
Mattie Lee Jarnagin’s people.
I
watched “Daydream Believers the Monkees” before going to bed. It was kind of
nostalgic and the actors really looked like the four originals.
Pat
Bagley, the Tribune Cartoonist had a sweet tribune to Charles Frost with a caricature
of Dottie Dixon bringing funeral potatoes to Charles in his coffin. Troy
Williams tribute to Charles was all about them creating the character of Dottie
S Dixon when I know Charles hated Troy for trying to sue him over the rights to
the character.
22 May 2021 Saturday
This morning I went to our Rose Park Mr. Donut
and bought a dozen donut holes and an apple fritter that I didn’t eat but will
maybe tomorrow. It was a pretty morning and must have rained some last night as
the yard was damp when I went and filled a trash barrel of some more of the
scrap lumber left from when the guys tore down the old hot tub enclosure.
After soaking in the
hot tub later in the afternoon I turned the temperature down to 101 from the
104 degrees setting it was at. I like the hotter temp, but Kyle Foote said that
was a bit much for him. As summer will be here before you know it, I thought
might as well bring the temp down.
The
oriental poppies are in full bloom, and I love their shade of orange. The
Jupiter Beards are blooming their dark pink color also. I never planted either
of them. They were gifts from the goddess that just blew into my yard years
ago.
Alicia
Montoya came over about noon and we visited before I went with Kyle to take her
to the airport to fly back to Las Vegas.
I
was able to spend a lot of time with Kyle today as that at 5 this afternoon we
went to Village Inn for supper. I had been craving their Fish and Chips meal,
so Kyle humored me and we went to the one on Fourth South and Ninth East. I
can’t but think how different Fourth South has become with the canyon of
apartments towering over the street. So different from the time I would bop
down from the Juel Apartment to Crossroads Urban Center carrying a tray of
cookies for an Unconditional Support meeting.
The fish at Village Inn
didn’t disappoint and they served three large pieces. I was craving fish so
much that I didn’t touch the French fries, Texas Toast, or much of the tomato
basil soup. I am sure they were good, but I was happy with the fish and tartar
sauce. Kyle had a chicken dish that looked exotic, and he said he really liked.
I know we were early but there was hardly anyone in the restaurant.
Afterwards
I asked Kyle to drive to Second South and Ninth West to see the home of
Nicholas Stathakos, “the President of the Greek Community.” It was still
standing but I heard it may be torn down for apartments.
Then
Kyle suggested going to Iceberg on 39th South and Ninth as he hadn’t
had one of their shakes since he was released from incarceration. Even though I
was full still, Kyle was adamant that I should get a shake although I was
willing just to have a spoon or two his chocolate shake. He wanted me to have a
berry shake as he knew that was my favorite.
The line to Iceberg was
way out onto 39th South and it was at least a half an hour before it
was out turn to order, but I was simply happy to be out with Kyle. Actually,
after ordering and paying we received our shakes fairly quick although the
place was packed with people outside also. The old retro building is still
iconic and glad it has never changed.
It
was 7:30 this evening when we finally came back to the house. We both only had
spoonfuls of our shakes before putting them in the freezer to have later. Kyle
kept saying it’s not the food but the journey that mattered because he knows
how much I hate wasting food. “Children are starving in China don’t you know?”
But he was right. It is the journey not the destination and I thanked him for
the journey.
23 May 2021 Sunday
I woke up at 3:30 this morning to the sounds of
a good rain pitter pattering, so I decided to get up and fix some coffee rather
than force myself to go back to bed. I was dreaming I was going back to college
and having to take an economic class and when I was trying to buy a textbook, I
was overwhelmed with the feeling I didn’t want to be in college again. It must
have been in my subconscious as yesterday I talked to Kyle Foote about him
being an Alumnus of Salt Lake Community College and how it’s been 50 years
since I graduated with my associate degree from Cypress College.
The
weather cleared up by the afternoon when Kyle asked if I wanted to go get
something to eat at El Loco Pollo. I wanted a drink more than food, but I went
anyway. He likes getting an avocado chicken bowl so he can snack on it
downstairs.
At
2:30 I left to go over to Chuck Whyte’s to visit a bit with him and his brother
and sister-in-law who had come up from California to go to Yellowstone. I only
stayed and chit chatted before letting them go out to dinner at Tres Hombres.
Chuck had asked me to go but I really didn’t want to, so I just came over as a
courtesy visit.
Since
I was over on that part of Salt Lake, I went and took some pictures of Nicholas
Stathakos old house at 963 East Second South. I got out and walked around and
saw the huge trees that I wonder if they were there back then. In the middle of
the road there were these grassy island-meridians which I suppose were put in
after the trolley tracks were removed as that his son was killed in 1910 near
his house, while jumping off a trolley. Ghosts from the past.
After
that I went to Warm Springs Park to cruise a little, although I really hadn’t
plan on doing anything. It was quite damp and had turned cold. I did see this
handsome homeless man doing his laundry on a large rock in one of the hot
spring pools. I talked briefly with him about whether the sulfur smell stayed
in his clothes. I told him I didn’t mind the smell myself. He was in a wet tee
shirt and briefs, and I would have liked to have stayed more and visited especially
after he suggested that I could smell him and see if the sulfur lingered. The wildflowers,
especially the purple wild clover, were blooming and it was nice just being out
and walking about.
When
I left about 4:30 in the afternoon, it turned dark, and it began to rain. I
drove down North Temple and saw the homeless scrambling to get out from beneath
the showers. So many desperate people in this land of plenty, no wonder God has
turned his back on us in many ways. The Empire is crumbling.
I
came home, fed the pups and it rained until nearly 6 this evening before
clearing up some. We sure can use the moisture.
I was flipping through
the channels trying to find something to watch but I think I was too tired and
bored to fixate on anything. I notice that both the Build Team vehicles were gone,
and I wondered how Kyle managed to take Alicia’s back to the office. Later I
noticed his vehicle was back and there was a lot of noise coming from his
Casita, talking and music.
Around 8 tonight, I
realized that Kyle had some boy over in the hot tub, so I turned off the house
lights and went to bed. Since the hot tub has been moved not far from my
bedroom outside door, I could hear music that they must have been playing on
their smart phone. So, Kyle was having, I hope, a pleasant interlude with
someone who I hope was making him feel good.
Maybe
the rain made us both horny today.
24 May 2021 Monday
It was kind of a weird day for me only that
Kyle Foote’s escapade last night in the hot tub must have made me horny as I
went out kind of cruising kind of like with residual memory. I went to the hot
springs on Beck Street in the morning and walked around the park. There wasn’t
any one there like yesterday. I don’t know what I was expecting. I had some
really fun times there back in the early 1990’s before the city demolished the
little manmade pond.
Since
I was out, I went down to Deseret Industries to buy some shorts for this coming
summer. I bought two pairs and some new throw pillows for the dog’s bay window seat,
and they also had a nice comforter blanket that I also bought. I spent more
money at D.I. than I have in a long time. I also noticed that their drop off is
open again without having an appointment so I guess I will donate some clothes
I am not wearing anymore.
Traffic
was blocked by trains everywhere I tried to cross going east towards Third west
and then heading home northward on 9th West. And not with fast
moving trains but with long trains either having stopped or going extremely
slow. It’s frustrating sometimes trying to get around here on the west side of
Salt Lake.
Later
in the afternoon after soaking in the hot tub I drove down Redwood Road to 300
North to the park there along the Jordan River. There must have been fifty makeshift
tents there at the homeless encampment. I had only seen Salt Lakes homeless
downtown but seeing them along the river was really pathetic. They were
entrenched and were living like in a third world situation. No toilet
facilities, no electricity, no running water. I saw someone cooking over an
open fire and getting water from an igloo cooler. I thought, “how do things
come to this?”
It made me realize how
fortunate I am to live the life I do. I may not have a mansion and expensive cars,
but I have a roof over my head, hot water, electricity, clean water, a washer
and dryer, a toilet, and food in the house for me and my pups. I also have a
garden where I can grow things. More than anything else I have permanence. Being
down there was a real eye opener for sure.
I
didn’t see Kyle today until around 7 this evening when he came up asking if
there was any Chili Verde left for his supper. He hadn’t eaten all day. I fixed
him a plate and he went back downstairs.
25 May 2021 Tuesday
I made corned beef for supper and since I
didn’t want to cook cabbage, I decided to give Brussels Sprouts a try, since
everyone says they are like mini cabbages. So, I thought be brave, and bought
some, and looked up a recipe for roasting them. Everyone says roasted sprouts
are the best. Well, everyone is wrong. I chewed one and gagged it down. How can
people eat these? My mom raised me right and we never had these greens from
hell. They are right up there with kale. I will stick to cabbage from now on; lesson
learned.
26 May 2021 Wednesday
I woke up near 5 this morning to see the Lunar
Eclipse. It was just a sliver, and I couldn’t see it that well as the sky was
hazy, so went back to bed. The best observation I had of the Lunar eclipse was
back in 1982 when I lived in Santa Ana. The moon looked like a red ball hanging
in the sky rather than a flat silver disc.
I went to the Rose Park
Public Library for the first time in over a year. One of the things I missed
the most was having books to read this past year. I checked out 4 Janet
Evanovich Stephanie Plum mysteries that I haven’t read, numbers 24, 25, 26, and
27 in the series. I stopped at the KFC and A & W joint and bought some
onion rings for my lunch. I sat in the park up the road and read a bit. I’ve
needed to get out of the house lately. I am not sure if the need is driven by
being horny or just cabin fever.
Kyle Daniels called be
at 2:30 asking some Utah history questions for a class he is taking. He has to author
a report on under reported Utah women. He was going to do Maggie Snyder and
Kristen Ries, but his instructor said that was too narrow, so I suggested he
add Patty Reagan, who surprisingly he had never heard of, so I filled him in on
her founding the Salt Lake AIDS Foundation. He asked if I had any information
of her. Sometimes I think he doesn’t really know me lol. So, I sent him lots of
info when I came home, from my files for his proposal.
I told him that it
would cost him and that he would have to bed me, which he was happy to oblige.
He’s coming over at 2:30 tomorrow to talk more about his project and for us to
make love.
I read for most of the
day only stopping to take Coco home and visiting with Kyle Foote when he came
home at 8 this evening.
Mike Romero said he
finally got his first Corona19 vaccination at Sam’s Club of all places. He had
the Moderna shot. He gets his second shot in June when he returns from his trip
to Colorado where he and his brother are celebrating their retirements. I
showed him the notice I got on a fuel pump recall for the FIT and he said if I
make an appointment for next week, he’d pick me up from Ken Garff after
dropping it off.
Kyle Foote called and
asked if I had made any thing for dinner, and I said I hadn’t which he was okay
with because he was going to be out late. When he did come home, we visited
about his maybe taking off this Memorial Day Weekend to get away. He’s been
sexting a guy in Phoenix Arizona that he might go see. He said he thought about
Las Vegas but didn’t want to deal with Danny Montoya’s drama although he likes
his family.
I said he ought to go
to Phoenix as that since he’s been released, he’s never really gone anywhere on
his own. He’s always been with Danny and Danny’s been so jealous of him
whenever Kyle wanted some alone time. Kyle said he might only hook up with this
guy one day and spend the rest of the time on his own. He said then if he meets
someone he wants to fuck, he’ll be available. I just told him to let me know
where he is, so I don’t worry. Kyle is becoming more and more open about
discussing his sexuality with me. He gave me a long hug, took his corn chips
with him, and disappeared downstairs.
I read 21 chapters of
my Stephanie Plum book about Zombies and a Boa Constrictor named Ethel.
The QSalt Lake printed
an obituary biography on Charles Frost that Babs DeLay adapted from his own
writings. It was an interesting read but pretty tame compared to what I have in
my emails.
27 May 2021 Thursday
I slept in until 6 this morning which was
really unusual for me. When I made some coffee, I noticed that Kyle Foote’s
vehicle was gone so either he left for work early or he spent the night
somewhere. I think the relief from the Covid19 restrictions are getting his pent-up
sexual frustrations out.
I
rearranged and cleaned the old movie room for much of the morning. It needed
it. I tore off the darken tint film that had been on the windows for at least
20 years, cleaned and dusted and just made the place look less like a storage
area. In reality I could rent out that room,
but it would have to be someone who loves dogs. I probably never will.
I
finished reading my Janet Evanovich novel. It’s the first book I have read in
over a year. I missed reading and curling up with a book.
Kyle
Daniels came over at 2:30 and wanted to sit in the hot tub which we did before
heading to the guest bedroom to make love. He was as horny as I was although it
took some effort to be penetrated as I was so tight and his cock so huge, but
we managed.
He came twice and I
needed to feel him next to me inside, even at this age. It’s just sexual at
this point and I do care for Kyle, but I am not in love. I love my other Kyle
for better or worse, but Kyle Daniels is a steady diversion, and I for him. He
and Alan aren’t sexual anymore but have devolved into a common Gay relationship
of love and companionship, but the eroticism has faded. I don’t feel too bad as
that Alan has his own tryst too and he knows he can trust me not to really
interfere in their commitment to their relationship. Besides, I think I would
rather have a fuck buddy at this point in my life than a boyfriend.
I
took Coco home at 4:30 and Mike Romero said this was his last full day at Napa,
and even then, he had left at 2:00 this afternoon. Tomorrow he’s only going in
until 10 in the morning. His boss said that if he ever wanted to come back and
work part time, he would hire him back. Mike said that it was very unusual for
anyone to ever retire as most guys actually just move on and change jobs before
retirement.
Mike
took my recall notice for the FIT and said he’d make the appointment for me
next week and will pick me up after I drop it off to get the fuel pump
replaced.
Kyle
Foote came home after 6:30 this evening so he had a really long day. I said I
was kind of hungry, so he went with me to Del Taco in North Salt Lake where we
each got a Tostado, and I also bought a taco. That was my supper.
Kyle said he’s decided
to go to Phoenix tomorrow to meet this guy named Vinnie. He said he was a
“junior” and I said he must be Latino then because Gringos don’t name their
boys Junior anymore. He looked at me like, “how did I figured out who he was
going to see,” but I know Kyle likes his Latin boys.
His
flight is at 9:30 in the morning so I will take him early and I will be by
myself this Memorial Day Weekend which is okay by me.
28 May 2021 Friday
I took Kyle Foote to the airport this morning
for his Arizona get-away at 8:30 and the terminal was already busy. As soon as
he left, I was already lonesome. Coco was dropped off for the last time today.
Roy
Zang returned my call this morning and we talked about Pride Day this year and
how different it will be this walk-through experience. He said he could get me
in with him if I wanted to go, but I said I hadn’t planned on attending this
year.
I said to him how Pride
Day used to be like a Family Reunion for me where I’d see familiar faces, but
there are so few still around. It’s all about Trans Issues and People of Color
and while they are pressing issues, it’s not what Gay Pride means to me. He
said there was going to be a march this year instead of a parade.
He
said that he’s stepping away from the historical society also after Pride and how
he’s getting married again in June. He also said Daniel Cureton said that the
Marriott Library at the U of U will take all the artifacts the Queer Historical
Society had gathered. This kid named Willy Palomo may take over the reins of
the historical society but has already expressed that he wanted to focus more
on Trans and POC history. Good Luck with that.
We won’t be completely
written out of history however, as long as my archives survive, I suppose. He
also said that Deb Hall and he threw out Rocky O’Donovan’s Lifetime Achievement
Award when cleaning house. LOL.
Mike Romero came by at
11:30 to retrieve Coco. We sat and visited on the hot tub deck for a while.
Today was his last day at work and he only went in to say his goodbyes. He said
it felt strange turning in his badge and tags knowing he won’t be going back
and seeing all the people he had become familiar with over the years. I had the
same feeling when I turned in my entry identity card also six years ago now.
As
he was leaving at 1 in the afternoon, Jim Dabakis rolled in to retrieve Taco.
We visited a little about how the community has changed and how we had put in
our time and it’s time to hand it over to the younger people who are not Gay
anymore but identify with gender issues not sexuality.
He said in June he may take off for a week to
go with a friend from Mexico to visit Yellowstone. After Taco left the house,
it really seemed quiet and empty, with me down to just the four pups, Maxx, TJ,
Lulubelle, and Buster.
I
needed to get out of the house, so I drove up to Bountiful to go through the
carwash and stopped at Arctic Circle there on Orchard Blvd where I bought an
angus burger and onion rings as I hadn’t really eaten all day.
I was at the Warm
Springs Park reading from Book Number 25 of the Stephanie Plum series and it
seemed familiar, like I may have read it before but years ago, so I will keep
reading it.
I
saw a man bathing in the makeshift hot springs pool hidden by the reeds. The
hill was covered with wild purple clover, grasses, and some other wildflowers.
I guess I am reminiscing about the memories I have of the hot springs back in
the early 1990’s before the city bull dozed it. But 30 years later transients
and others have made another pool.
I
felt kind of lonesome today. I am not sure why. Maybe because things seem to
have changed quickly. I fed only four pups when I came home and watched some
television in the evening. Kyle Foote did call me about 6:30 to let me know he
had made it to Vincent’s place, and they were sitting by a pool. I saw later on
Face book that he posted a video of a hike he went on the North Mountain Hiking
trail. He said he’s 41 and not 25 anymore being winded LOL.
The
Republicans in the Senate blocked a bi-partisan investigation into the January
6th Insurrection. Traitors all of them, more afraid of Trump’s
fascist base then in supporting Democracy.
29 May 2021 Saturday
I wanted to drop off a bundle of clothes to
Deseret Industries this morning, but when I arrived, I had forgotten that they are
closed now on Saturday, so I went shopping at the Glendale Smith’s Food Market.
There’s lots of Memorial Day sales and mums galore to place on graves of loved
ones.
I wonder if Bill Poore
will go to his folk’s grave without me this year. I wonder if he even has
transportation anymore. I miss Bill, but I don’t really miss how high
maintenance he had become, and I don’t mind actually admitting that. I still
think he’s a wonderful man but as we all age and decline sometimes we have to
let go of those who are too heavy to carry anymore, emotionally as well as
physically.
I
also went to Lee’s Market in North Salt Lake to buy some popcorn treats. I’ve
been in the mood for snacking. I bought a tostado and taco at Del taco and then
went to the Warm Springs Park to read from my book some. It was a pretty day to
be outside and I guess I have been needing to get out of the house and out and
about. There a young couple, two Rastafarian like hippies asked me where the
hot springs was. I told them how to reach it. For an old man I am still kind of
cool.
Mike
Romero called and said he had Lulabelle’s Cesar dog food and wanted to bring it
over, so I hurried home and was there a bit before he arrived. He brought Coco
over and he wanted to sit in the back yard to visit. I think it’s just dawning
on him that he’s actually retired and doesn’t have to wash clothes for work or
just stay home and veg out on the weekends.
We sat beneath the Ash
tree so the pups would play on the grass. If we are up on the deck, they stay
near us there so this way they can lay in the grass. Mike stayed almost two hours which was unusual for him.
I
didn’t hear from Kyle Foote today, so I suppose he’s having a good time on his getaway.
Often for entire weekends I don’t see or hear from him when he actually is here,
so this isn’t that unusual.
I
watched some “Shitt’s Creek,” and a documentary called the “Last Days” about
five Hungarian Jews experiences during the Holocaust. Unbelievable that we now
have the Republican Party supporting White Nationalism and having more of an
allegiance to Trump than to the country.
I
saw that Charles Frost memorial service will be June 5th. I won’t be
there. I will just keep my memories and try to remember when he and I were
friends.
30 May 2021 Sunday
Alan Anderson left me a message about my views
on the Kristen Ries nominations this year. I messaged him back that I hadn’t
seen the nominees yet and that it seems awfully late in the year to just now
getting them out since Pride Day is next week.
When I looked in my Email,
I found who was nominated and I only recognized Deb Hall and Chris Wharton.
While I like Deb Hall a lot, the award is supposed to go for community service,
and she is a paid staff member of the Pride Center. I am not sure I will even
vote this year. It’s been 30 years since I was a recipient back in 1991.
I
went to the Warm Springs Park and read more from book 25 of the Stephanie Plum
series. I actually finished it in the evening as I didn’t watch any television.
At the warm springs I talked with this young mountain bike granola kid who was
skinny dipping in one of the springs. He reminded me a lot, not in looks but
attitude of Billy Bikowski from years ago. We visited about the history of the
Springs he was really interested in it, so I guess he didn’t mind talking with
this old guy. He had dressed by the time I came along anyway.
I
stopped at Betos for a Bean Tostado, and it was not nearly as good as Del
Taco’s. I am not sure I will ever go back to the Betos on North Temple anymore.
I
went by Second South and parked in the old Oasis Café’s vacant lot and took
some pictures of the buildings still remaining on the north side of the street.
The entrance to the Parking Lot was the old Electric Avenue which led unto the
walled Stockade. Now that I have mapped out all the old addresses from 1910 it
is easier for me to visualize where everything was.
I
also posted in the Salt Lake History Site a picture of the home of Nicholas
Stathakos and a brief bio of him. I had several comments on it and it has 72
likes.
I
didn’t hear from Kyle Foote today, but he posted a picture of him at a
stationary bike at a gym, so I guess he is having a good get away. I wonder if
he will share any of his adventures with me tomorrow.
The singer BJ Thomas
passed away yesterday at the age of 78. Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head.
31 May 2021 Monday Memorial Day
I was up by 6 this morning and went and did
some watering before it got too warm. It was 88 degrees today, but it was
really a beautiful day.
It was an interesting
Memorial Day as that a man from Silver Daddy contacted me and wanted to come
over to fuck this morning. I thought hell why not, and he came about 10 and
stayed until 11. His name was Jack, and he lives in West Valley and while he
looked African American, he said he was Serbian and a Moslem.
He said he never had
been with a man before and if so, I was then his first. He had a huge cock but
surprisingly and delightfully it was not painful, and he was a slow hand lover
which probably helped. He said he was mainly has sex with women and I was his
first man. He must have enjoyed it because he came twice while we were at it. He
was so not my usual type I am attracted to, but he would be a nice Fuck Buddy.
I wonder if I will see him again.
Anyway
at 1:40 this afternoon, Kyle Foote called and said he had arrived, so I went to
the airport to pick him up. He had a nice weekend with Vincent Gonzales Jr. and
did a lot of physical activities, so Kyle said his legs were sore as he had
gone on a 3-mile run this morning. Well, its tiring keeping up with a 23-year-old.
I
read for most of the day from the third Stephanie Plum book and am almost
through it. It’s good to be reading again and not just watching television.
Kyle was downstairs for the rest of the afternoon but then asked if I wanted to
go to El Loco Pollo with him for supper. I said I would go with him, but I
wasn’t hungry and didn’t get anything myself.
He
said he was excited that he was asked to be one of the judges for Utah County’s
Parade of Homes. I am simply happy he’s home again.
JUNE 2021
1 June 2021 Tuesday
I went for a drive today to take pictures of Edward
Hashimoto’s home at 315 South Twelfth east. The house was built in 1909 in a
Pagoda style. He was the labor agent for the Japanese and Mexicans in Utah back
then. I also stopped and took a picture of the office building at 450 South
Ninth East which was the first location of the Utah Stonewall Center. Today is
the 30th anniversary of its grand opening so I posted in my history Face
book page a picture of all the various centers and locations since then.
It
was a beautiful day out. Not too hot, around 88 degrees. I went for a walk at
the Warm Springs Park and saw this black man relaxing naked in one of the pools
there.
Michael
Romero called me while I was out saying that Sam Club gave him a large
watermelon and wanted to know if I wanted half of it. I guess they had
thousands left over from Memorial Day, so they were just giving them away. I
invited him over for dinner as that I made a Pork Roast for supper. I made a
meat loaf for the pups, but they didn’t seem all that keen on it.
Kyle
Foote came home after Michael left and he ate a bite, not much more than I did.
He said that he’s going to go to Las Vegas this Friday and will be gone a week
as there’s a Concrete and Cement Convention there that he’s taking three of his
workers with him. I guess he wanted to spend some extra time with Danny
Montoya’s family if not with him per se. I found out that the last name of Juan,
who did my bathroom, is Trejo. That is Michael’s grandmother Nora’s husband’s
name, and his mother was raised as a Trejo.
Jim
McMullin had called me this morning when I was out and about, so I called him
back this evening and we visited for a while. It’s been a while since we have
seen each other so I said I would come out tomorrow at noon for a visit.
I
finished reading the third Stephanie Plum novel I checked out last Wednesday. I
will start Book 27 tomorrow.
All I hear these days
from Republicans is that Americans won’t fill the abundant hospitality and
service industries’ minimum wage jobs and they whine about labor shortages
while at the same time they want to keep out hundreds of thousands of Latinos
who want to come to America who are willing to work...hmmm racist much?
2 June 2021 Wednesday
Since I was up early, I watered the back yard.
We are in a drought so it’s best to water early and not in the heat of the day.
I posted some information on Edward Hashimoto on the Salt Lake History site
with a picture of him and his house. I saw that Kyle Foote hadn’t left the house,
so I guess he is working from home.
I
drove out to Day Break at 11:30 so I could get there by noon. TJ Otaka greeted
me at the door as Jim McMullin was out getting pizza. I hugged TJ for the first
time in over a year and neither one wore masks since we all had been vaccinated.
The pizza was good, and I had two small slices and a coca cola. They even had
some petite flor cakes for dessert.
I
caught them up on all the gossip since they still haven’t gone out yet into the
real world. We talked about Charles Frost’s death and about Bill Poore blocking
me. I told them that Kyle and Bill had a terrible blow up but did not mention
the plate incident.
We talked a little
about national current events and how neither one of us posts on Face Book as
much as we used to do. I explained that my researching the people and places of
Second South takes up so much of my time.
Kyle
Foote called while I was at Day Break. I think he was surprised that I wasn’t
home. I had him on speaker so he could say hi to Jim and TJ. He just wanted to know
if I wanted some Chinese Food and I said I was fine and that I had pizza for
lunch.
When
I left, TJ and Jim gave me this huge hanging flower planter with purple and
yellow petunias. They said it was for my birthday. That was sweet and
thoughtful. I stayed in Day Break until 3:30 then headed back home so I could
feed the pups. I was home at 4 and they went running out the doggy door
expecting to go for a ride, so I took them around the block. That was enough to
satisfy them.
I
started reading Evanovich’s Fortune and Glory but dosed off until Kyle came
upstairs about 7 in the evening to say hi to the pups. I asked him if he wanted
to go for some ice cream and he did so we went to Arby’s down on North temple
and Redwood Road to get small shakes. Kyle told me he was concerned about some
moles he spotted on his side that he thinks might be skin cancer and has made
an appointment with a dermatologist to have them checked out. Both his parents
died of cancer and it kind of runs in his family so it’s good he’s taking it
seriously.
3 June 2021 Thursday
It was extremely warm today breaking a record
for this date. It was 96 degrees. I had been up since 5:30 this morning working
on the computer when at 10 I decided to get away and go down to the Warm
Springs Park to see if any homeless guys were skinny dipping in the hot springs
again. As that it was already quite warm, no one was but I encountered this man
who was cruising. That was the only time I encountered that.
He went behind some
trees to be hidden from view where he took his dick out. I approached him and
he let me play with him, and suck for a little bit but I was way too nervous
and anxious about doing anything out in the public. My post-traumatic stress
disorder must have kicked in from the arrest I had 30 years ago, and I just
didn’t want to continue. Logically I knew no one else was in the park but I
just had to leave. The nostalgia of sexual encounters of my youth could not
overcome the trauma from that time either.
Kyle
Foote never has to cruise for sex or any of the younger generation for that
matter. All they have to do is get on the myriad Gay Sex apps and they have an
encounter within minutes. Times are certainly safer in that way I suppose. However,
I would think with Salt Lake Police being down 80 officers, they certainly have
more things to do then beat the bushes for Gay men having sex.
At noon, Kyle Foote
texted me with the dermatologist’s results. He just had something called
Seborrheic Keratosis which is not cancerous and harmless. He just had them
burned off. I said “thank God. You can’t die before me. While I was not being really
serious it did make me think who would bury me if Kyle died before me? I have
no family here.
Jim
Dabakis dropped Taco Bell off for a play date. He said he’d retrieve him this
Saturday probably after going to Charles Frost’s memorial. Kyle asked if I
would be going, and I said no; that I wouldn’t like most of the people who
would be attending. He laughed and said, “isn’t that true for most Gay things now
for you?” He is probably not that far
wrong. Most of the people I cared about have either moved or have died. It
seems like I am a stranger in the “LGBTQ plus” community these days.
Kyle
needed me to go have a couple of papers notarized for the company I am
supposedly the president of. So, I met in him North Salt Lake and we got it
done. I was craving something sweet, so I went to Lee’s Market and bought some
cinnamon rolls that were piled on with cream cheese frosting. I bought a
package of four and ate about a half of one and truly it was too sweet even for
me. I doubt I will eat the rest.
When
Kyle did come home from work this evening, he ate some of the dinner I made of
buttered yellow squash, instant potatoes, and mushroom gravy with the pot roast
I made last Tuesday.
We
talked about 29-year-old Joél-Léhi
Organista who we voted for Salt Lake School Board last year. We voted for him
because he was so cute, but he was arrested today for having child pornography
on his computer. His life and career is over now.
Pedophilia, as a mental
and sexual condition, is probably
hardwired into some people. So grateful that I am hardwired to lust after grown
men but even that has given me grief from time to time being arrested for
having sexual encounters in private/public spaces. It was a time before Grindr
and if horny you went to where men who wanted sex were like this morning at
Warm Springs Park.
Everything seems to be
Pride this and Pride that on Face Book since it’s June. While Pride now is a
catch all phrase, in the beginning Gay Pride was created as a form of
empowerment more than a celebratory party. Gay Pride was about eliminating the
stigma of shame that was and is still being promoted among the religious
radical right as much as anything. I never heard of a heterosexual feeling
shame and guilt for being hetero.
‘Gay is Good’ was a
conscious need to change the paradigm like ‘Black Is Beautiful’ did among
African Americans and Women Liberation among females. In a world where being
homosexual was a sin, a crime, and a mental illness, it was necessary to invent
Gay Pride for ourselves not for heterosexuals. We have come a long way baby in
51 years...
It's my mom’s birthday.
It is hard to believe you have been gone ten years now
4 June 2021 Friday
I must have been starved for books this past
year when all the public libraries were closed. A week ago, I went for the
first time in over a year and checked out the latest four books from Janet
Evanovich's Stephanie Plum series and I finished the last one today. I was just
devouring them. I was so tired of watching television. I am old fashion too. I
want to hold a book in my hands and turn the pages not just scroll down a
page...
Kyle Foote asked if I
still wanted to go to Village Inn for dinner tonight and I did so at 5 we drove
into the city. The news has been all about how restaurants are having a hard
time with a shortage of staff, and we experienced it tonight firsthand. There
were only about four tables occupied with people dining, none with more than four
or five people. There was just the hostess, who looked about 20 years old, and
one waitress who looked about the same age, both who looked overwhelmed and the
dining out experience was really underwhelming compared to last time.
We both ordered the
exact thing we did last time, the cod fish dinner for me and the artichoke
chicken platter for Kyle. While Kyle said that his dinner was fine, however the chicken was just not as well cooked as
last time.
Mine was inedible. The fish was kind of under cook, the middle
even cool and kind of glossy and the outside batter coating was oily. The
French fries were mushy not crunchy. I ordered coleslaw instead of soup this
time and it was thick with a mayonnaise vinegary taste more sauce than slaw. A
biscuit came with it, this time, which was cold and had no butter.
The
Waitress never came back to check on us but once, and when Kyle asked for a
refill on his Dr. Pepper, she never brought it. It was not like it was a super
busy dinner rush at 5. The service was really poor but after all we are still
in the wake of an epidemic, so we didn’t complain about anything, and Kyle paid
for dinner and left a 20 percent tip because we are good people.
Surprisingly,
Kyle still asked if I wanted some ice cream, I really didn’t but said yes
because I wanted to prolong the time spent with him. After a really hot day it
was rather pleasant out.
We went to the 9th
and 9th Area where they had a Gelato shop. I had been there once
before when Michael Ferguson and Seth Anderson were still involved in their
Queen’s Tea business, so I knew where it was. Well, they didn’t have anything
thing remotely chocolate for Kyle, so we left and went across the street to
another upscale ice cream parlor that was more of a build your own cone with
toppings but no chocolate ice cream either. When we left, I half-jokingly said
“Damn Millennials” and we decided to go to Arctic Circle for a chocolate dip
cone.
The 9th and
9th area had really become a pretentious upscale district with
trendy boutique type shops rather than the eclectic funky places I remembered
when it was anchored by The Tower Theater, Cahoots, the Coffee Garden and Great
Harvest Bread. Oh well nothing stays the same.
Driving
around, I was pointing out that this or that used to be this or that and I
finally caught myself and told myself to shut up. I was really sounding like an
old person, and I knew Kyle didn’t care as none of that was ever his
experience. He even said that everything was once something else and what is
now will be something else later.
At
Arctic Circle we went inside to order because there were several cars in the
drive up which weren’t moving at all. Actually, Kyle got himself a regular
chocolate dip cone and I just had a small courtesy chocolate dipped sample cone
for free. It was more than enough for me. Actually, I think I would have had a
better meal at Arctic Circle than the one I had at Village Inn, at a third of
the cost but since Kyle bought dinner, I really shouldn’t complain.
Kyle
said he used to live in the area behind Arctic Circle before he moved in with
Greg Harden so we drove around to see if he could still find the place but
couldn’t. He had a boyfriend when he lived there.
It seems to me that
among Democrats there are a few bad people but among Republicans there are just
a few good people... it’s why I am a Democrat because the odds are in my favor
that I won’t be voting for a miscreant or a lunatic
5 June 2021 Saturday
I was up early to take Kyle Foote to the
airport to catch an early flight to Las Vegas. He will be gone a week. I also
did some early morning watering of the front yard as again it will be hot but
not as bad as yesterday, so they say. Governor Cox asked for people to pray for rain this
Sunday. Such an idiot. How about doing something substantial like mandating
watering only on even or odd days and only a half an hour at the most or maybe
help people fix their broken sprinkler systems or prohibit grass on parking
strips. When good things happen, that you prayed for, then it’s God answering
prayers; if not then it’s also “God’s will.” He always wins in that situation.
I am old school. God help them who help themselves.
I checked out five new
cozy mysteries from the library this morning after going grocery shopping. I am
reading the Chocolate Chip Cookie Murder right now. I am not sure whether I
like it or not.
Taco went home with Jim
Dabakis this morning so I am down to four pups but not for long. Jim said he is
heading South of the Boarder Down Mexico Way next week on Tuesday so he will
drop Taco back off on Monday. Mike Romero wants me to watch Coco for a week
while he takes a train trip to Denver.
When Jim was here, we
talked a little bit about Pride Day and the Center. Neither one of us are going
this year and he is worried about what will happen to the center when Robert
Moolman leaves. We both agreed that he was the best Executive Director any of our
Pride Centers ever had with Carol Gnade being second. Her strength was knowing
the right people who had deep pockets and Robert‘s strength is his ability to
deal with all the complexities of the various fractions at the Center.
I said he has an almost
impossible job trying to placate the Trans community and the Gay Community.
Even Jim said that the Trans community is dysfunctional for whatever reason and
seems to always be eating their own.
Daniel Cureton posted
information on updates on the Utah Pride Day Wikipedia page and Carol Gnade
whom I haven’t heard from in quite a while had some surprising views on the
center also. She wrote “I miss you guys. Things seem to have gone a bit haywire.
Were you two working with the center on this history project?” Daniel said he was still a board member of
the Queer History Project, but I said “I haven’t. My last hurrah was in 2019
with the history booth. I’ve spent the past year researching Second South
between 5th West and 6th West from 1885 to 1985 and the history of businesses
and individuals that made up that most diverse ethnic and sexual section of any
street in SLC.”
Carol responded to
Daniel and me writing, “I’m happy you are still involved Daniel, but as is
almost always the case. I believe that center is very toxic. I wish there was a
way to start it all over.” Then regarding my saying I was simply working on
Second South’s history she wrote, “Ben, that project of yours sounds
fascinating. I bet Signature Books would be interested in it.”
At 6:30 Roy Zang called
me a bit of news. Someone stole some of the exhibits at the Pride Day including
Deb Hall’s tribute to the Sun Club and the poster picture of Roy being a member
of Queer Nation back in 1990. He said that he heard Black Lives Matters was
boycotting Pride Day as they don’t believe the exhibits represented enough
people of color. I had to roll my eyes on that one. Besides Ralph Carrington
aka “Sheneka Christie” and Ben Cabey there weren’t that many black Gay people
in Salt Lake back then who were active. Hell, I said the first AIDS Quilt panel
was made for Michael Spenser aka Tracy Ross a black drag queen. I know because
I made it.
We both agreed that we
are done with the LGBTQ craziness and just consider ourselves Gay men and the
others can go do their own things. We are out.
At 8 this evening we had a nice thunder shower roll in, to cool
things down. The air smelled fresh with all the ions being mixed about.
6 June 2021 Sunday
My sleep schedule was really off today. I
couldn’t sleep past midnight, so I just got up and typed and researched until 3
then tried to get a little more sleep but didn’t sleep in past 6:30 this
morning.
I
read one of my Cozy Cottage mysteries for much of the day but at 1 in the
afternoon I decided to go into Bountiful and go through the car wash as that I
am talking the FIT in tomorrow for the scheduled recall. Mike Romero is going
to pick me up from there.
I
only heard from Kyle Foote when he texted to let me know the book he ordered
from Amazon, was coming in today and when it did, I put it in the FIT because I
said I would take it to his office in Centerville.
I
sat in the hot tub and noticed the water was down about four or five inches. I
don’t know whether from a slow leak or evaporation, but I ordered from Amazon a
sealant that is supposed to work in hot tubs for small leaks.
I
haven’t watched television in a couple of days. I just read instead. It’s more
relaxing for me.
Today was the Pride
March instead of a Parade for the first time in over 25 years due to the
logistics of Covid 19 limiting “social distancing”. There wasn’t one at all
last year. I didn’t go, of course, as I don’t march anymore and also am not
feeling welcomed in the new paradigm of the LGBTQ construct where nonbinary and
straight inclusion are the bywords.
Their theme was “This
year the Rainbow Rally and March will be one of the focal points of our week.
We will “Raise Our Voices” in support of all of these communities again, as we,
Utah’s LGBTQ+ community comes together, to support of each other, and celebrate
our roots and history.” I didn’t see
much celebrating of our roots, however.
On the Pride March’s
official webpage, I thought it was interesting that everyone, but Gay men were
mentioned as being included in the march and rally.
I wrote on Face book, “Is
it just me or does it seem weird, that the Utah Pride Center's Rainbow Rally
and March web page mentioned providing space for everyone except Gay men?
“In the past the UPC
has proudly hosted and organized the “Dyke March,” “Trans March” and the “Pride
March and Rally,” which have all provided a space and opportunity to celebrate,
recognize and give voice to our Lesbian, Dyke, Trans, Bi, Pansexual, Queer
BIPOC and Non-Binary communities.”
The only time Queer was
used was as an adjective for BIPOC which I surmise means bisexual People of
Color. I am all in favor of inclusion, but the word Gay is not even mentioned
in their description of the event.
Kind of worrisome and
sad, I think, as a Gay man who participated in the first march in 1990 put
together by a Gay man and in 1991 had my back up against Nazis on the steps of
the City County Building.
I did watch a bit of
the speeches that were posted as video on a face book live stream. Someone
spoke from the Navajo Nation, another represented Asians, and Pacific Islanders.
A black woman read a poem and another black woman from Black Lives Matter movement
talked about Juneteeth. A trans person talked about their version of Stonewall
and Mayor Erin Mendenhall spoke about the diversity of the city and how that
Native Americans were better stewards of the land that became Utah. Derek
Kitchens seemed to have been the only white Gay man to speak and that was
because he’s a state legislator. Interesting how this movement has evolved over
time.
I
heard that Chris Wharton, the lawyer, received the Kristen Ries Award this year
and he deserves it the most I suppose of all the candidates. I heard they
didn’t give out a lifetime achievement award this year.
7 June 2021 Monday
I was up early to meet Mike Romero at Ken
Garff’s so I could drop my FIT off for the recall but found out they hadn’t
ordered the part yet, even though Mike made the appointment for me last week.
It wasn’t a total wash as that I had them change the oil that my car which was
still under warranty.
So
instead, Mike and I went out for breakfast at Our Breakfast Café in North Salt
Lake. I went there a couple of times with Kyle Foote and Danny Montoya. I had
biscuits and gravy, hash browns and two eggs while Mike Romeo had a Greek Omelets
with hash browns. It was delicious but too much food for me although Mike ate
all of his. I paid for breakfast and left an $8 tip. The only people eating
there this morning looked like retired men like us.
From
there we headed to Centerville as Mike wanted to buy a weed trimmer and a
folding camping chair at Wal-Mart and I told Kyle that I’d drop off his divvy
cards and the manual book he ordered from Amazon. But when we first went to his
office the place was locked and no one was there so we went shopping.
I
looked in the garden section of Wal-Mart and it was pretty sad like they hadn’t
been watering and many of the plants were wilted or dead. I even saw some nice
tall Arborvitae trees like what we want for the back yard but many of them were
dead already with the leaves crunchy to the touch.
We
tried Build Team before leaving and the place was open with this one employee
named Stuart there. I left Kyle’s items with him and texted that I did. Kyle
said that was good as everyone else was away.
The
Fit was ready so I had Mike take me back down to retrieve it and before he went
home, I gave him most of the pulled pork I made yesterday knowing I could never
eat all of it.
Taco is back from his
vacation with Jim Dabakis lol. Jim dropped him off and we visited briefly. He
gave me $100 and thanked me saying that he could not do all that he does
without me being there for Taco Bell. I don’t charge for taking care of Taco,
but I knew Jim could certainly afford it and it made him feel like he was not
taking advantage of me out friendship, so I took it. He’s going to Mexico until
July 4th to get away from the heat. LOL. So, the little Chico will be hanging
out with the other pooches for the rest of Gay Pride month.
I didn’t watch any
television except for CBS news at 5:30 and the local news. It sounds like
there’s a heat wave everywhere across the nation. By the end of the week, it
may be 100 here in Salt Lake even.
I watered some in the
front yard today even though we are in a severe drought here in Utah. We should
be okay, after all Governor Cox asked Utahns to pray for rain yesterday. Drive
around and look at all the useless grass around Utah’s Ward houses... for God’s
sake! xeriscape or turn the land into a park and playground.
I read some more from
the Chocolate Chip Murder. It’s okay and a diversion but not as fun as Janet
Evanovich’s books.
Greg Allen Kulicke of
all people contacted me on Face Book. I guess he’s out of jail now and living
in Ogden. He wrote me “I spent much of Covid either in jail or homeless at the
new shelter in SSL.” Getting my life back together in Ogden now.” I texted him back saying, “I hope your life
has turned around for you... you got plenty of years ahead of you yet. Take
care.”
8 June 2021 Tuesday
I watered the backyard this morning really
well. The ground is almost a brick as there’s no moisture in the soil. The
grass was really turning yellow and while I don’t mind it going dormant, I
don’t want it to die and turn to dust.
My
sealant for the hot tub came today but I didn’t put it in yet. Probably will
tomorrow. It was quite breezy, even gusty today although it didn’t seem all
that of a scorcher, just summertime heat.
Roy Zang resigned as
chair of the Utah Queer Historical Society today so that is that.
I
am reading a new mystery called Murder knocks Twice that takes place in 1929 Chicago. I was reading it for most of
the day until I got a message from Kyle Foote asking me to do a favor. I guess
the insurance premium for his employees was due today, so he needed to transfer
$3500 into my account at America First then have a cashier check made out to Select
health and then drop it off at their headquarters at 5281 South.
It was nearly 4 in the
afternoon when he texted me, so I was in traffic for much of the time. I went
into my America First in Bountiful before driving to Murray.
I
checked my bank account today and saw that I was overdrawn $500 which really
surprised me as that I have never been overdrawn before. That made me nervous.
I paid off the line of credit but never received a notice that my balance had
dropped below $200. Hmmm. I guess I better find out what that is all about.
I
was back home after 5 so I could feed the pups. They are not liking their
chicken thighs, so I cooked up some gizzards to add to their supper. In the
evening I also cooked a Turkey Breast that I have had thawing out that had been
in the freezer since the holidays last year. I was surprised and delighted that
my countertop oven could fit a turkey breast in it.
I
didn’t watch any television today, not even the news.
9 June 2021 Wednesday
I had my dentist appointment at 8:30 this
morning at the Roseman School in South Jordan. I went in for a cleaning. I am
glad I picked up my blood pressure medicine yesterday because it was kind of
high, but still under the limit. I could tell that Covid 19 restrictions were
being relaxed as that no one took temperature as you came in and the sign said
masks encourage but not required if vaccinated. Even the students were no
longer wearing face shields but only masks now and gloves.
Spencer, one of the
fellows that worked on me with Jeff when I first started going to Roseman,
assisted with the dental hygienist gal named Sue who must have been fairly new
into her training. She did a good job, but I was in the chair for two hours.
But it didn’t cost me a dime and I didn’t have any cavities this time. My next
appointment isn’t until September 9th.
I
didn’t do much else for the rest of the day but finish reading “Murder Knocks
Twice.” I did a little watering but
actually never left the house after going to the dentist.
10 June 2021 Thursday
I worked on research mainly on this Greek
conman named Dr. Attias and this young man named Wilford Vermillion who was
shot and killed in his drug store back in 1904 and his murderer was never
found.
Kyle
Foote called at 11 this morning and said he had arrived, so I went to pick him
up at the airport. I am happy he is home and I know he is too. It’s no fun
being sick away from home however he did say the Concrete Convention was especially
useful.
After
he rested some, I took him to North Salt Lake for him to retrieve his vehicle
and I stopped at Del Taco to get two crunchy tostados for my lunch. I started
reading a new book that is part of the Mrs. Jeffrey mystery series. So far, I
am liking it.
In
the evening Kyle was hungry somewhat so he ordered from China Delight and I
drove him as he was tired and also took the pups for a ride. One of the struts
that holds up the hatch on the FIT broke so I guess I will need to get that also
fixed this coming Monday.
In
the news President Biden is buying a half a billion doses of vaccine to
distribute to other countries. So glad we have a humanitarian president once
more rather than the former nightmare that occupied the White House.
Today
was rather cool, only around 68 degrees. It’s going to be near 100 degrees for the
next several days over the weekend so my roses and flowers will take a beating.
We haven’t had any moisture in 23 days so if it continues, I suppose everything
will burn up, but I am enjoying my flowers for now at least.
My yard is beautiful with purple and pink
larkspur, my roses, and my lovely Empress of India Clematis. The cactus I
brought back from Hart Camp in Texas 25 years ago to remind me of Texas is
blooming. I love the cactus flowers, my little bit of Texas. Not bad for living
in a desert.
11 June 2021 Friday
It was quite cool out this morning when at 6 I
went out and turned the sprinkler hose on to start watering this morning ahead
of the heat wave that is coming.
Michael Romero came
over to look at the strut that broke on the FIT’s hatchback and took it off so
it wouldn’t keep popping. We made an appointment to have it fixed thus coming
Monday when I take the vehicle down for the recall fix.
As it was noon, we
decided to go get some Chinese food. We had a nice lunch at the Joy Luck
Chinese Restaurant in Bountiful. We were planning on going to China Star, but
they were closed for remodeling. Washington Elementary used to have their
Christmas Parties there. It was very tasty but generous portions. Mike had
Mango Chicken which was light and flavorful, and I had a Chinese BBQ pork that
was tasty. Michael paid for lunch since I had bought breakfast last Monday.
When we left Mike
wanted to drive on Victory Road above Beck Street to show me where the homeless
are entrenched in a campground setting. They could even cross the street to
bathe in the hot springs below on Beck Street. High above them on Ensign Peak
are perched Million-dollar homes like in 3rd World countries with
the rich and the extremely poor.
Mike was curious where
Jim Dabakis lives so we drove into downtown Salt Lake, and I showed him where
he lives behind the Catholic Cathedral on B Street and First Avenue. So, he got
to see Taco’s highfalutin digs.
Then we drove around
downtown Salt Lake to see all the new construction going on and over to the 9th
and 9th Area for him to see all the changes there. Rainbow flags
were flying everywhere and even some of the ridiculous new ones with the circle
for intersect. I noticed that they had put in a roundabout at the intersection
of 11th East and 9th South which for years had years had
simply been blocked so you couldn’t drive across 9th South on 11th
East. That was a vast improvement.
At home I read some
more from my Inspector and Mrs. Jeffries series. There’s not a whole lot of
character development as that the author had written so many in the series, I
think she kind of expected the reader to already know the characters.
In the afternoon Blake
Perez, who is running for the west-side City Council District 1 seat knocked on
the door while out canvassing the neighborhood. He was the former chairman of
the Rose Park Community Council and current deputy director of the Central
Wasatch Commission.
He wanted to ask what
my issues were for the west side, and I said that with all the new tax base
from the warehouse and light industry being built on 2300 West on the other
side of I-215 why isn’t some of that tax bases used here? Also, that there’s no
easy connection with those up us that live in WestPoint to the Chevy Traxx’
light rail on North Temple. We talked a little bit about issues of neglect by
Salt Lake towards the Westside.
Taco barged downstairs
and was at the screen door while we were on the porch, and I told him that I
was babysitting Jim Dabakis’ pup and he must know Jim fairly well because he
mentioned the place where Jim stays while in Mexico. I don’t think the gal who
was with him was his wife, maybe a campaign aid but she could have been, but
they loved my yard and asked about my blooming clematis plant. I told them that
it was drought resistant and if they wanted one like it, to look for one that
is called Empress of India.
I also said that since
we are in a drought it seems that the city could help people tear up the grass
from their parking strips and provide mulch to replace it. That little bit
seems to me would save a lot of water. Oh well.
Later Craig Hunter
called from Oregon saying that he’s coming to Utah for a health checkup since
his insurance coverage is from Utah when he worked for the state and the
legislature said that those covered must use Utah providers. He uses Dr.
Stoneburner also.
Anyway, Kyle Foote was
home early around 5:30 and since I had cooked chicken thighs for the pups, I
had a lot of broth left and he wanted to make some chicken noodle soup using
the broth. However, I didn’t have any noodles in the house, so we made a quick
trip to Lucky’s to get some.
After he had his soup,
he disappeared downstairs, and I finished reading my Mrs. Jeffries Mystery
before heading to bed.
12 June 2021 Saturday
Kyle Foote is still recovering from the flu he
had this week, mostly just needed to rest, and conserve his energies. I didn’t
do a whole lot today and only went out in the evening to water some of the
front yard. It’s going to be in the 100’s all next week. My grass in the
backyard is already looking hammered. I will water it tomorrow.
I
spent almost the entire day working on Second South, researching the people and
businesses of the Greek Town period. I didn’t watch any television or read any
books today.
It
was pleasant out for most of the day, and I did sit outside with the pups for a
little bit and when I took them for a ride, lots of yard parties were going on
in this neck of the woods.
It was just a year ago
today that a new door was cut into my basement for a downstairs studio apartment,
and it fell neatly into the hole that was dug for it. There’s been a lot of
changes to the old homestead since then.
13 June 2021 Sunday
I watered the back yard with a good soaking, as
I knew it was going to get hot today. It was 99 degrees out today and my solar
panels must have kicked into overdrive because it’s nice and cool in the house.
I sat on the back porch a little in the afternoon, enjoying the summer heat
even if it’s not summer yet.
Kyle
Foote wanted to go to El Loco Pollo for lunch and also to Wal-Mart as he needed
to do a bit of shopping for toiletries and such. He must be feeling a bit
better because he wanted to drive. Wal-Mart was crazy busy as was Lucky’s when
I went in the morning to get a roasted chicken for the pups and a bag of ice.
Kyle
was being a bit annoying to me, by being so contrary to my opinions on just
general political thoughts. Not sure why it bothered me.
I
had two interesting contacts from Silver Daddies today. The guy I call Jack the
Serb who came over and fucked me a while ago left me a message saying he would
like to do a three way sometime with me. Then another guy named Robert from
Bountiful contacted me saying he’d like to get together sometime this week. I
of course said sure.
This
evening Kyle came up again and asked if I wanted to go to Baskin Robbins in
Bountiful and this time I drove. It was a nice evening just to be out and there
he ordered his chocolate shake but this time I didn’t get anything. I Just felt
full of snacking and to be honest didn’t think it’s worth the money, even if
Kyle was buying. He was in a better, less pensive mood, and I enjoyed just the
journey with him.
The
pups were just dying to go for a ride so when we came back to the house, and I
dropped Kyle off I took them for a quick short ride over to see what they are
doing to the road north of 2300 North and 2300 West where the farmland that
used to be polygamist property is being developed into more light industry and
warehouses. They had the narrow little road that used to wind down the road to
Center Street in North Salt Lake under construction.
14 June 2021 Monday
I took the FIT down to Ken Garff’s to get the
fuel pump recall down and also for them to fix the strut on the Hatchback.
Ken Garff has a
Starbucks instant coffee maker, so I enjoyed a cup after dropping the FIT off.
I’ve already had the car 1 and 1/2 years with 11,000 miles already; still
loving my pup mobile
Mike Romero came and picked me up and we went
to breakfast again at the same café in Foxborough. Mike ordered the Greek omelets
again while I just had the two eggs, hash browns, and pancakes this time. It
completely filled me up even though I only ate half of it, and I wasn’t hungry
for the rest of the day. I was feeling kind of bloated so didn’t eat anything
after that. I paid for breakfast since Mike was driving me around.
Back
at the house, I printed off his train ticket boarding pass for his trip to
Colorado. I said I would take him to the Amtrak Station and pick him up so he
wouldn’t have to leave his vehicle in that sketchy part of town. His train
departs at 3:30 Wednesday morning and won’t get into Denver until 6:40 that
evening. He’s coming back on June 22, and I will pick him up at 11:00 that
night. Coco will be staying with me the entire time he’s gone, which will be
traumatizing for her as she is so clinging to Mike right now.
Roy
Zang called this afternoon to dish about Rocky O’Donovan again. He did a
podcast with Randy Hoffman and Roy listed for the first part when Rocky
introduced himself and gave a litany of his credentials. He has to always
promote himself rather than let someone else introduce him. It’s so sad that
he’s so starved for attention.
Anyway, what really
ticked Roy off was when Rocky said that his pronouns were “They and Them” and
he identified as “non-binary” and that he considers himself bisexual although
he prefers men. Oh, gag me. That old queen is just trying to stay relevant and
pander to the new non-binary movement and distancing himself as much as
possible from being identified as a Gay man. It would be hilarious if it weren’t
so pathetic. I guess he can fool some people but someone who has known his ass since
1988, he doesn’t fool me.
When
I was doing some reach in old newspapers online, I came across an article about
this person of Color named Maud Allen who was a schoolteacher in Maryland who
had identified as James Allen and only wore male clothing until when in the
hospital she was identified as a female and arrested for wearing men’s clothing
and fined $50.
I thought it would be interesting to post the
clipping on my Utah Stonewall Historical Society face book site and describing
the clipping I used the term “a transgender” just as I would saying “a
homosexual.” Well, this one guy named Lucas Fowler criticized me in a comment
saying that using the term “a transgender” was dehumanizing and that I should
have written transgender person and sent a link of acceptable terms.
He pissed me off, for
rather than thanking me for posting the article and then suggesting that a
transgender person might have been a less offensive term, he just had to jump in
and attack. At first, I was so mad I was going to block him but instead decided
to just delete his comment and mute him for 28 days. He can still be a member
he just can’t use my forum to promote his agenda.
The
FIT was done by 1:30 this afternoon and Mike took me down to retrieve it. I
guess the strut wasn’t under warranty, so it cost $100 to have that fixed which
kind of surprised me because I thought it was as that I have a 3-year warranty.
Oh well.
I had a surprise gift
come in the mail, a cap with an embroidered schnauzer on it. It didn’t say who
sent it other than “Lavon” so must be from the Gay Armenian refugee kid I took
in about 7 years ago. Charles Frost, when he worked for the Pride Center, asked
if I could take him in as that Levon didn’t know anyone and under the law he couldn’t
work. I’ve lost touch with him about 4 years ago. Maybe he learned that Charles
had died, and he was thinking of me. I was rather good to him, strange though.
I
didn’t do much else today as I was not feeling well, and my stomach was a
little gassy so tried to nap and rest. I fed the pups the rest of the roasted
chicken, watched a little news, especially on how hot it will be for the rest
of June. When I turned the television off, I was heard Kyle Foote’s television downstairs
so he must have come home and went straight to his room. He never came up and
said hi to me or the pups which was unusual and kind of disconcerting. Oh well.
It
reached 102 degrees today and supposed to be even hotter tomorrow and in the
90’s for the rest of June.
The
actor Ned Beatty has passed away, Deliverance and Superman. RIP.
Forty-three ago God stopped being a white
supremacist according to the Mormon church. The cynics among us always believed
the revelation came because Kinte Kunta Kimball was found on the Kimball family
tree. Ha! My first reaction was damn there goes the old Joke only Mormons got. “Do
you know why crows are black? Because they refused to eat crickets in the
pre-existence... Hahahaha... don’t get it? You were never a Mormon. Leave it to
Mormons to kill a joke and be a buzz kill.
15 June 2021 Tuesday
I
was up early around 5:30 when it was light out to water this morning. They say
we are to water for plants and trees to survive, not thrive and let the grass
go dormant. So that is what I am kind of doing.
Lulubelle
had her grooming appointment at 10 this morning and surprisingly she was done
by 12:30 when they usually keep her almost three hours or more.
The temperature was 107
degrees today and broke an all-time record for the hottest June day in Salt
Lake ever. My sister Donna Jones called me around 3:30 this afternoon to visit
and she said it was 119 in Bullfrog, Arizona.
Kyle Foote called me
around 5:30 asking if I had fixed anything for dinner and I hadn’t, so he asked
if I wanted to go with him to get something and I said sure although I was not
all that hungry. I haven’t had an appetite for the past few days.
We went to Arby’s on
North Temple, and he got a couple of sliders and fried mozzarella cheese sticks,
and I just ordered some curly fries. They no longer carry sweet potato fries or
onion rings.
In the evening Kyle
Foote had a cute young man over and they sat in the hot tub for a while which
at 101 was probably cooler than the outside air.
16 June 2021 Wednesday
As I went out at 2:30 this morning to drive
over to Mike Romero’s, I saw a young man come out of the front entrance of Kyle
Foote’s downstairs. I was kind of sleepy so at first, I thought it was the same
kid who he had hot tubbed with yesterday, but he walked down the street to
another vehicle not the one I saw before. The warm weather must be making guys
horny for sex.
I Picked Mike up at
2:45 and he was waiting outside in the garage. It was still around 77 degrees. He
said the train was on schedule, so we drove to the Amtrak station on Third
South and Sixth West, and I waited with him for a while. There were more people
out that late to catch the train then I thought there would be. After he was
all checked in, I told him I should leave since I have my doctor’s appointment
and should try and get some sleep. I was back at the house by 3:30.
I went back to sleep
but was up by 6:30 any way so got up, to write some before heading out the see
Dr. Stoneburner at 9 this morning.
It
didn’t take long to see him, and everything was fine. It was just a checkup. We
visited more than anything else. He’s been in this clinic 29 years and he’s
been my primary care provider for more than 25 years. My weight was 187 pounds.
My blood pressure was 137/79 BMI 29.31 temperature 98, pulse 71 respiration 71
and oxygen Saturation 96 percent so I guess I’m doing fine. I come back October
18 at 8:20
I
asked him if he was taking on any new patients and he said his panel was full
so I explained that he would be losing Craig Hunter as Utah won’t be providing
him medical insurance any longer and wouldn’t be coming from Oregon any more
after this last visit. So, I asked him if he would take on Mike Romero as kind
of a swap. We have such a good relationship that he said he would and when Mike
calls to make an appointment he said just tell the desk he is a friend of mine
and that Dr. Stoneburner said that it was okay.
It
was hot today but not as bad as yesterday, so I stayed home the rest of the day
and cleaned a bit. I thought that Robert from Bountiful who contacted me from
Silver Daddy about coming over might come over this afternoon, but he never
responded back to me.
For
dinner I made some chicken fried steaks, potatoes and country gravy, and
creamed corn for Kyle and me. Kyle probably hasn’t had a home cooked meal in a
while.
In
the evening I started watching Hulu’s so-called documentary on Pride but turned
it off after it was nothing more than trans revisionist history, making the
movement all about the neo-LGBTQ agenda to negate the importance of Stonewall
to the homosexual civil rights movement and insinuating that non-binary issues
and gender issues drove the movement not freedom from persecution for our
sexuality.
They were interviewing
mostly Transwomen “writers” not historians and when one said it was not time
for Pride until everyone has their freedom I was disgusted as she didn’t
acknowledge at all that the concept of Pride rose from the need to eliminate
guilt and shame from being a homosexual.
Maybe the other
episodes would have been better but when one trans woman said that what the
rebellions by trans people before Stonewall was more valuable but just were
under reported because there were people of color involved. No evidence was
given for this, just her opinion.
They had no clue about
the North America Conferences of Homophile Organizations, or Gay Liberation
movements that sprung up on college campuses across the United States. I am
tired of the efforts of the Mattachine Society and the daughters of Bilitis
pioneering efforts being erased for a non-binary revisionist view of history.
Hell, Judy Garland’s
death had been completely erased from the Stonewall narrative, replaced with
psychotic Marsha P Johnson.
17 June 2021 Thursday
I watered deeply the back yard for about an
hour since the grass and plants were so stressed from the heat this week.
I went to the library
in the afternoon and returned a bunch of books and checked out some more
although I am still reading Dangerous Minds a Janet Evanovich mystery.
In the news a new
federal holiday was signed into law to celebrate Juneteenth, the day that
slaves in Texas were finally told by Union troops during the Civil war that
they were free.
When I went to bed, I
heard some idiots letting off fireworks over on Niles Street just to the north
of me. It’s illegal to set them off until 3 days prior to the 4th of
July and here in Rose Park we are in a red zone where it’s illegal anyway.
Everywhere you go more
than 40 percent of people in stores are not wearing a mask, many Mormons are
incapable of being honest in their dealings with their fellow man, but when the
Delta variant hits and things shut down again, they will be the first to scream
about personal rights
According to the UDOH
site, Delta is currently the dominant variant comprising 75% of sequenced
specimens. It was only in the 90’s today. Weird but that felt cooler.
18 June 2021 Friday
Juan Trejo’s cousin Angel and Juan’s son came
over this morning and worked on the hot tub enclosure by finish putting
shingles on the roof and building a gate
on the hot tub deck that goes down the side to beneath where the mechanics are.
Juan came over for a bit and they also built a gate for beneath the veranda
which eventually will all be enclosed with fencing.
I had to keep the pups
inside and I only let them out with me there to watch them not bother the
workers. I was worried a bit about Buster because he never went out on his own
all day but laid in his bed. I finally carried him downstairs at one point and
he was wobbly on his feet but probably stiff from laying on his side all day.
Kyle Foote was at the
house for some of the day working on his computer and being here to kind of
supervise the working being down on the decking. He was designing a program
that he had to get domain names and came up with a name called “Plan Pad” of
which he was proud. The site will allow anyone on his Build Team to access data
on designs and equipment. I don’t understand most of it but then I don’t have
to, I suppose.
In
the early evening we went to Chili’s in Centerville for supper. He wanted a sit-down
place. I had forgotten to bring a mask as we took his vehicle, but they aren’t
mandatory now and it felt really strange going into a restaurant for the first
time mask less but in Davis County hardly anyone wears one anymore.
We
just ordered Chips and Salsa and some steak fajitas that we shared. Kyle also
had a margarita. Kyle spotted someone who he had been in prison with sitting in
the restaurants. I could tell Kyle was really beat and afterwards I drove home.
I
saw there was a Blake Perez campaign sign on my lawn as I said they could. Two
Latinx are running for the city council seat a man and woman.
I
just spent the evening reading my book about the adventures of Emerson Knight
and Riley Moon from the Evanovich novel. It became really engaging and I read
about 12 pages before it was time to go to bed at ten.
It
was 102 degrees this late afternoon but heard it was 120 in Bull Frog, Arizona
where my sister Donna lives.
19 June 2021 Saturday
I had the strangest dream this morning. I was
with at some gay event, and I heard from someone that someone I knew was dying
so John Bennett appeared because I said I wanted to see him, and I held him and
told him I loved him and all that he did for this community and how few people
will ever know what he did for them.
Then talking to a
younger Gay person, I explained the positive and negative aspects that happens
coming out of the closet. I certain don’t know what was in my subconscious that
brought that all about.
I slept in until 6 this
morning which was strange for me and then went out and did some watering in the
back yard. The grass has gone mostly yellow and dormant from the heat but I’m watering
a bit anyway, so the roots don’t turn to dust. Some of the squash plants are
starting to have blossoms and there’s a couple of tomatoes growing. So, I guess
my little garden will survive.
It was another hot day
100 degrees and I did a little house cleaning, mostly mopping the floors,
vacuuming the lazy boy cushions, and doing laundry.
Downtown there was a
Juneteenth celebration at Washington Square. I bet they were really cooking
from the heat. I
wonder if Utah will try to rename the newest federal holiday like they did
Martin Luther King's birthday, changing it to just Human Rights Day for over 10
years just not to have to honor MLK. Surprise they haven’t renamed it
Junetrump.
I just stayed home this evening and finished
my Evanovich book and started reading another. I thought I’d give The Inspector
and Mrs. Jeffries another try, by reading the first in the series. It is so far
engaging because the characters are just being introduced.
I didn’t see Kyle Foote
all day. He was gone this morning and when I noticed his vehicle was back, he
never made an effort to come upstairs to see me or the dogs.
President Joe Biden and
First Lady Jill Biden posted that their 13-year-old German Shepherd passed away
today. I know their heartbreak. Can you imagine Trump caring as much for his
own kids as the Bidens did for Champ? So glad to have a decent man in the White
House again. Condolences to the Bidens.
May be its just me but I
think if cities are serious about no fireworks in so called red zones perhaps,
they should not allow firework stands in every grocery store parking lot. Where
do they think people purchasing these rocket launchers plan on setting them
off? There are 9 fires in Utah already and it’s not even summer yet.
20 June 2021 Sunday
Kyle Foote has fallen into a predictable Sunday
pattern. El Loco Pollo for lunch and sex with random cute young guys in the
afternoon. When I was vacuuming the windowsill, to get rid of all the dead
flies that seem to accumulate in the bay window, I saw two young men leave the
Casita towards their separate cars doing the walk of shame lol. Boys will be
boys.
I just read from the
Inspector and Mrs. Jefferies novel for most of the day. I think it was only in
the 90’s today. In the evening I did go out to the front yard and did a little
yard work trimming roses and dead heading blooms of flowers. It was actual quite
pleasant out this last day of Spring.
Today is Father’s Day
and the only photo I have of my two grandpas together was taken some time in
the late 1950s in Downey, California when both were 20 years younger than I am
today. Grandpa Louis Milton Williams 1902 -1978 owned his own cafe and was a
cook before moving to California in the 1940s to work in war factories. My
grandpa James Wilburn Johnson 1901-1994 was a farmer all his life in West
Texas. I guess I inherited a little bit of both their traits as I like to cook
and see things grow. I don’t have any living male relatives from the generation
before me to wish a happy Father’s Day...so Happy Father’s Day to my nephews
James Clark and Ken Jones
It upsets me when
fascists try to pretend that America is not a racist country, and I am so happy
for the new federal holiday recognizing the freeing of slaves. The evil of
slavery was misogynistic as it was determined on whether you were born into
slavery by your mother not your father. One slave mother was enough to
determine your life if it was your maternal line.
21 June 2021 Monday
It’s the first day of summer and Mike Romero’s
65th birthday. He called me in the late afternoon to say that he may
be late getting into Salt Lake tomorrow as his trip to Denver by train was
delayed by three hours. The excessive heat made some of the tracks unstable so
at some points the train only went 20 miles per hour. He said that Denver was
only 69 degrees today and had even rained yesterday. I told him that it was in
the 90’s today and suppose to get to 100 tomorrow and be hot for the rest of
the week. I told him how Dr. Stoneburner agreed to take him on as a patient.
I
was outside helping Kyle Foote when Mike called. Kyle wanted to paint his two nightstands
and get matching handles for the photo shoot of his Casita tomorrow. I went
with him to Lowes on 13th South because he asked. We went into the
store mask less, mostly because I had forgotten mine. Still feels kind of
strange.
Third
West is being worked on so there was traffic cones everywhere diverting traffic
to single lanes. What a mess that is going to be all summer.
I
cleaned the house and mopped some this morning as Craig Hunter wanted to stop
by for a visit. He’s here to get a checkup with Dr. Stoneburner and a
colonoscopy on Tuesday because his Utah health insurance ends on July 1st.
I have known Craig since 1986 when he was 25 and I was 35. Now we are old dudes,
but we survived the AIDS and Covid19 pandemics. That is something I suppose. We
had a good visit and showed him all the changes to the house and he took a picture
of me on my front porch that I really liked.
He
needed to go to Lowes in Bountiful and wasn’t sure how to get there so I had
him follow me and after saying goodbye I took the FIT through the carwash, although
it really didn’t need it, since I was in Bountiful. Afterwards went to the
Arctic Circle on Orchard Drive and ordered a hamburger and onion rings. Stopped
at Exxon’s Common Cents on the way home and bought a large Dr. Pepper fountain
drink so I was set for the day.
Kyle
surprised me by coming home around 1:30. He came home to prep his room and
while he was doing that I went and had my beard trimmed. I was getting too
bushy and now it’s too short. Oh well what does it matter? My days of being a
dream boat are long past, if ever.
I
also went to Lucky’s to get the pups a roasted chicken and items to make a
pasta salad, green and red bell peppers, broccoli, feta cheese etc., and
rotelli pasta.
However,
Kyle wanted China Delight for supper, so I went and down and bought him an
Orange Chicken rice bowl and egg drop soup. In the evening we took the pups for
a ride and went to McDonald’s where I had an ice cream cone and Kyle hand a hot
fudge sundae. So that’s how I spent the first day of summer 2021.
22 June 2021 Tuesday
It was a busy and hectic day with Kyle Foote
prepping his Casita and my upstairs bathroom for a photo shoot although I did
my bathroom by removing all person items and such. Kyle redecorated downstairs
to stage the place. I did little errands for him like run to Sutherlands to buy
some under the counter stick up lights. His crew man Mike Callahan came by
about 1 and was helping Kyle paint the front entrance to the studio apartment a
nice cheery Turquoise, more a green tint than blue which I really liked. There
was enough paint left over so I will paint the trim around the garage and the
front door. I hadn’t painted it since I painted it “welcoming orange” which was
kind of a tangerine.
I
put the pups in the bedroom with me when the kid came to take professional
videos for Kyle’s Build Team Web Site. It didn’t take all that long.
In
the late afternoon Kyle was exhausted from all the rushing around which he
really didn’t really need to do if he would have done some of this prep work
last weekend but oh well. He said tomorrow some of his crew guys are coming out
to haul away most of the construction waste so maybe I will get some of my yard
back.
We
went into Woods Cross for Kyle to order a pizza from the place he likes called
Mo Pizza in the shopping center that used to be the K-Mart’s parking lot. I
went with him and drove but didn’t feel hungry so didn’t have any.
I
had made pasta salad yesterday and ate some today and that filled me up. Kyle
retreated to his space after we embraced for the evening, and I finished
reading another section of the Inspector and Mrs. Jefferies series. I had been
up since 4:30 this morning so I kind of doze off a little in the lazy boy but
when I woke, I noticed that Kyle had a “guest” over, so I guess he released
some of his stress.
I
barely finished reading my book when I noticed that Mike Romero had left a
message that the train was in Provo and he would be in on time at 11:30. It was
11:20 so I gathered up Coco who was sleeping, put her in the car and was off. I
know she was confused with what the heck was going on.
Mike
was waiting at the depot when I arrived, and Coco was super excited to see him
again but kind of confused. He said he had a nice time with the Colorado gang,
but the train was a different matter. He said the dining car was closed to all
but those who had sleeper cars and that was never mentioned on their web site,
and he said the air conditioning was broken. There was also no water either and
the train had been delayed two and half hours going to Colorado due to the
excessive heat. I think his romanticized notion of train travel was not what it
was cracked up to be. It is kind of sad that America’s passenger
intercontinental system is such a letdown.
Mayor Mendenhall
ordered Fireworks banned in Salt Lake City but with little enforcement there
will be as much compliance as during the epidemic about social distancing. Judy
Garland died on this day in 1969.
23 June 2021 Wednesday
Today was a major
accomplishment as the garage was finally cleaned out of all the material and
items that had filled the north half of the space. Kyle Foote had three of his
Latino workers come over to haul construction debris to the dump and other
useful items to the storage unit on Center Street in North Salt Lake. I don’t
know their last names, but 35-year-old David, his brother Sylvester, and
Sylvester’s 15-year-old son Gordo worked all day here. I helped where I could.
As the garage was being
cleaned, I also got rid of years of stuff like old paint cans and objects also
stored on shelves., going through things I could still use and throwing out
other items. I threw away some things I had since the 1970’s that I thought I
wanted to keep but realized why bother. It was just clutter. Swept away some of
the cobwebs and I used the leaf blower to clear out all the grit and dirt that
had accumulated in the garage over the years.
I also went through the
Christmas and Fall decorations and hauled them back into the house beneath the
stairs. So, it was a really productive day, I think. It is nice to have the
garage back and empty again for sure. I know it really aggravated Kyle by the
accumulation of materials that was stored in the garage but then it was almost
all his tools and materials.
I fixed spaghetti for
our supper and fed the pups roasted chicken. It seems strange being back to
just 5 pups and it will seem even stranger when down to four when Jim Dabakis
returns in July.
It was only about 90 degrees today, which
strange as it sounds felt much cooler after it being in the high 90’s and 100’s
for the past week. I watered the backyard really well this morning at dawn
before the heat of the day began. Last year I had summer squash by this time
but since I planted everything from seeds this year they are just now
flowering.
Kyle replaced three
lamps he had downstairs that he said didn’t fit the décor so since they were
really nice and were more brass and beiger, I used them upstairs in the sitting
room. His downstairs is more grays, pewter, blues, and chrome. My upstairs is
more yellows, browns, and earth colors. I am more of a hobbit than Kyle is.
While reading my book
this morning, the dogs began barking and one of Kyle’s “guests” had come up the
front steps instead of downstairs to Kyle’s front entrance.
I remember my younger
days being a horny slut, so I surely don’t begrudge Kyle his time in the sun.
24 June 2021 Thursday
Well, all those Mormon prayers for rain must
have finally reached Kolob because we are having such a nice drenching
precipitation here in Westpointe. It sprinkled ‘off and on’ this morning and then
cleared up for me to cut back all my Russian Sage that was encroaching on the sidewalk.
I filled a yard waste bin, so it needed it. My yard loved the moisture we had
today.
Then I decided to paint
the garage trim. Yesterday the garage got completely emptied of construction
material. I had painted the trim and front door “Welcoming Orange” about 8
years ago. It was actually kind of a tangerine. I was getting tired of it and
Kyle had bought some turquoise paint the other day to paint the front of the
downstairs entrance. It’s more of a green blue turquoise.
So, I was out doing
that in the afternoon and got it done just before the rains came around 5. It
was a perfect day to paint because of the cooler weather. You can do so much
more when it’s not 100 degrees outside
I will paint the front
door tomorrow but right now this 70-year-old man is pooped. I did make a pot
roast for dinner. In the news Rudy Giuliani had his license to practice law
suspended in New York.
25 June 2021 Friday
I was up way too early at 4 this morning so
just got up and worked on my research on Second South in the 1880’s. I was able
to take a nap in the afternoon to make up for the lack of sleep.
The Latino crew of
Sylvester, David, Angel, and 15-year-old Gordo was over this afternoon
examining what it will take to tile the back patio. Kyle Foote was here for a
bit to go over the details. He had them take off my screen door off the front
door that I had for 20 years. It almost feels naked not having it there after
all these years. I said while it was being removed where will I hang my
Christmas wreaths now?
Kyle needed me to print
and scan some documents for him. It was the first time I’ve used the scanner in
ages and had to figure out how to scan the documents in a pdf form and email
them off to him. I did and was proud of myself.
In the news, I heard
that the city finally cleared out the homeless encampment down on the Jordan
River at Second North. I guess it was becoming a major health and environmental
mess. The majority of those there, did not want any help from the city to get
into any shelter and are content to be “urban campers” which is the politically
correct term for homeless camping out all over the city.
Also in the news, the police officer who
killed George Floyd received a sentence of 22 years in prison and I guess there
are more than 120 people missing in the multi-storied Condo that collapsed in
Florida.
I painted my front door
this evening since the weather was pleasant outside. I think it really looks nice
and cheerier. I did it with a minimal amount paint on my body or on the ground.
I called my sister
Donna Jones on her 72nd birthday. She said everyone was doing fine
and I guess that is the best one can say. Fourteen years ago, Chad Keller
committed suicide. He’s buried in a lonely little cemetery in Thatcher, Idaho.
26 June 2021 Saturday
I was out this morning around 7, watering the
front yard. It’s much cooler only about 70 degrees but will heat up later for
sure. It was kind of a lazy day, but I did have Kyle Foote attach a cast iron
welcome plaque that Rich Butler gave me a while back that looks really nice on
the turquoise door.
I
made some Shepherd Pie for lunch and did some shopping at Lucky’s. I needed to
get out of the house, so I drove over to warm Springs Park and went for a walk.
No one was around at all, even though it was a pleasant day out. I sat and read
some of my mystery book and finished it before coming home to feed the pups.
27 June 2021 Sunday
Not a lot to write about. I did start reading
another mystery called the Twelve Dogs Before Christmas. I needed to get out of
the house at one point, so I went to Warm Springs Park, did my lap of waking
around the trail up along the side of the hill which gets the old heart
pumping.
Kyle
Foote took his worker David Rangel out to lunch in Layton as next week is his
last week with the company and Kyle thinks he’s a good worker. He will be this
week to help Sylvester Rangel with laying the Terra Cotta tile in the back
yard.
Other
than that, nothing new around the house. Before heading to bed, I noticed that
Connell O’Donovan got banned from the Utah History Face book site by the
moderator because of him stirring up shit.
I wrote her “I am sorry you had problems with
Connell O'Donovan.” I have known him since 1988 and know he can be exceedingly
difficult to work with, likes to self-promote himself, and can be very
emotional.
I have been recording and documenting Gay Salt
Lake History myself for over 35 years and have my own Face Book site Utah
Stonewall Historical Society Lecture Series.
O'Donovan even has
resigned from the Utah Queer Historical Society because of his issues; by the
way I have spent the past year researching West Second South Street and city
blocks 64 and 63 from 1880 to 1980. What a fascinating little section of bawdy Salt Lake City that is so overlooked.
I enjoy your Face book page; just block critics and they will go away
Vikkie Housley Smith
wrote back “Thank you benedgar, that means a lot coming from you. I'll be ok. I
just mute them for 3 days and they forget all about it.”
28 June 2021 Monday
I was up early at 4
this morning and worked on my Second South project for about an hour before laying
back down. I must have fallen back to sleep as I woke when the doorbell rang at
7:30 with the Build Team here to work in the back yard. They mostly did a lot
of prep work for laying tile tomorrow by leveling out my patio with more cement
so the terra cotta tile will lay more evenly.
In the evening I cut
back my pink rose bush on the south side of the hoping that I might be able to
save it when Kyle Foote has the footers for bump out of the dining room.
Kyle said that he may take off for about a
week over the 4th of July. He hasn’t told me were, but he’s flying
out so I will be the one taking him to the airport.
This kid I met on
Silver Daddy emailed me this afternoon and said he was interested in meeting
me. His name is Kimball Edwards and we exchanged phone numbers so we can text
each other. I finished reading The Twelve Dogs of Christmas tonight. I enjoyed
it.
29 June 2021 Tuesday
Mike Romero dropped Coco off while he went to
Sam’s Club to buy tires for his truck. He’s going to take the trailer to
Wyoming over the weekend to visit his friend in Cheyenne.
I fixed several chili relleno
cheese casseroles today, so I gave the workers some for their lunch along with
chips and salsa. I made a batch for Mike Romero to take with him and have
another batch for Kyle and my supper this evening. I also cooked a squash from
my garden so it’s kind of a vegetarian supper tonight.
The dogs are tired of chicken,
so I baked them a meat loaf. I bet they will be picky about that too.
The paving stones are
being laid and it’s going to look cool, natural, and rustic, kind of like me
I don’t watch much
television anymore, just the news and then turn it off. I just read in the
evening. I’ve read three books just in the past week alone. I curl up with a
good mystery with TJ and Taco tucked in by my side while cozy in my lazy boy. I
just finished “Twelve Dogs of Christmas” by this mystery writer named David Rosenfelt:
a good easy read, witty, and a great story plus there's dogs
My power bill for June,
was $10. When last year it was over $300 with the hot tub and air conditioning,
so the solar panels are working and not adding pollution to the environment.
Tonight,
I had a sweet date with Kimball Edwards this handsome 24-year-old man I met
through Silver Daddy. He contacted me for a date tonight at 9 at his place over
at the apartments at 850 South Fourth West. When I left the house, I noticed
that Kyle had company also, so I guess we both were horny, but I think his was
from stress because when he came home from work, he said he was tired from a
really busy and stressful day.
Kimball
had sent me his picture, so I knew what he looked like, and he was attractive,
but I had no idea when I met him how incredible he was. He marked all my boxes
for what I find so attractive. He’s tall about 6 feet 2 inches, athletic build,
a cute little beard, and such handsome features. I was at once twitter-patted
and what was really amazing, I think I marked off his boxes too. He’s only
attracted to men fifty or older and I am all that. We were mutually attracted
to each other.
He
has a tabby cat who he named “Satan” which made me laugh so he’s a bit of a
rebel as he was raised in Pleasant Grove in Utah County.
He wanted to cuddle a lot,
so we got naked, and we kissed, cuddled, and spooned. He loved my attention,
and I loved his affection. I gave him a good back massage as he had gone riding
his bike before I came over.
He wasn’t a “do me”
queen but I had no problem sucking on him and eating him out. It had been ages
since I had wanted to do something like that with anyone. Usually, it was a
quick fuck and then gone, even with Kyle Daniels.
Kimball
is a top, but we saved fucking for later which to me was a great sign that he
wanted to be with me again. He did dry fuck me and came so he must have enjoyed
me.
Probably an old man’s
last attachment but I was thankful to hold a handsome strong man in my arms and
make love to him. It was 11 at night before I got home to bed. Kimball asked me
to text him that I made it home safely. That was so sweet of him, so I did. Hmmm I wonder if Kimball and I will become
friends as well as lovers. Don’t get a head of yourself, you foolish man.
30 June 2021 Wednesday
It’s the last day of an extremely hot June.
There’s a heat dome over the Pacific Northwest with temperatures in the 110’s
in Seattle and Portland. I know those people are suffering as most people there
don’t have air conditioning because they don’t need it usually.
I
slept well, still appreciating the wonderful time I had with Kimball Edwards
last night. It was kind of a Harold and Maude kind of encounter,
I did some watering
this morning in the front yard and pulled up much of the Larkspur in my flower
beds as they were starting to go to seed. The Build team people arrived about
that time to work laying down terra cotta and cementing the posts where the
dining room kick out will eventually go.
Mike Romero came over
to get his camping trailer ready to take to Wyoming for the holiday weekend. He
needed to go into Centerville to pick up his phone from Verizon where he had
the cracked glass replaced. I went with him for the ride, and we stopped at the
Arctic Circle in Centerville where he had a sundae, and I had a Dr. Pepper and
a hamburger. Coco helped finish the hamburger.
We drove back into Salt
Lake via Beck Street and Third West so I could show him the pioneer house at
464 North Third West that is tucked away off the street. Neither one of us had
ever noticed it before.
Kyle Foote came back to
the house to see the progress. My yard is like a construction site again, with
wheelbarrows, shovels, piles of dirt dug out of holes for the pilings. It was
much cooler for most of the day except it was in the 90’s but that seems cool
compared to the 100’s.
After the workers left,
Kyle said he left his lap top computer in the truck in North Salt Lake, so he
asked if I wanted to go with him to retrieve it. Of course, I did. We picked up
some supper at the Empire China Buffet in the Lee’s Market shopping center
while out. We had never tried it before.
Anyway, Kyle finally
told me where he’s going for his vacation and he’s going back to Puerto
Vallarta where Danny Montoya and he went last January. He had such an awful
time with Danny so hopefully now he can go and explore life down there without
a jealous nag hounding him. He’s leaving tomorrow and will be gone for almost
two weeks not coming home until Monday July 12th.
So, both Mike and he
will be away for the 4th of July, but I am glad to just stay home
with the pups and water my garden.
I started reading
another David Rosenfelt mystery this evening and read about 125 pages of “Deck
the Hounds” before stopping for the day.
In the news Bill Cosby
was released from prison because of a technicality from his trial and the Fire
Marshall declared Salt Lake City a firework prohibited zone.
So, the year is halfway
over now. Covid 19 cases are spiking again because of the Delta Variant.
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