JULY
1 July 2016 Friday
Tim
the electrician came out today and put in a new fuse.
2
July 2016 Saturday
Kent
McKay Scadlock-Good morning, Ben. Sorry it's taken me a bit to reply to this
message. If you are sure this is your decision, how would you propose we move
forward? I have some ideas for consideration.
As far as the money goes, I want to make sure you are reimbursed for
everything. I know you spent a lot of your own money on things. For the
Facebook page, I'd like to be able to keep the page we started. It'll be easier
and less confusing to GMA members. Is there a password associated with the FB
page that you can pass on to me? Lastly, how would you want to announce this
information to the GMA members? Would you like me to write something? I was sincerely hoping we could talk things
out and move forward together. Since that apparently can't happen, I would love
it if we could do this easily and seamlessly without causing any angst for our
members or for the three of us. Let me know what you think. Kent.
·
Edgar
Ben Williams There isn't any passwords for the page and as you are an
administrator you can still approve all members. You can add Charles back as an
administrator as well or leave it as it is. I still plan on attending your
sessions and will help you in any way you need. Perhaps you'll need to post a
call out for a 3rd person or perhaps a rotating facilitator. You and Charles
can figure it out. Charles will want to scrutinize all. After attending the
Community council, which I am dropping out of also, I can certainly see the
need for a group for Gay men. The
council is not amenable to Gay men's
concerns and Queer Friends packed the meeting with 6 out of the 14 people there.
It especially irked me, Charles Comments about older Gay men should get over
the word Queer or seek therapy on that FB thread. Charles has a totally
different vision for Gay Men Aloud than I. He wants an organization. He
wouldn't know what a tribe looks like if it bit him in the butt. Let him run
with his branding and see how it goes but I can tell you this...he will never
be really supportive of the men who need it... just his fan base and he will
give the group minimal support when it requires actually work for free.
Kent
McKay Scadlock All right. Since we're not meeting until August, we'll figure it
out. Thanks for everything thing you've done!
5
July 2016 Tuesday
·
Dear
Kyle, Hope all is well with you. Sorry I
missed your call last week. I was on my
way to a community council meeting at the library that started at 6:30 and
wasn’t over until 8:30. But I am not going to be going back and I am sure I
won’t be missed. The meeting was stacked
with Trans and bisexuals [excuse me I mean polyamorous and sexual fluids] who
did not care what the older Gay and Lesbians thought or had experienced. In fact one polyamorous girl said that the
problems they were having today were ones that were caused by older Gays and
Lesbians. They had proposed that the
council be called the Queer Community Council which I don’t have a problem with but I know a lot older Gay men have a
real dislike of the word Queer as most of the time it was used as a pejorative
to taunt and humiliate or was yelled before being bashed. To many in the older Gay men’s community it
is akin to using the word faggot. When
there was a discussion about the official name of the council I voiced that
queer would be a concern to the older Gay men’s community and suggested a
neutral term. I was totally dismissed and this Trans who would be outraged if I
called her a tranny, said in effect, that Gay men just need to get over it and
get educated. I thought who the fuck are you to tell these people who built the
table that you sit at that they need to be educated? So how do they purpose to
“educate” us by dismissal or by re-education camps like the Viet Cong did or
just hope we die soon? Well it re-confirmed
my belief that the communities that exist now wants the G & L to step aside
and let the B & T run the show and alone decide the agenda for everyone
else. But you know what? I am okay with
that. It’s their generation that let them make it work or muck it up. They
don’t have a sense of history anyway [unless they reinvent it to match their
political correctness of inclusion] .
They want to use the word Queer as an all-inclusive word as long as they
get to decide who’s included. It’s the
brave new world where gender doesn’t matter, genitalia doesn’t matter, where
being exclusively Gay or Lesbian is old fashion and even antiquated. Oh Well as I always say we built the
organizations we needed to survive let this generation build theirs. It doesn’t
affect me any truly because I am a part of the past and I am fine with that.
It’s warm and familiar and where most of the people I love exist. Before that meeting I was sitting in
the doctor’s office for 2 hours before I could get into see my physician. He had an opening which is very unusual for
him so I grabbed it. The day before, I went to urgency care for a rash on my
right leg that I get occasionally and the only thing that makes it go away is
this prescription cream. I went in just to get the prescription for it and
while there I asked the doctor what would be making me get up 7 to 8 times a
night to pee. This had been going on for nearly a week so I’ve been exhausted
most of the time. He thought it could be
prostrate problems. That is why I went
in to see my regular doctor to have a prostate exam. Usually an enlarged prostate will cause you
not to pee not make you pee excessively. I had that problem 15 years ago. Anyway he couldn’t feel anything wrong but a
urine test showed I had excess glucose which my body may have trying to expel
by excessive peeing. They tested my blood and my blood sugar was 168 high but
not critical. Anyway sent me home with
some antibiotics. I didn’t get out of the doctors until 5:30 and had been at
the office since 2:40… So rushing home I barely had time to feed the hounds
before taking off for the council meeting at 6:30. We might want to change the
day you call me. I re started the Utah Stonewall Historical Society and scheduled the Marmalade Library, [a new
city library on 3rd West and 5th North]
for the first Wednesday monthly at 7:00 pm until 8:30. In fact my first meeting
is this Wednesday…depending on when you call I should be able to visit. My first
topic will be Death In the West the murder of Gay People in Utah. I have a
whole list but will just cover only four of them, ones I feel had the most
impact on the community back then. My last letter to you was from June 13th. So I will try to get you up to speed on what
is happening here. I wrote you that I
thought my house was being jinxed. First the GFCI outlet in the upstairs
bathroom went out and my freezer downstairs almost defrosted and thawed all the
food in there because it was on that circuit. The wire in the GFCI actually
melted causing it to become defective. My friend Rich fixed that for me. Then
my heat pump wasn’t keeping the house cool. So I had a maintenance man come out
and $569 later the house was nice and cool for the pups and me. On June 20th
while Bill Poore was over having lunch all of a sudden I hear this clunk
beneath the sink. I look and my garbage disposal had fallen off and was lying
on the floor! Now how the hell does that happen? Bill Poore had just sliced up his finger the
day before and couldn’t do anything about it and I certainly couldn’t do
anything about it but fortunately a friend from Gay Men Aloud came over and put
it back on. A week later on the 27th
the air conditioning in the Cruiser was not working. I could not drive Coco
home with all the pups without air conditioning especially when it was over 100
degrees that week so had that repaired plus had the transmission fluid change
and that was $179 altogether… However the biggest expense which did not need to
occur was when my dryer went out the day before my garbage disposal fell off. The dryer, which was only about three
years old, would only turn the drum but would not shut off or heat up. I
thought what the crap now. On the 25th
Rich came over to look at it. Everyone said that it is cheaper to buy a new one
then have a repairman come out but Rich wanted to look at it. He took the back panel off and we took off
this one part and we had the appliance store people test it and it was still
good. So it wasn’t that then the other piece, which would have cost $130 to
repair, so we just would have had to buy it and hope that was the problem. Rich had found a new dryer out in Tooele for
$299 and I said let’s just go buy it because having a repairman come out would
have been $80 or more plus that part would have been $130! And no guarantee
that was the problem. Bought the dryer but it wasn’t in stock and had to wait
until Wednesday for it to be in but that was okay because Rich was going on
vacation for a week. When he came back, we went and picked up the dryer, hooked
it up and took the old one out to the dump with my old water heater that Rich
put in for me last year. So the next
day Sunday, I put in a load to dry and the new dryer was still not heating nor
turning off but only tumbling! So on Monday I call Rich up…frustrated… and said
what are the chances that this new dryer would have the same issues as the old
one? He immediately came over, flummoxed, but thought maybe putting on the old
cord was the problem so we went to Sutherlands and bought a new cord. It did
Nothing! When he was grounding the neutral wire he forgot to unplug the dryer
cord, because he was so frustrated, that he caused the plug to spark and blew
off one on the tines on the new cord! Thankfully Rich was not hurt but we said
we are done. I needed an electrician
because Rich was thinking the 220 outlet might be defective because of the same
thing that blew out my GFCI weeks before… Well last Friday I finally got an
electrician to come out, who was recommended by Amy Barry leave it to a dyke,
and he went right to my fuse box on the outside…he tested the 220 switch for
the dryer and it was dead. The 110 was fine which is why the drum worked on the
dryer. He pulled it out and replaced it and the service charge and part came to
only $110. And he was just as cute as can be but that is of little relevant to
the saga… So my dryer began to work and Rich and I came to the sad conclusion
that we had thrown away a perfectly good dryer that I had paid $450 for just a
few years ago. But how would we have
known? Rich checked the fuse box and they had not been blown or loose and
without being an electrician with a tester how would you know? No one thought
that a fuse had just gone bad. Well the house is 20 years old. All the other
220 fuses to the oven, hot tub, and heat pump were all good… but I learned a
lesson. If you are in an old house and your appliance is fairly new, have the
fuses checked before you go buying anything.
So I am finally hoping that the June Jinxes are over. The other big expense I had in June
was having my globe willows trimmed back. This guy came to my door looking for
work and talking to him he said he could trim my trees. He was a brother in law
of the Tongan family who lives across the street from me so I decided to hire
him. He said he would do it for $200. So
he and his wife came over and kids and I locked the dogs up and he began
climbing the tree and cutting off the dead branches some 16 feet long. Any way I knew this was a much bigger job
than $200 because he was going to do both willows so I told him I wanted to
give him another $200. I also gave them
an old chain saw that I bought for $100 that I could never get to work but he
did. Anyway it took two days to trim the
trees and now I have a huge pile of limbs which is still sitting there even
though apart of the deal was for them to haul it all away. It’s been over a week now and the branches
are still here. They call and they tell me that they are coming so I wait
around but then they don’t show. I’ve
given up on them but at least the dead wood is gone and limbs trimmed up which
in the 20 years since planting them they had never been done. So they did what I couldn’t do which was to
shimmy up the trees with a chain saw and none of the limbs fell and smashed
anything. I can always haul them out to
the dump myself in the truck or I suppose wait until neighborhood cleanup…
Don’t want to make a big deal out of it after all I have to deal with the
Tongan neighbors across the street and their extended family and would rather
not have them mad at me…the old Gay guy across the street. LOL So as you can
see June was a pretty expensive month for me.
Did you get back your TV yet? I hope you get it before the Democratic
Convention. I know you won’t want to
miss that with any fireworks the pseudo-Democrat Sanders might try. Read a news article that said 2nd place
runner ups don’t get to set the agenda…LOL so true and yet that is what Sanders
is hanging on for, hoping to do. I would like the platform to move more left
but not at the expense of losing the White House to Trump. In June I babysat
Rich Butler’s dog Miley for a week and now I am doing it again for two weeks as
he and his wife take a vacation to Northern California. He’s a good boy and
small but supper time can be a little crazy. When I am done babysitting Miley,
Alan Anderson and husband Kyle Daniels are going to Aruba so I will be
babysitting their two pups for a week.
July will be the dog days of summer for sure for me. But I am not planning on being out and
about. I enjoy puttering in my garden
and playing with Buddy, Harleigh, Maxx, TJ Mr Peanut, and Farley. I need to take Buddy sometime this month to
the vet to have this growth on his back lanced. It’s on his rump and is big as
a lemon. My one vet said to leave it
alone but I want another opinion. He’s
11 years old now and out lived his sister by 6 months now. I miss Daisy and Lucky every day but Farley
is so much like Daisy it’s like she is still here. Farley is so devoted to me I guess because I
rescued him. He’s always by my feet, gets up with me all night when I go pee,
whines when he doesn’t see me when I am in the front yard and absolutely cries
when I come home from somewhere…almost like a panic attack… poor little guy…
All the dogs rush to bark and say hi when I come home but not like Farley… he
actually whimpers and cries and jumps all over me. I have to sit with him a few
minutes to calm him down while he kisses me. I am officially resigned from Gay
Men Aloud… I just can’t stand to be around two-faced Charles Frost. I
officiated my last meeting on June 20 then Charles had said he was taking a
“hiatus” during July. He hadn’t shown up at any meeting since the last of April
and I had to do the first one because he skipped out. Kent had not been feeling well so in the
month of May I helped out by setting up the meetings and cleaning up
afterwards. In June the same thing,
Charles never showed and Kent asked if he could leave early… So when Brent
Marrott, Charle’s attack dog called me Toxic on the GMA’s FB page I had just
about enough of “Sir” Charles Frost so when I got a message from Kent wanting to have a meeting I just about had it
with him too… He was there as a witness to the ugly vicious things Charles
yelled at me last October. He knew how hurt, betrayed, and angry I felt. When
Kent told me how ugly a mutual friend of ours Connell ODonovan was too him and how he cut him out of his
life and didn’t want him joining Gay Men Aloud, I supported him… but somehow he
doesn’t get that I feel the same way about Charles and yet he keeps pushing us
together “for the good of Gay Men Aloud”.
Charles and Kent would never have been involved with it if I hadn’t
asked them to be a part of it. I conceived of the whole thing from its name to
its purpose but Charles started acting that he created it and his vision was to
turn it into an Organization and not a support social group. When Kent suggested that out numbers were
down because of the friction between Charles and I, rather than blame it on
meeting in a non-air conditioned heat filled meeting hall, I was done. How could anyone know there was friction when
Charles never showed and I never said a word that there were issues among the
facilitators. I was done with Kent
trying to push Charles on me when I’ve told him time and again how much I
wanted nothing to do with him. Then when Charles said we should meet without
guile or mistrust I was furious because I knew in his fucking Utah passive
aggressive way he was stating I was deceitful and could not be trusted. This is
the full conversation. Kent McKay Scadlock-I spoke with both of you over the
last couple of weeks and asked you to give me some time to come up with a
proposal on how to move forward with GMA. I enjoy working with both of you and
I am proud of what we've accomplished with GMA in a short period of time. I
love being a part of GMA and I've enjoyed getting to know this diverse group of
mature, gay men. The feedback I get from GMA participants reinforces the idea
that our group is wanted and needed. However, that being said, we could be
doing much better. I've expressed my frustrations to both of you of being
caught in the middle. I've also expressed my concern that the cracks are
starting to show from our current fractured working relationship. Attendance at
our meetings has gone from nearly fifty men per meeting to the fourteen
attendees at Monday's meeting, which reinforces my belief that the inability to
work together is impacting GMA negatively.
That being said, I'm proposing that all three of us sit down in the same
room and come up with a solution for communicating and coordinating our
meetings and events. All three of us need to be delivering cohesive,
well-planned messages for the benefit of our GMA members. I don't think it's
too much to ask that we work things out in a professional, positive way. If we
can't agree on an effective path for moving forward, I am going to step aside
and let you two decide the future of GMA. Sorry for the ultimatum but I don't
see another way forward and I will no longer be the middle man. I propose that
we meet in the next week or so to develop our plan. I want to know whether or
not to plan for August. Let me know what
you think. Kent Charles Lynn Frost Thank you Kent for your excellent
suggestion. I'm sorry you have had to be in the middle, that has not been a
pleasant job I'm sure. I wholeheartedly agree with your observations, feelings,
and proposal. IF GMA is to survive, be cohesive, and the vision all three of us
imagined at the outset--we must function and do so above board, honestly, and
without guile and mistrust. I think a private face to face is essential. A meeting
where ALL THE CARDS and issues are put in the table and respectfully discussed.
A true all feelings deal, where we either walk away in unison and what's best
for GMA, or simply walk away altogether. Should you leave the leadership of
this group Kent, I will be right behind you. Those are my sincere feelings for
what they're worth. Edgar Ben Williams I
think its best that I step aside and let GMA function without me. Maybe then
the numbers will go up. The difference
in the purpose of the group is too wide to reconcile. I am sure a third person
can step in or you two can reorganize GMA altogether. I will be turning in my
key to Dennis McCracken but I think Kent has one. We have $125 in the kitty.
$65 will be going to the Pulse Fund Me Account. $40 will go to reimburse me for
the securing Sunnyside Park for the GMA Pot Luck. That will leave you $20 to
start off with. If you want to start a new FB page under your own direction I
can delete mine. If you want to continue it I will leave it alone. Kent waited
a week to message me again and wrote “Good morning, Ben. Sorry it's taken me a
bit to reply to this message. If you are sure this is your decision, how would
you propose we move forward? I have some ideas for consideration. As far as the money goes, I want to make sure
you are reimbursed for everything. I know you spent a lot of your own money on
things. For the Facebook page, I'd like to be able to keep the page we started.
It'll be easier and less confusing to GMA members. Is there a password associated
with the FB page that you can pass on to me? Lastly, how would you want to
announce this information to the GMA members? Would you like me to write
something? I was sincerely hoping we
could talk things out and move forward together. Since that apparently can't
happen, I would love it if we could do this easily and seamlessly without
causing any angst for our members or for the three of us. Let me know what you
think. Kent. I replied “There isn't any pass words for the page and as you are
an administrator you can still approve all members. You can add Charles back as
an administrator as well or leave it as it is. I still plan on attending your
sessions and will help you in any way you need. Perhaps you'll need to post a
call out for a 3rd person or perhaps a rotating facilitator. You and Charles
can figure it out. Charles will want to scrutinize all. After attending the
Community council, which I am dropping out of also, I can certainly see the
need for a group for Gay men. The
council is not amenable to Gay men's
concerns and Queer Friends packed the meeting with 6 out of the 14 people
there. It especially irked me, Charles Comments about older Gay men should get
over the word Queer or seek therapy on that FB thread. Charles has a totally
different vision for Gay Men Aloud than I. He wants an organization. He
wouldn't know what a tribe looks like if it bit him in the butt. Let him run
with his branding and see how it goes but I can tell you this...he will never
be really supportive of the men who need it... just his fan base and he will
give the group minimal support when it requires actually work for free.” This was on a group message between Kent
Charles and I so I wasn’t talking behind Charles’s back. Then on July 4th
Charles posted in FB my private message between him and Kent about resigning
saying “FYI--GMA members. The following is an official communication from Ben.
GMA will continue after our July/Summer hiatus. Thank you, Charles &
Kent.” What a prick. He didn’t even let
me resign in my own way and say how much I enjoyed the group and being part of
its conception. Anyway then I hear from
Bill Poore heard from Charles that he wanted to take Bill to lunch “because he
considers him a dear friend and would not like anything to come between their
friendship”. I almost wanted to puke at the phoniness. Once an actor always an
actor.” He knows that Bill and I are close and wants to “mine” Bill for
information. And Bill knows that too. Charles has never once reached out to be
friends with him…if anything he has been very negative about Bill to me before
our quarrel. Well enough of that. I have
to register the cruiser this month and I am not sure when I will be down. When
I had the air conditioner fixed they said my radiator has a small pin hole and
might need replacing. It would be $500
but Mike said don’t worry about it unless I see some antifreeze leakage and I
don’t. Bill said to pour radiator leak repair in it but Mike says don’t because
that stuff can create more problems. Since Mike is a parts man I tend to follow
his advice. Well Great Britain let the crazies out and voted to leave the
European Union. It was pushed by the equivalent of the Tea Party Republicans
and now that it happened they say they have no strategy on what to do so they
left England high and dry. So now the
inept Tory Party [think Republican] has no plan on how to implement the break
with the EU and the former mayor of London and chief proponent of the leave the
EU movement Boris Johnson [think Donald Trump] has absconded to avoid the
problems his scheme created. Also now
Great Britain’s Prime Minister Cameron is resigning so he doesn’t have to deal
with the enormous task of separating from the EU. At the same time Scotland may
have another referendum to break away from England so they can stay in the EU…
Can you image the Queen having to have a passport to visit her own castles? LOL
Also Northern Ireland is frantic. They wanted to stay in the EU and they have
run out of passports for their citizens who need them to work in Ireland which
by the way is staying in the EU… Craziest of
all is that Northern Ireland may unite with their hated southern
neighbor so as to stay in the EU… The British Nationalists and their
anti-immigrants agenda screwed that country.
Worst case scenario is that American Nationalists and anti-immigration
idiots elect Donald Trump who is as clueless as Boris Johnson. Before you are
against something, you better have a plan of your own. Look at the GOP, voting
68 times to repeal the Affordable Care Act, without a plan of their own. What
is the definition of insanity? To do the
same thing over and over and over again and expecting a different result? Have you been able to watch any Big
Brother any this summer. I have mixed feelings about this season’s cast. Certainly glad they got out the obnoxious Gay
guy Jozea. Can’t BB casting crew find a
Gay character who isn’t obnoxious and high drama? I guess that red head Andy guy who won years
ago wasn’t too bad but everyone in the house turned on him LOL. That baseball player Corey from Texas is like
a giant clueless Ken doll…I guess there was some controversy when someone
discovered in one or two of his tweets he called someone a fag. I don’t think he’s homophobic like some try
to make out but just “Texas stupid” like when people use to say, “that’s so
Gay.” I guess in the house some cast members have made racist remarks about
James with some commenting that the house may be as racist as BB15 was when
blondie Aryn from Texas was rude to the black house guests. Oh well I’d rather leave the drama on TV
rather than in my own house. I don’t want to be a “butterkisser” LOL I have probably talked your ear off. I know you are getting anxious about time
passing too slowly but it’s July already. In six more months you will find out
what they have decided to do with you. It’s out of your hands… Just be strong
and know being an inmate is not the real you…It’s a temporary you. And when you
are out of there …you will have spent your time and you can be a new you a
better you and can be anything you choose to be…Just make sure you use your
intelligence, your charm, your ambition making better choices; first of all for yourself and second of all
for those who love you and believe in you.
You have a long life ahead of you make it count so when you look back
when you are my age you can say you have lived a life well lived. If we take anything with us when we leave
this mortal existence is our integrity and the love shared and received. If
there is a hell it has to be an eternity of regrets, shame, and disappointment
memories of how we harmed others. Two
quotes I loved from John Milton’s Paradise Lost are: “The mind is its own
place, and in itself can make a heaven of hell, a hell of heaven..” The other I think a lot about, while living
alone as I do, is “Solitude sometimes is best society.” As I was or ever shall be Your Friend Ben
11
July 2016 Monday
Happy
Birthday Tab Hunter a young 85 years old...I knew I was Gay when I first laid
eyes on Tab Hunter at a very very early age
12
July 2016 Tuesday
Bernie
Sanders finally admitted his defeat and threw his support to Hillary Clinton
mainly to defeat a Donald Trump presidency. So please no more talk of
Superdelegates by Hillary bashers... Bernie ran a good race...not so much many
of his “feel the Berne fans”...now can the bashing of Hillary stop among so
called Democrats...go on to defeat the real enemy ...the people who would
foster a Donald Trump on the a United States... However I am reading that rabid
Sander supporters are now turning on Sanders! Mike Lee and Jason Chaffetz are
pushing for religious freedom to discriminate against Gays and Trans but they
are just stooges for the Mormon Church...if the Mormon Church would not have
cracked down on homosexuality within their corporation this Bill would not be
even considered. They are carrying water for the General Authorities make no
mistake about that... Utah is like Alabama in the 1960s "Discrimination
today! discrimination tomorrow! Discrimination forever!" Keep your filthy
Mormon paws off our secular laws Lee and Chaffetz... Planned Parenthood of Utah
won their lawsuit against Governor Herbert! The courts said "Considering
all of this evidence together, we conclude that a reasonable finder of fact is
more likely than not to find that Herbert issued the Directive to punish PPAU
for the First and Fourteenth Amendment rights it has identified in this
litigation. In particular, we conclude that a reasonable finder of fact is more
likely than not to find that Herbert, a politician and admitted opponent of abortion,
viewed the situation that presented itself by release of the CMP videos as an
opportunity to take public action against PPAU, deprive it of pass-through
federal funding, and potentially weaken the organization and hamper its ability
to provide and advocate for abortion services. This seems especially true given
Herbert’s concession that the allegations made by CMP are unproven and in fact
false, and in light of the current political climate, including the efforts by
abortion opponents both in the State of Utah and nationally to defund Planned
Parenthood and its affiliates."
Maxx was barking up a storm and I kept telling him to come in and quit
that barking but as soon as I went back to typing out he'd go again...now I
know why...there must have been a skunk in the back yard...fortunately no one
was sprayed but my backyard stinks to high heaven...
·
Greg
Allen The concern is that enough Bernie supporters won't vote for Hillary which
might hand the election to Trump, which is frightening. I have a friend who is
so opposed to Hillary that he intends to vote for Jill Stein of the Green Party
for president. And indeed, we need major campaign reform. There should be no
"special" political super delegates unbound by their voters (hell,
the GOP doesn't even do that!) and I think the whole country should vote on one
day in June or something as part of a national primary to shorten this
maddening two-year cycle. It bodes well to have more viable parties and choices
such as what Canada has. More viable choices would be a good thing, I think. We
might not have had the awful presidency of W. Bush if those Nader voters had
stayed true to Gore.
·
Charline
Wachs Thank goodness no one was sprayed. You would still be bathing dogs
·
Roland
Ron Holmgren Skunks, squirrels, exotic birds...it's a jungle out there
13
July 2016 Wednesday
I
had Kent McKay Scadlock over to have lunch with me and to give tickets to Damn
These Heels Film Festival that I got from Michael Aaron. I wasn't going to use.
I fixed a broiled Ham and Cheese sandwich on a crusty rolls. It's been since
June that we had a chance to visit...for two retired guys we sure are kept
busy. He said that he is having surgery
in August that may lay him up for five weeks! I told him that if he needed me
to facilitate any of the GMA sessions in August I would help him out.
·
Kent
McKay Scadlock Thank you so much, Ben! Lunch was wonderful!!!
·
Alan
Anderson Aren't you special, Kent! When I go over there, I have to make my own
sandwich! LOL
·
Kent
McKay Scadlock Yes, I am special! 😘
·
Roland
Ron Holmgren Be glad you are invited.
·
Dear
Kyle, Hope all is well with you. It
was a pleasant drive back to Salt Lake just tiring. I checked my mail box and
your first letter arrived. On Monday your second letter arrived. I found a 5th edition on line for half the
price of a 6th edition so I bought that one. Order Number: 115-3071311-9069854 •Using and Understanding Mathematics: A
Quantitative Reasoning Approach (5th Edition) by Boston Book Store. Estimated delivery: July 21, 2016 - Aug. 5, 2016 I had the devil of a time trying to order
the textbook on Amazon because it kept saying that the Prison’s address was not
valid! I must have tried ten different
ways and each time not a valid address! I know I sent things before but it
would not let me proceed with the transaction.
I gave up and the next day I went on line to get some help but after
spending at least an hour there was nothing on line to address the problem if a
valid address is rejected. I finally had to go on google search because a
customer number wasn’t listed anywhere
on their webpage. I was able to talk to someone live who actually had to put in
the address herself and that finally worked but I noticed she spelled Jensen
Gensen and Boulder Bolder… she was not from the west LOL. So the library should be getting in a couple
of weeks. Nothing new here to report except when I came home on Saturday my
kitchen was filled with house flies! I thought I was in an Amityville horror
movie. I am talking a hundred or more, not just a few pesky ones. Bill Poore
was over that morning and knew my house was clean. I could swat like 5 at a
time because they weren’t buzzing around much. I had fly corpses all over my
counter top on the floor it was disgusting. I took a picture as proof. At first I thought there was just a dozen or
so when would have been too much but on the yellow kitchen curtain the setting
sun shone through and there were at least fifty or more on my curtain…There
seen anything like it. I have never seen
maggots in the house trash or even outside so how they could have come in
through the little doggy door in such a swarm is beyond me. The next door neighbors have chickens and I
hear that chickens can cause a lot of flies but never in my born days have I
ever saw anything like that. Beelzebub must have been in the house for
sure. I am still getting a few flies in
the house which is to be expected in the summer… but that was ridiculous…Well I
will close for now because I just want to get this in the mail so you will know
to keep a look out for the book. I will
write more later As I was or ever shall be Your Friend Ben
14
July 2016 Thursday
Kind
of shopping day for me this afternoon after leaving the genealogy library where
I spent five hours looking at deed records in the 1820s and 1830's. I am
researching my nephew Ken Jones family tree because that's the kind of nerd I
am...then I stopped at Sprouts downtown to get some cantaloupe they had on sale
for 98 cents each and some blueberries. I also bought some apricots and white
peaches. From there I went off to see Chuck Whyte while I was out that way...I
barely caught him as he was off for a doctor's appointment...he looked 100
percent better as he was running people down in his wheelchair. Since couldn't
visit long I went to Walmart afterwards for to buy another snow cone maker.
After 5 years my old one was worn out and I cannot go all summer without shaved
ice... I am not a barbarian... I also bought some discounted garden plants for
my back deck. The Pansies were about all dried up in this heat. They prefer
cooler weather. I repotted my pots on the deck but I need to get the leaf
blower out and clear out all the dried summer leaves. Since we haven’t had a
drop of rain either there are spider webs everywhere. Fixed the six pups their
roasted chicken and now time to relax and watch Big Brother. I don't can
anymore. I used to bottle tomatoes, peaches, and apricot syrup...those days are
over... But when I see summer fruit coming in I think I should but I don't. My
mom worked outside the home most of the time growing up...we didn't can except
maybe tomato chili sauce... My aunt Pauline in Texas who lived on the farm
canned everything and had a huge steam pressure for things that couldn't be
water bathed... I grew up in Garden Grove CA and mom just went grocery shopping
lol...we did have Japanese truck farms all over with veggie and fruit stands
and fields and fields of strawberries that you could buy at 25 cents a
carton...the smell of those fields were heavenly when they became ripe in late
spring. Garden Grove even had a Strawberry Festival to celebrate the
harvest...I doubt whether one field is left...Gone with the Drive-Ins of my
youth. I don't expect to have Harleigh and Farley forever when I adopted them
as senior dogs but the time we will get to share is priceless...yes I will cry
and grieve when it’s their time to cross the rainbow bridge but I will be happy
knowing I gave an old dog a good home when they needed one. In the news abroad
some mad man killer drove a truck into a crowd of people in Nice France who
were celebrating Bastille Day. Scores are murdered. So sick. Political Science 101 Republicans
want to exclude Gay and Trans people... Democrats want to include them... I
don't see how anyone can say they are Independent! WTF do You like about
Republicans that you'd vote for one? Jon Huntsman was the darling of the Independent...BS
he's a Mike Lee butter kisser... If you can't vote for the candidate that
represents the only party trying keep the fascist at bay...keep your so called
principles...but delete me from friends on FB... Tired of that craziness
...There was an article in the New Yorker that said “Hillary Clinton is an
ordinary liberal politician. She has her faults, easily described, often
documented—though, for the most part, the worst accusations against her have
turned out to be fiction. No reasonable person, no matter how opposed to her
politics, can believe for a second that Clinton’s accession to power would be a
threat to the Constitution or the continuation of American democracy. No
reasonable person can believe that Trump’s accession to power would not be.”
·
Darby
S Hinton They are very fortunate to have you Edgar Ben Williams!
·
Richard
Harmston A sweet man for sweet dogs!
·
Amy
Barry The GOP and Koch brothers have paid millions to ingrain their narrative
and hatred of Hillary in our minds. Some people will never let go of it.
·
Greg
Allen She is a helluva lot more honest than Trump! The article made a good
point too about her honesty checking out better than Bernie and Republicans
like Kasich through PolitiFact.
15
July 2016 Friday
The
month is half over and haven’t been keeping up with this journal much as very
little has changed here. It’s been in the mid-nineties for most of the month
without any rain so the yard is really drying out and I am watering at least
the veggie garden and any new starts every day. Nothing is ready to harvest
yet. I really haven’t worked much in the yard either. The Tongans had the nerve
to ask if I wanted them to do my sprinkler system and I politely declined. I am
not satisfied with the work I paid them $400 to do so why in the world would I
spend more money on them. I didn’t leave the house except to take Coco home.
Michael is off camping again this weekend. His yard is a frigging mess and over
run. I brought him half a cantaloupe from the two I bought at Sprouts the other
day. I watched Big Brother to see who got kicked out of the house but that is
all I watched on TV… Didn’t write much kind of listless day. Still fighting off
the flies. In the news Donald Trump picked his VP …Governor Pence of Indiana… a
tea party darling. Also there is a military coup going on in probably the last
stable country in the middle east, Turkey. The news is still filled with the
horrendous mass murder in Nice France on Bastille Day. Miley and Maxx have become nap
buddies...they like sleeping next to each other...hard to tell from this angle
but Miley is on his back...
16
July 2016 Saturday
Went
out to lunch with Bill Poore...we intended to go to Chuck aRama but there was a
line out the door... As waves upon waves of Mormon families descended upon the
place so we headed up the street to good old Village Inn ... Lots of good
memories there, of after group meetings
at the U. I had a Reuben and Bill had a Patty Melt...would that make a great
drag queen name? I didn't have any pie now I am regretting it lol... I saw
Pastor Curtis Price from the 1st Baptists at Village Inn and we chatted a bit.
He introduced me to his fiancée. Had no idea that he was divorced. then on the way home I drove by skid row to
show Bill how out of control 5th west has become...Hundreds of people living
like in a shanty town separated by the Rio Grande Station from the affluent
shoppers at Pioneer Park Farmers Market...most don't even realize the masses of
misery are on the other side of the building... Reagan to save a buck and take government out of providing
for the mentally emptied the mental institutions and filled our cities with the
homeless ... Another legacy of the Grand Old Party
·
Bill
Poore-I should have made you have pie, I know you wanted it....I went back to
5th West on the way home. I parked and watched the people for a while.
Alcoholic, drug addiction, mental illness. I have worked in treatment for
years, I know how those people got there but it is a sad statement on this city
that there are so many down there. It is almost like a futuristic world after
the apocalypse
·
Richard
Butler- We saw the same
thing (only worse) in Portland. Lots of tents under the overpasses, lots of
panhandling and lots of them just walking around and talking to themselves or
grabbing imaginary things from the sky. We had one at the pool in Roseville,
Calif. with their cart and belonging. She looked like a Meth addict. It took
the motel employee awhile to get her to move on. No police called (I liked
that) but still had to evict her from the premise.
17
July 2016 Sunday
Met
with Daniel Cureton the librarian and archivist for the Pride Center at this
coffee shop about 33 South and 9th East...he'll do great things if
they value our history and let him...gave him copies of the old Tryangle and
Bridge Magazines from 25 years ago and a copy of the Salt Lick from 1976... If
you need to clean out that closet I am sure he'd be happy to find a good home
for things...sad that there's no institutional memory anymore and so many are
so ignorant of Salt Lakes fabulous history of us colorful people.
18
July 2016 Monday
I'll
never regret being an educator of elementary kids when they are so
impressionable ...I taught them to be kind as well as cursive, taught them not
to validate other kids meanness as well as math, I taught them that there are
times we needed to be quiet so the girls could concentrate better and there
were times to be rowdy so the boys could concentrate better, taught them to say
the pledge but also that they didn't have to as long as they were respectful,
taught them that there was times we just needed to go outside and play kick
ball or run, I taught them that it was okay if the girls wanted to play
football with the boys, taught them that smear the queer was never an
acceptable game, taught them that good citizenship meant always voting, taught
them to sing the old folk songs as part of their heritage, taught them to be
creative with arts and crafts and in plays and skits, taught them that it was
okay to be different, taught them to respect the President who ever he was,
taught them more about the Native Americans than Mormon Pioneers, I taught them
I could apologize when I made a mistake and so should they, I taught them not
to say it was an accident but rather it was carelessness, I taught them that self-esteem
was built on doing ones best, I taught them what praise sounded like when they
heard none at home, I taught them that a male with a beard could be kind and
gentle yet require the best out of them, I taught them all this while buying
treats, providing a classroom money system, providing school material because I
only had a budget of $7 per student to furnish and buy everything my students
would need for the year and make my own study sheets because we had no text
books on anything other than Math and reading. I did all this while being
required to teach reading, spelling, grammar, writing, math, science, health,
social studies, economics, PE, art, music, dance, and theater each week.
Teachers are still the only profession that only gets paid once a month...no
other working people have to budget for a month between pay checks... So when
you hear people disparage educators with remarks like those "who can't...
Teach ... ". Tell them to shut their mouth.. Value is not the same as
price...The FBI said they were wrong about Hillary Clinton having classified
information on her private email server. For all of you that are still clinging
to the belief Hillary can't be trusted ... Boo hoo for you... Now will you shut
the fuck up? Political Science 101 for Republican Dummies. Stop calling
yourselves the Party of Lincoln. That train left 50 years ago when LBJ signed
the Civil Rights and Voting Acts. The entire South abandoned the Democratic
Party and switch its allegiance to the GOP including many high ranking Senators
like Strom Thurmond, The modern GOP is founded on racism! The South even ran
George Wallace as a third party candidate. Richard Nixon's Southern Strategy
was to adapt the GOP to the conservative prejudices of the South so much so
that long time liberal Republicans like Nelson Rockefeller where ostracized.
From that point on Republicans have been pro Military, pro states’ rights, pro
NRA and pro Christian supremacy. They are not the party of Eisenhower who sent
federal troops into states to protect the rights of black children. To keep the
Southern strategy afloat in order to deregulate all the safety nets to protect
Americans from unbridled capitalism, the GOP adopted the Christian Right's
opposition to Women's rights [ERA], A woman's right over her reproductive
system, anti-Gay and Lesbians protection laws, fair treatment of migrant farm
workers and climate change. With the Moral Majority on their side the wall
street capitalists and bankers were able to use the GOP to bust up Unions,
deregulate banking and big businesses, and turn governance of the country over
to corporations' CEOs. The GOP is NOT about fiscal responsibility or smaller
government or personal liberty... It’s about unchecked capitalism, bigger
corporations, controlling the masses by exploiting their ignorance and
prejudice. "No
difference between Trump and Clinton? Are you fucking kidding me? That’s not
just stupid, it’s stupid at a cellular level. It’s metabolically stupid.
Seriously, if you believe this your cytoplasm must have been replaced with
stupidplasm. " I wished I had said
that... It's mind boggling how stupid people can be...
19
July 2016 Tuesday
I
am without the cruiser for a while while I have a new transmission put in it...
The cruiser is only worth $2000 and it will cost about $2000 and I'd rather pay
that then buy a $20,000 hatchback if you can find one...besides I know what I
have put in the cruiser and wouldn't if I bought someone else's problems.
Besides I only want a vehicle to give my pups a ride in...I still have my
Sonoma which still runs like a gem.. May be in a year or two I will get me a
minivan to tool around in with the hounds...this evening I had to attend a seminar
at the U of U for bariatric surgery....the parking garage elevators and stairs
were blocked off so it was like a hot maze trying to find a way up to the
hospital...The Republican Party National Convention has officially become a
shit storm...the norovirus causes uncontrollable diarrhea and vomiting... The
irony never stops. How insane is it for the Republican Platform to promote
conversion therapy for Gay people and then introduce Trump with the music of
Freddy Mercury, the greatest Queen of all, followed with Trump looking like he
was emerging out of Gay Bathhouse Steam room? Michelle Obama is a graduate of
Princeton and Harvard Law School... She is hated by the GOP ...but Melania
Trump, a first year drop out of a communist university in Slovenia who made a
career modeling using her porn looks before becoming arm candy to the Donald,
is their darling... Tells you a lot about what the Republicans value in
women... How can Mormons
look their children in the eyes and say I will vote for Trump even though he's
the antithesis of every moral principle I am trying to instill in you... I
guess hypocrisy is the new family value... Maybe that is the reason over 600
teenagers killed themselves last year in Utah with public health officials
saying move on nothing to see here.... I
take no credit for this "How is she trying to be 1st lady when she's
already his 3rd lady LOL". Little known fact ... Donald Trump’s father in
law was a card carrying member of the Communist Party in Slovenia and although
Trump embellished his wife's biography she was a college dropout not graduate
as claimed... For all you
"I hate Hillary so I won’t vote" just remember Pence will be a heart
beat a way from the Presidency and if Trump resigns like Sarah Palin [because
they both have a Sesame Street attention span] guess who is going to be YOUR
President because you couldn't vote for Hillary...and picking the Supreme Court
justices you live under for the next 15 years. A Utah delegate said she was
reduced to tears by two Trump supporters after Utah's attempt to block Trump
from receiving the GOP's presidential nomination. "You should die," she said they told
her. And this bitch delegate from Utah was crying because the other Republicans
were mean to her but will continue being a Republican and vote for Trump in the
Fall because Clinton is not to be trusted...LOL Glad the Utahns got away from
their Utah County bubble and had a taste of what they dish out to Gays in this
state. Shut up bitch. You cried. Boo Hoo So What! Everybody cries. If you had any doubts that the GOP is
the party of racists look no farther than Rep. King of Iowa. Even in front of
an African American woman he had the stupidity and arrogance to say that all
major contributions to civilization were made by White People without also
saying the some of greatest atrocities in history were done by White
People...The British Opium Wars, WWI and WWII, the Stalin pogroms, the genocide
of native Americans, the enslavement of the people of Africa. Did King ever
think that Thomas Jefferson and George Washington had the leisure time to
become educated and achieve great and lasting concepts because they had hundreds
of Africans toiling and sweating under the Virginia sun with no compensation
except meager room and board? We would not have had the Declaration of
Independence nor that matter the Constitution if not by the sweat and blood of
African Americans who were whipped and beaten into submission so that white
people could have their fine houses and education. Perhaps if black would have
been allowed their freedom and education too ,they might just as well have read
the works of the English and French Enlightenment too.
20
July 2016 Wednesday
I
received a call from the Bariatric Clinic at the U of U this morning...I was
rejected because I wasn't fat enough and I said I well certainly wasn't going
to gain weight for them... Actually relieved but back to taking insulin... I
guess I should join some exercise program... but one with a sauna and steam
room with plenty of eye candy if I can eat real candy... That would be a real
motivator to get my ass out of my chair. Utah Lake is closed because of toxic
algae. Hey Utah County Republicans, how's that small government working for
you? Hmmm, no former Republican Presidents, all the Bushes stayed home, hmmm no
former Presidential candidates, Mitt Romney, John McCain, hmmm no Rubio, no
Cruz, no Kasich, no Lindsey....largest no vote in Republican history since
1976...all of Utah delegates voted for Cruz... Yep such a united party... But
Crafty Hatch says let Trump learn on the job...put the government in the hands
of a sociopath businessman with strong ties to Vladimir Putin whose never put
anyone's interest above his own because of a pathological hatred of Hillary
Clinton who they created a false narrative and one they fear...Talk about
insanity...On 13 June 2016 Donald Trump says he's better for LGBT people than
Hillary Clinton...Then he picks Governor Pence as VP... This man is a
sociopathic liar and I guess that his supporters are either the most gullible
people on the planet or just as sociopathic. My tongue is bleeding from biting
it to hold my tongue and not say anything about Ted Cruz...Its killing me. He got booed off the stage for not endorsing
Trump the Chump. And it appears the idiot who plagiarized Michelle Obama’s
speech for Melania Trump is a graduate of the U. If there's dirt Utah has to be
in the middle of it. Plagiarizing runs in this family. It's YUGE! Donald Trump Jr. said: “Our schools used to
be an elevator to the middle class. Now they’re stalled on the ground floor.
They’re like Soviet department stores run for the benefit of the clerks and not
the customers…” Compare that to the article in the American Conservative by
Frank H. Buckley: “What should be an elevator to the upper class is stalled on
the ground floor…Our schools and universities are like the old Soviet
department stores whose mission was to serve the interests of the sales clerks
and not the customers.” Sad that Republicans don't have an original thought in
their heads and have to "conserve" words from past individuals as
their own. Attribute people! "As FH Buckley once said" is not that
hard to do. "As Michelle Obama once said." How hard is it to
attribute a quote? Trumps been saying he wrote "Art of the Deal" when
a ghost writer wrote every bit of it and I guess plagiarizing is a family
trait... But they are so rich they don't give a shit. Integrity is for the
masses. Mormons can’t get into the Temple is they are dishonest with their
fellow man but I guess it’s okay to vote for a swindler, adulterer, and
charlatan as they have an R behind their name. Donald Trump Jr- "Our
schools used to be an elevator to the middle class, Now they’re stalled on the
ground floor. They’re like Soviet-era department stores that are run for the
benefit of the clerks, and not the customers.” FH Buckley-"What should be
an elevator to the upper class is stalled on the ground floor. Part of the
fault for this may be laid at the feet of the system’s entrenched interests: the
teachers’ unions and the higher-education professoriate. Our schools and
universities are like the old Soviet department stores whose mission was to
serve the interests of the sales clerks and not the customers." Besides
being ignorant this is a slap in the face of every educator in America who was
hamstrung by George W Bush's No Child Left Behind big government interference law.
Well I guess even I can play only so long in the cesspool called the Republican
Party. I am going to get out wash myself off put on some clean thoughts and go
back to posting pictures of dogs and what I am having for supper. Staying in
the cesspool and pretending I am at beach like Republicans do is dangerous to
my mental health and damaging to my soul. I can only take so much ignorance and
meanness in one place. Unless someone is shot I am out before they take me off
to the funny farm where life is beautiful all the time, and I'll be happy to
see those nice young men in their clean white coats. Trumps main advisor is an
operative to the Russian Ukraine back ousted President who has strong ties to
Vladimir Putin. Trump s own record saying how much he admires Putin and this is
the Republican nominee? None Dare call it treason
21
July 2016 Thursday
101
today and all next week 100 degrees...Monday broke an all-time morning low of
81 degrees... Been around 78 in the morning for much of the rest of this
week... Hot time in the summer time...sweet Miley went home today and was he
glad to see his daddy Rich Butler...the next batch arrives tomorrow with Dingo.
Lol I am watching Donald Trump’s body language as he gives his acceptance
speech with the sound muted and my God how he gesticulates like Il Duce the
fascist dictator of Italy who rallied the masses with an appeal to the
greatness of their Roman Past...by chanting make America Great Again you are
basically saying America is not great now and you are essentially looking
backwards instead of forward...Donald Trump wants to repeal marriage equality
does that make America great again? He wants to build a way between Mexico and
the US does that make us great again? He wants to repeal the ACA does that make
America Great Again? He wants to privatize Social Security does that make
America Great Again.... He's a bankrupt man pandering to a bankrupt ideology...
I think America is pretty damn great and will become greater still under Madam
President Clinton. Looking out across the faces in the Q Arena all I can see is
the walking damned...How in the world are we expected to believe that
Republicans can make America Great Again when they have chosen for President
someone who has never made his own bed his entire life? Remember the ridicule
George Senior Bush received for not knowing how a grocery checkout works?
Magnify that by 100 times... This man is all platitudes and thinks the art of
the deal is to bully people into submission... If you think Donald Trump is a
role model for your children and Melania for your daughters you are one very
sick bastard... Am I the
only one who thinks the delegates to the Republican National Convention should
be put on a domestic terrorist watch list? Evidently they are emotionally and
mentally unstable and full of rage and hate and have access to stockpiles of
assault weapons...
22
July 2016 Friday
David
Sharpton died on this day so long ago. This morning I worked on the Sacred
Faeries Chronicles to give to Daniel Cureton, the Pride Center’s library and
archivist. I went down there after Darby Hinton and Jesse Dolce brought Dingo
his schnauzer over this morning about ten am to join my mutts for the weekend
while they are off to Huntington Beach. Poor Dingo pooped almost immediately as
he came in the house after the guys left. Separation anxiety. We had a light
shower this afternoon ..dried almost as quickly as it hit the ground but the
pups all had to sniff the clean air. It’s hard to make the bed up with a Dingo
on top of it...everyone ate well...Dingo loves roasted chicken it seems ... He
ate all the Science Diet dental nuggets too so he will have clean teeth... At 9
taking Alan and Kyle to the airport and Corky and Bhanni will be spending the week
Dingo made himself at home ....I guess ....schnauzers have to cuddle.
Apparently, Hillary Clinton was to announce her VP pick to staffers in her
Brooklyn headquarters at 3 PM, today but it's delayed because she chose to go
to Florida and lay a wreath at Club Pulse. Call her all the names in the
book... I still love Mrs. Clinton. I guess she picked Sen. Tim Kaine of
Virginia as her running mate. I don’t know anything about him. I guess I need
to educate myself. Boy are the
Bernie-bots mad that a more socialist candidate was picked. The difference
between German fascism of the 1930s and American fascists of today is
strikingly similar...the Weimar Republic saw German as a Democracy ....
National Socialism rose to power fueling fears and blaming Germany's problems
on outsiders. The difference between Hitler and Trump is that with Hitler he
laid everything on the table in Mein Kampf...with Trump he makes up everything
on the fly...Hitler was driven by pathological nationalism Trump is driven by
pathological egotism... I don't see how the religious right can trust a word
that comes out of his mouth except that they don't care about this world only
the promise of a better one after death. And the Republicans claim to be strong
on defense by choosing a commander in chief who wants to leave NATO
defenseless? Who is tRump truly working for? Was that the National Republican
Convention or the New Reich Convention...law & order... Strong man... Build
a wall around Mexicans...build a platform based on fear that out siders are polluting
the purity of America... Corporation and State ... Harken back to a mythical
former days of glory.... Praise foreign strong men... Scapegoat a non-Christian
religion... America has always flirted with Amerika now they are dating...
Donald Trump’s brags he will protect the Gay and Trans communities from foreign
terrorists ... I don't need to be protected by Donald Trump I need protection
from Donald Trump....
23
July 2016 Saturday
Alan
Anderson and Kyle Daniels brought Corky and Bhanni to come stay with me until
next Saturday while they are off vacationing in Aruba. They came about 9:30 at
night and I took them in Kyle’s car so it can be parked here. So this weekend I will have 8 dogs staying
with me over the fucking fireworks Pioneer weekend. Well Dingo is checking out
Corky wondering what kind of riff raff they let in Club Fernleaf...TJ is
pissed...he's burrowed under the sheets and growling at everyone to settle done
...Harleigh has joined us on the bed...he's frightened by the noise from the
fireworks and feels safe that daddy will keep him safe... TJ is still mad and under
the sheets. Corky and Bhanni I guess found their spot for the night... What was
that show Eight is Enough? Maxx took Harleigh’s bed in the closet and Buddy and
Farley are nestled on the carpet...Dingo is laying on my foot, Harleigh laying
with Bhanni and TJ is under the covers...maybe I should have invited Miley for
a slumber party. Everything was going great until Corky decided to jump on TJ
who was under the covers...now everyone is awake...he also decided he wanted to
drink out of my water glass...so I have get up and get another glass of water
to put by my bed. I have voted Democrat for 45 years and have NEVER once been
disappointed in my choice. How many Republicans can say that without lying?
Don't believe the losers who say, "I'm not voting because Sanders lost or
there's no difference between the Democrats and Republicans". Bull Shit.
The GOP adopted the harshest anti-Gay platform in their history and that saying
a lot and Clinton picked one of the most pro equality candidates as her running
mate. If you have any Gay relatives or friends you might as well go slap them
in the face whether you plan on voting Republican or not voting at all! If this
offends you good!
·
It
is obvious that Donald Trump and his henchmen want America to become a nation
of fearful people, afraid of Gay people, trans people, black people, Hispanics,
Muslims, uppity women, and especially of Hillary Clinton ...someone need to
tell these Republicans that we have nothing to fear but fear itself...wait
someone already did.
·
Go
ahead and whine over Hillary Clinton's emails and how unlikeable she is and
dishonest. Go ahead ... but in whose interest is Donald Trump working? For
Americans or foreign Billionaires?
·
Do
you Utah Republicans know that Paul Manafort, Donald Trump’s top adviser, has
ties to Vladimir Putin's pro-Russian politicians in the Ukraine? Do you Orin
Hatch and Mike Lee? Paul Manafort, the adviser hired by Donald Trump to add
stability and institutional know-how to Trump’s often scattershot presidential
campaign, has long and deep reported ties to pro-Russian politicians in
Ukraine. So much that he had Donald Trump intervene in the GOP National
Platform to change the Republican Party’s position from the United States
providing military assistance to Ukraine to noninterference.
·
At
the RNC Trump indicated that he is willing to walk away from our allies in
Eastern Europe, wants the United States to pull out of NATO, severely
underestimating the damage done by Russia in Eastern Europe. He is already on
record speaking glowingly of Russian Strong Man President Vladimir V. Putin. At
the RNC Trump indicated that he is willing to walk away from our allies in
Eastern Europe, wants the United States to pull out of NATO, severely
underestimating the damage done by Russia in Eastern Europe. He is already on
record speaking glowingly of Russian Strong Man President Vladimir V. Putin.
24
July 2016 Sunday
Yikes
my blood sugars spiked today. This morning it was 195 at lunch 295 and before going to bed it was 191. I knocked
off all the crap and in the evening when it was much cooler I went out to get
some exercise working in the yard. It’s been thirty year now that I saw
beautiful Billy Bikowski riding on his mountain bike wearing cutoffs up to the
bulge in his crotch flashing me that smile as he rode through Liberty Park that
made me fall in love with him. I see that Charles Frost has sent a message to
GMA members that he is putting the group on hiatus until September. He said it
was because Kent McKay Scadlock was scheduled for surgery in August even though
I told Kent that I could help him in August if needs me. Charles implied it was
a joint decision so that is disappointing to me that Kent is just going along
with Charles who scheduled two lectures in September and no discussion group at
all. One is a panel of “experts” on aging with AIDS and the other is a
moderator led meeting on physical needs of aging people. Well he’s getting his way but for how long
without being paid?
·
Okay let's see if
I have this right...Donald Trump and his party members are against immigrants,
although his grandfather was an emigrant from Germany and his mother was an
emigrant from Scotland. So that makes him a 1st generation American on his
mother's side and 2nd on his father's. He marries Ivana, an immigrant from
communist Czechoslovakia, and Melania an immigrant from communist Slovenia,
daughter of a communist official...His 2nd wife Marla was an American, a
Georgia beauty Queen that he screwed while married to Ivanna and had Tiffany
Trump out of wedlock...yeah he's got them Republican Family values.
·
Again
who is this so called billionaire working for? Why is Vladimir Putin so
interested in getting this nonpolitician who has never held office, never had
to be held accountable, has never done anything except in his self-interest....?
If Obama or Clinton had the ties Trump has with the old Soviet bloc there would
be hell to pay... It seems that Russian hackers may be behind the WikiLeaks
scandal. Conservative hatred of Hillary stems from the fact she didn't stay
home and bake cookies... In the words of Rush Limbaugh she was a feminazi and
Scott Baio called her a C word...when Bernie supporters and Republican
operatives tell a lie about someone repeatedly it begins to stick...Ask Richard
Gere he knows how lies stick and replace reality...
25
July 2016 Monday
Pioneer
Day Holiday but not a federal holiday so Kyle Foote should have gotten his math
book by now and the Doggies all survived fireworks last night and puppy piled
on the bed...my blood sugars were way out of whack yesterday so worked really
hard to bring them down. 136 this morning. I think I let things get out of hand
because I was going to have bariatric surgery which would have put my diabetes
into remission...so I wasn't testing and let my diet get kind of loosey
goosed... But they said I wasn't fat enough and I am paying the price for all
them ice cream sandwiches I'd been eating... So I guess back to being Draconian
and pricking my poor fingers once again... Diet and exercise the bane of my
existence...but I got pups depending on me to keep up my health....It is so
hot... My tomatoes are blistering underneath from radiated heat from the
ground... Tomatoes do not like days and days of 100 degrees. Its gonna stay
over 100 all this week. Rich Butler dropped by to look at the truck and wasn’t
long after that when Michael Romero came to drop his trailer off. My Cruiser is
still in the shop having the transmission fixed and now the clutch in my Sonoma
truck is going out...oh vey! Poor baby puppies are having car rides
withdrawals... It's like some strange heterosexual gypsy curse has been put on
me...Sweet Dingo was happy to see his daddy and go home...Very good dog sad to
see him leave.
·
Now
to see what kind of mess Bernie fanatics will make of Democratic unity... I
watched the Democratic Convention in Philadelphia. The head of the Democratic
Party resigned over some Russian leaked emails about sabotaging Sander. I
listened to Cory Booker and Michelle Obama who I love what she said that what
is done in the White House effects children and how Hillary has never quit on
anything in her life. Next came Elizabeth Warren who attacked Donald Trump as
an asshole and Bernie Sanders spoke last and said Hillary must become the next
president... I saw a lot of young Bernie Sanders supporters crying knowing he
won’t get the nomination. Well get use to disappointment kids. However earlier
some were booing when Bernie said people should vote for Hillary. This is the
reason so many of us Democrats had trouble with The cult of Bernie Sanders...
Bernie Sanders supporters are so vicious they even attack him... Their
vitriolic behavior is what turned off so many times of his followers.
·
The
woman who adopted little boy and named him Wylie sent me an email on his
progress this pretty boy who wasn’t so pretty when I rescued him... “ I wanted
to take a minute to keep you updated on Wylie! He's a love as you promised he
would be! He settling right in! Seems to be the head of the pack! He's now
eating twice a day and having a greenie for his dental every evening! He loves
my husband! Loves to play 'I’m gonna get you!' He loves balls too! Throw it and
he'll retrieve it! What fun he has been! Still working with him to give him a
haircut! Shears some! Clippers, ain't having it! It's going to require more
time and patience! If you have any suggestions, I'm open! Had him checked out
at my vet! He's in good shape! Seems to think he is closer to about three
years! He sends his love! hope all is well! Take care!”
26
July 2016 Tuesday
On
this historic day a woman was nominated on the Democratic ticket for President
of the United States! Bernie Sanders graciously turned all his delegates over
to Hillary although a few sore losers walked out. I have not heard back from
Stephen Bolinder and Harleigh and Farley are desperately in need of grooming.
Harleigh poor guy had a really dirty butt and stayed in the bathroom waiting
for me to wash his behind. I called Paul Walsh who was recommended by Jon
Michael Huggins as a groomer and made an appointment for August 8 in the
morning. It was the soonest I could do it.
I tested my blood sugars this morning and it was 100… so much better
than 295 on Sunday! But I have been
trying to watch what I eat. If I am not having bariatric then it’s my lot to
keep my blood sugar monitored. I’ve had diarrhea much of the morning. Not sure
what that is all about. Maybe the heat but I don’t seem to be over heated in
the house. I finished what I spent nearly a month on, researching and writing up 45 pages on Enoch
Jones [1764-1844], a distant ancestor of my nephew Ken Jones. I am obsessive...
Now maybe I'll take a break and do some of my own writings and clean my house.
Who says you'll get bored during retirement? Some people take a voyage cruise.
I cruise the past in my own wayback machine. ...I just need a Poindexter to go
with me on my adventures. Some on Facebook think I am pretty vocal about
politics but I am passionate about the lives of my friends and family who would
be harmed even devastated by a Republican victory in November... The
Republicans since the 1980 platform has done everything in their power to
degrade, insult, criminalize, and kill my lovers and friends... I lived through
the 80s when Republicans laughed at 100s of thousands of Gay folks who were
dying and living in constant fear... I lived during The savings and Loans crash
of the 80s that wiped out millions of dollars of the middle class because of
Republican deregulation... And again in 2008 when the housing market
collapsed... I saw the republicans pander to the worse in Christianity to give
rise to a theocracy built on the gospel of prosperity instead of helping the
poor...I saw The Republicans empty out the mental institutions, bust the
Unions, go to war in the Middle East for oil profits, deny science if it interfered
with their profits...Republicanism has become a disease on the body politick
and by not voting or throwing your vote away is the height of irresponsibility
as an American Citizen especially when Republicans are doing all that they can
to take away your right to vote...
·
Anyone
else worried why this man has such ties to the Russian Oligarchy? Do
billionaires like Trump give a crap about you? But Republicans will vote for
him anyway.
·
Robert
Reich
·
1.
Trump's debt load has grown dramatically over the last year, from $350 million
to $630 million. At the same time, he’s been blackballed by all major US banks.
·
2. Post-bankruptcy, Trump has become highly
reliant on money from Russia -- most of which has over the years become
increasingly concentrated among oligarchs close to Vladimir Putin.
·
3. Paul Manafort, Trump's campaign manager and
top advisor, spent most of the last decade as top campaign and communications
advisor to Viktor Yanukovych, the pro-Russian Ukrainian Prime Minister and then
President whose ouster in 2014 led to the on-going crisis and proxy war in
Ukraine. Yanukovych was and remains a close ally of Putin.
·
4. Trump's foreign policy advisor on Russia
and Europe is Carter Page, a man whose entire professional career has revolved
around investments in Russia and who has deep and continuing financial and
employment ties to Gazprom, which, in turn, is part of Putin’s financial
empire.
·
5. Over the course of the last year, Putin has
aligned all Russian state controlled media behind Trump.
·
6. The Trump Camp was totally indifferent to
the Republican Party platform, with one exception: They changed the party
platform to eliminate assistance to Ukraine against Russian military operations
in eastern Ukraine. Not incidentally, this is the single most important issue
to Putin.
·
7. Trump is also suggesting the US and thus
NATO might not come to the defense of NATO member states in the Baltics in the
case of a Russian invasion -- another important issue to Putin.
27
July 2016 Wednesday
My
Blood sugars are at 136 not bad This would be funny if it wasn't so pathetic
that the Republican Party picked this man to be their choice for President...he
tells the press the other day he never met Putin yet at a debate he bragged
they were chummy... How is this acceptable to what use to be the Grand Old
Party before they filled it gun nuts, racists, haters, and homophobes who carry
water for the rich..
28
July 2016 Thursday
Skipped
my blood sugars It was the of the a long summer from August 26 to August 29,
1968 the last few weeks before summer was over and my Senior year in high
school would start. I watched in fascination the Democratic Convention. LBJ had
declined to run for a second term. The Democratic party was in shambles. Nixon
was the Republican nominee for president. We watched the Democratic Party
transform before our eyes as the old conservative fraction was replaced with
the New Left. If you think America is divided now you weren't alive in the
sixties and old enough to be aware... 1968...The Tet Offense showed the war was
not being won. Martin Luther King was shot in April, Robert Kennedy was shot
during the California Primary...Mayor Daley controlled Chicago... This is a
clip from Medium Cool which most of you never heard of it...it’s a documentary
with a fictional story line...This is real footage in color.
This was the time that Hillary Rodham became a
Democrat and I cemented my conviction that we needed to reform the Democratic
Party. This is what a Revolution looked like not just being petulant and
calling Hillary Clinton names. I know what disappointment it is not to have
your candidate nominated for president. I was an unwavering Eugene McCarthy
supporter, the Bernie Sanders of 1968. And all though I could not vote until
1970 when I was 19 I have still been a loyal Democrat. Bill Clinton brought the
Democratic Party back from the brink...even though he’s been severely
criticized as a centralist... All the Democrats over 60 know how he saved the
Democratic Party and Hillary Clinton will bring back progressives... You can be
sure of that. This was a report from 1984 over 30 years ago Any one available
to help me haul some branches out of the backyard tomorrow Friday July 29 say
about 6? Shouldn't take long. Neighborhood cleanup is Monday. I could do it but
then the dogs would have to be locked up a lot longer than if several of us
just got it done... Mormon and fundamentalist Christian hypocrisy... they
crucified Bill Clinton over his infidelity and humiliated him in from of his
wife, child, and millions of American children...I know I was a school
teacher...
29
July 2016 Friday
Blood
sugars at 126 this morning. No cruiser still…the car is still in the
shop...hopefully next Monday .. Kids are dying for a ride. My car registration
was due this month...guess that isn't gonna happen... I went down to the Barber
College in Midvale to get a haircut. The young kid didn’t do as well a job as
the guy there before but it was good enough. Super-hot today. I water as much
as I can and everything still is trying out. I am getting a few tomatoes. I
worked hauling all the limbs and branches from the back yard to the curb since
Monday is cleanup day. The Tongans said they'd come and help Monday but as
reliable as they aren't I didn't trust them to be here. They were so flakey
before about coming over. I put out a call on FB for help. Jesse and Darby
offered to help yesterday but kind of last minute and I wanted to watch
Hillary...only Bill Poore and 70 year old John Cooper offered and I was not
about to have either one die from a stroke in this hit so just did it
myself...I only have twigs and leaves to rake up and I can do that anytime... It
only took about two hours because I could only drag a few branches out as a
time. Then as I was about to go to bed Don't ask me how but Harleigh knocked
the fly strip off my lamp by my desk and I hear him whimpering and he's stuck
by the lazy boy with a fly strip with dozens of dead flies stuck to the fur on
his back...just spent 20 minutes shampooing dead flies out of his fur and
trimming with scissors some of sticky that the shampoo didn't wash away...poor
guy but he's nice and clean now... Never a dull moment ...and I just wanted to
relax after hauling all those branches and limbs to the curb... No rest for the
wicked I suppose. The father of a Muslim-American soldier who was killed in the
Iraq War delivered a passionate appeal at the Democratic National Convention
for voters to support Hillary Clinton, accusing Republican Donald Trump of
sacrificing "nothing" and "smearing the character" of
religious minorities like his family. Khizr
Khan
·
Orin
Hatch has put loyalty to the Republican party over loyalty to our country...he cannot
in all good conscience say that Donald Trump is fit to be President of the
United States and Commander in Chief of our armed forces. If war criminals like
George Bush and Dick Cheney and Donald Rumsfeld can't even support Trump you
know Trump is a disaster for America. Sometimes all it takes is fearful stupid
people for evil to Trump... Obama is a Kenyan, Clinton is a crook, Trickle Down
Economics works, Climate Change is a hoax, the earth is only 6,000 years old
and flat... The Republican Party cares about you...
30
July 2016 Saturday
Blood
Sugars at 125 this morning. It was 102 degrees today and I was inside the house
much of the day doing laundry and cleaning up the flies by the front bay
window. There were over 50 or more dead flies on the ground. Still not sure
where they are coming from. I don’t keep the kitchen door open and I know not
that many are flying through the doggy door. So mopped the floor, did laundry
and worked on organizing my Articles for the Q I have written over the past 12
years. Except grocery shopping I didn’t get out of the house until this
evening. Alan Anderson and Kyle G. Daniels made it home from Aruba about 9 pm
and I went out to pick them up. Corky and Bhanni were of course jubilant to see
them again...so my dog days of July are over... Miley, Dingo, Corky, and Bhanni
are all back home with their daddies and mine are all on a newly made bed... So
all is right in my part of the world...
31
July 2016 Sunday.
I
slept pretty well last night although the dogs woke me up early for their
treat, Blood sugars at 121 so fixed French Toast, ham and eggs for breakfast
and shared with the pooches. I think they are all glad the company has all gone
home.
·
Dear
Kyle, Hope all is well with you. I am
well enough for a 65 year old man I suppose. Here it is the end of July and I
for one is glad to see it go. Not only has it been over 100 degrees for the
past ten days, I hate having to holidays where people shoot off fireworks and
scare the dogs to death. If they would
limit it strictly to just the 4th of July and the 24th
that would be one thing but around here 3 days before and 3 days afterwards.
Firecrackers and whistelers are bad enough but this year they are allowing
these mini cannons that do nothing but make noise like you are under artillery
fire. It must be a nightmare for any
veteran with post traumatic syndrome. I hope you received your math book, okay.
After all the rigmarole I went through to get the right address they sent it to
me anyway. Good news I had it within 3 days so I just paid book rate and had it
mailed to Gunnison myself. You should have received it on July 25th
according to the post office. I guess the most expensive thing this month was
that the transmission went out in the Cruiser.
When I ran an errand for Chuck about two weeks ago when I put the car in
reverse it felt like it was slipping and didn’t want to engage. But once I had it in drive it was okay. The
next day as I was trying to back out of the garage to take Coco home same thing
it was not engage and just moving sluggishly but once in drive it was fine.
Mike looked at it and said that reverse was usually the first gear to go and
that I would need to either get rid of the car or replace the transmission. The
Cruiser is only worth about $2000 and a new transmission would cost that much.
Since I had all this work done last year like the timing belt which was also a couple of thousands I
decided to just have the transmission rebuilt rather than buy another car.
Since I am retired I don’t need to drive every day to get to work, I thought
why have a car payment. I paid off both
the Cruiser and the Sonoma last September.
So anyway since the 17th I have been without the
cruiser. Hopefully I can get it back
tomorrow. The pups are dying for a ride and in reality that’s the main reason I
bought that car was to give the pups a ride otherwise I would just use the
truck…But also my truck then started giving me concerns. A couple of times it would not start with the
clutch pressed in… nada zilch but when Mike and Rich looked at it, the truck
started just fine. They said the clutch
is just fine but the starter solenoid may be going out or just is dirty and
sticking. So one more thing to worry
about I suppose. I am just grateful I
was not down in Gunnison when all these car problems began. Bill Poore and I
went to Village Inn about two weeks ago and I saw Curtis Price there. I was
surprised when he introduced me to his “fiancée”. I thought he was married but
somewhere along the way I guess he’s got divorced and is now engaged. I didn’t
think I ought to pry but I thought you might think this is interesting. I was pretty home bound this mouth with doggy
sitting. I had Miley, Rich Butler’s
pooch for 16 days. Then when he went home some friends asked if I’d watch their
dog over Pioneer Day Weekend as they went to Huntington Beach. I said sure
since he was a Schnauzer and just as sweet as can be. His name was Dingo. And
while I had him Alan and Kyle dropped their pups Corky and Bhanni off while
they went to Aruba for a week. At one
point I had Buddy, Harleigh, Maxx, TJ, and Farley my five plus Coco, Dingo,
Corky, and Bhanni. Everyone got along
fine except it was over the 24th and at various times I had at least
6 dogs huddling on the bed wanting me to protect them. Now that I am down to five now it seems like
I don’t have any at all. Feeding the
crew was a logistic issue since I feed them roasted chicken thighs and gizzards
making sure everyone got their own food and no one was being a hog. My tomatoes
are ripening now but so many of them burned up from the incessant 100 degree
heat. Tomatoes can’t take that kind of heat and it’s been way too hot to work
in the yard all though I tried to water and trim. The Tongans never came and took away all the
limbs and branches they trimmed on the two Globe Willows that I paid $400 to
have done. But the curbside cleanup is
happening tomorrow so Friday I just dragged and hauled them all out to the curb
myself. I asked some friends on FB is
they could help but I guess everyone was busy so I did it myself. Had to lock
the dogs up for 2 hours because the side
gate was wide open. I felt almost crippled by the time I was done because it
was so repetitive because I could old drag one or two at a time. My hand was what hurt the most but I was
grateful that I am still strong and healthy enough to still do that kind of
stuff and of course I had the hot tub to
soak my old carcass in. Speaking of old Carcass, I went to my Bariatric Class
to learn all about the procedure and turned in all my paper work and then the
next day I get a phone call saying I wasn’t fat enough! My body mass weight wasn’t high enough… Well
one part of me was really relieved because I didn’t want surgery but on the
other hand I was looking for a way for my diabetes to go into remission. I wasn’t doing it to lose weight anyway but
for diabetes and other health issues like sleep apnea. I had been eating like a crazy person for
much of July thinking that since I was going to have bypass surgery and not be
diabetic any more what the heck. But
when I was told no dice… I started testing my blood sugars again. 295! I nearly
fainted. But am watching my diet more and exercising [that’s a lie] and all
this week it’s been down to average 125. Really haven’t had anyone over for movie
nights or dinners since July was my dog days of Summer. Haven’t been out and
about or anything. My social outlet had
been Gay Men Aloud but I quit it and Charles has put the whole thing on hiatus
until September. But I am doing a Utah
Stonewall Historical Society series the 1st Wednesday of each month
at the Marmalade Library and that will keep me busy enough in the community and
I will probably start having my Movie Nights again in the fall when people stay
home more. How are you enjoying Big Brother 18. I see that your guy Frank was
voted out last Thursday. I have really come to enjoy James this year, which is
surprising to me. I hate Michelle and
what’s up with that stupid hair cut Paulie did to imitate Paul. I kind of like Victor too. I didn’t at first
because he thought he was God’s gift to women but now he seems a little more
humble and likable. I still have the flies in the house. I have no idea where
they are coming from. Not just a few pesky ones but dozens of them. I have fly
strips all over the front room and kitchen and I have to replace them every
other day because they get loaded with flies.
I have never seen anything like it the 20 years I lived here. Can’t wait for colder weather to kill them
all. Well I watched a little of the Republican Convention but it make me want
to puke. So this is who the Republicans
want to be the President of the United States; Someone with no military
experience or public service experience. Political Science 101 for Republican
Dummies. Stop calling yourselves the Party of Lincoln. That train left 50 years
ago when LBJ signed the Civil Rights and Voting Acts. The entire South
abandoned the Democratic Party and switched its allegiance to the GOP including
many high ranking Senators like Strom Thurmond.
The modern GOP is founded on racism pure and simple! Richard Nixon's Southern
Strategy was to adopt the conservative prejudices of the South to enlarge the
GOP. Long time liberal Republicans like
Nelson Rockefeller where ostracized. From that point on Republicans have been
pro military, pro states’ rights, pro NRA and pro Christian supremacy. They are
not the party of Eisenhower who sent federal troops into states to protect the
rights of black children. The GOP needed to keep the Southern strategy afloat
in order to deregulate all the safety nets that were put in place by the New
Deal and the Great Society to protect Americans from unbridled capitalism. The
GOP adopted the Christian Right's opposition to Women's rights [ERA], a woman's
right to control her reproductive system, anti-Gay and Lesbians protection
laws, fair treatment of migrant farm workers and climate change. With the Moral
Majority on their side the Wall Street capitalists and bankers were able to use
the GOP to bust up Unions, deregulate banking and big businesses, and turn the
governance of the country over to corporations' CEOs. The GOP is NOT about
fiscal responsibility or smaller government or personal liberty... It’s about
unchecked capitalism, bigger corporations, controlling the masses by exploiting
their ignorance and prejudice. When I hear people say “there’s no difference
between Trump and Clinton” I want to yell “Are you fucking kidding me? That’s
not just stupid, it’s stupid at a cellular level. It’s metabolically stupid.
Seriously, if you believe this your cytoplasm must have been replaced with
stupidplasm." It's mind boggling how stupid people can be...How insane was
it for the Republican Platform to promote conversion therapy for Gay people and
then introduce Trump with the music of Freddy Mercury, the greatest Queen of
all. And then followed with Trump looking like he was emerging out of Gay
Bathhouse Steam room? Michelle Obama is a graduate of Princeton and Harvard Law
School and she is hated by the GOP ...but Melania Trump, a first year drop out
of a communist university in Slovenia, who made a career nude modeling using
her porn looks before becoming arm candy to the Donald, is their darling. Tells
you a lot about what the Republicans value in women. All these nude photos are coming out
featuring Melania. I wonder does the GOP consider Melania Trump a health
hazard? According to Utah, Porn is the
number one health issue in the state. Even the National GOP platform says that
Porn is a national health crisis...don't get me wrong Melania is an adult ...
She can do what she wants...but the Republican hypocrisy is staggering. How can Mormons look their children in the
eyes and say I will vote for Trump even though he's the antithesis of every
moral principle I am trying to instill in you... I guess hypocrisy is the new
family value... Maybe that is the reason over 600 teenagers killed themselves
last year in Utah [with public health officials saying move on nothing to see
here].... Little known fact, Donald
Trump’s father in law was a card carrying member of the Communist Party in
Slovenia and although Trump embellished his wife's biography, she was a college dropout- not graduate as was
claimed. In fact after the plagiarism
Melania’s whole biography was taken off of Trump’s web page. I heard someone say,
"How is she going to be 1st lady when she's already his 3rd lady
LOL". Okay let's see if I have this right...Donald Trump and his party
members are against immigrants, although his grandfather was an emigrant from
Germany and his mother was an emigrant from Scotland. So that makes him a 1st
generation American on his mother's side and 2nd on his father's. He marries
Ivana, an immigrant from communist Czechoslovakia, and Melania an immigrant
from communist Slovenia, daughter of a communist official...His 2nd wife Marla was
an American, a Georgia beauty Queen that he screwed while married to Ivanna and
had Tiffany Trump out of wedlock...yeah he's got them Republican Family values.
If you are rich your family can do anything. If the GOP thinks Donald Trump is
a role model for American children and
Melania for America’s daughters then they
are very sick bastards... At the Republican Convention the Utah
delegates all voted for Cruz and then were reduced to tears by two of Trump
supporters after Utah's attempt to block Trump from receiving the GOP's
presidential nomination. This one woman
was told "You should die". This bitch delegate was crying because the
other Republicans were so mean to her but she will continue being a Republican
and vote for Trump in the Fall because Clinton is not to be trusted...LOL Must have been a real shock for the Utahns
once away from their Utah County bubble
to have a taste of what they dish out to Gays in this state all the time. BTW
Did you hear that Utah Lake is closed because of toxic algae. Hey Utah County
Republicans, how's that small government working for you? If you had any doubts
that the GOP is the party of racists look no farther than Rep. King of Iowa. Even
in front of an African American woman he had the stupidity and arrogance to say
that all major contributions to civilization were made by White People without
also saying that some of greatest atrocities in history were also done by White
People...The British Opium Wars, WWI and WWII, the Stalin pogroms, the genocide
of native Americans, the enslavement of the people of Africa. Did King ever
think once that Thomas Jefferson and George Washington had the leisure time to
become educated and achieve great and lasting concepts because they had
hundreds of Africans toiling and sweating under the Virginia sun with no
compensation except meager room and board? We would not have had the
Declaration of Independence or that matter the Constitution if not by the sweat
and blood of African Americans who were whipped and beaten into submission so
that white people could have their fine houses and education. Perhaps if black
would have been allowed their freedom and education, they might just as well
have read the works of the English and French Enlightenment too. Did you notice
no former Republican Presidents, no former Presidential candidates, Mitt
Romney, John McCain, no Rubio, no Cruz, no Kasich, no Lindsey and all the
Bushes stayed home, hmmm. If war criminals like George Bush and Dick Cheney and
Donald Rumsfeld can't even support Trump you know Trump is a disaster for
America. Trump did receive the largest
no vote in Republican history since 1976. All of Utah delegates voted for Cruz.
Then senile Orrin Hatch says let Trump learn on the job. Yes let’s put the nuclear codes in the hands
of a unstable sociopath businessman with strong ties to Vladimir Putin. Trump
has never put anyone's interest above his own and because of a pathological
hatred of Hillary Clinton which Fox News and Toxic Radio created a false narrative,
talk about insanity. Last June 2016 Donald Trump said he's better for Gay
people than Hillary Clinton. Then he picks Governor Pence as VP. For all the
Bernie Supporters who say "I hate Hillary so I won’t vote” I keep telling
them just remember that Pence will be a heart beat a way from the Presidency
and if Trump resigns like Sarah Palin did governor [because they both have a
Sesame Street attention span] guess who is going to be YOUR President because
you couldn't vote for Hillary. Hillary Clinton’s announcement of her VP pick of
Sen. Tim Kane was delayed because she
chose to go to Florida and lay a wreath at Club Pulse. Call her all the names
in the book... I still love Mrs. Clinton. America has always flirted with fascism now
they are dating... Donald Trump brags he will protect the Gay and Trans
communities from foreign terrorists ... I don't need to be protected by Donald
Trump I need protection from Donald Trump.... Thank God for the Democrats. Then there’s his bold face lie of saying he
had never met Vladimir Putin. After calling on Russian hackers to break into
Democratic email servers, he said he was being sarcastic and that he had never
even met Putin even though at one of his debates he said he and Putin were
chums. This man is a sociopathic liar and I guess that his supporters are
either the most gullible people on the planet or just as sociopathic. Consider
these facts: 1. Trump's debt load has grown dramatically over the last year,
from $350 million to $630 million. At the same time, he’s been blackballed by
all major US banks. 2. Post-bankruptcy,
Trump has become highly reliant on money from Russia -- most of which has over
the years become increasingly concentrated among oligarchs close to Vladimir
Putin. 3. Paul Manafort, Trump's campaign manager and top advisor, spent most
of the last decade as top campaign and communications advisor to Viktor
Yanukovych, the pro-Russian Ukrainian Prime Minister and then President whose
ouster in 2014 led to the on-going crisis and proxy war in Ukraine. Yanukovych
was and remains a close ally of Putin. 4.
Trump's foreign policy advisor on Russia and Europe is Carter Page, a man whose
entire professional career has revolved around investments in Russia and who
has deep and continuing financial and employment ties to Gazprom, which, in
turn, is part of Putin’s financial empire. 5. Over the course of the last year, Putin has
aligned all Russian state controlled media behind Trump. 6. The Trump Camp was totally indifferent to
the Republican Party platform, with one exception: They changed the party
platform to eliminate assistance to Ukraine against Russian military operations
in eastern Ukraine. Not incidentally, this is the single most important issue
to Putin. 7. Trump is also suggesting the US and thus NATO might not come to
the defense of NATO member states in the Baltics in the case of a Russian
invasion -- another important issue to Putin. Republicans claim to be strong on
defense but they chose as commander in chief a man who wants to leave NATO defenseless. Who is Trump truly working for? Do Utah
Republicans know that Paul Manafort, Donald Trump’s top adviser, has ties to
Vladimir Putin's pro-Russian politicians in the Ukraine? Does Orin Hatch and
Mike Lee? Trump’s is on record saying how much he admires Russian Strong Man
President Vladimir V. Putin and this is the Republican nominee? Someone asked
Stephen Colbert if Trump was on his show what question would he ask him and
Colbert replied, “I’d ask him how Putin’s dick tastes.” And Orin Hatch can you believe that he has put
loyalty to the Republican party over loyalty to our country! He cannot in all
good conscience say that Donald Trump is fit to be President of the United
States and Commander in Chief of our armed forces. I watched Donald Trump’s
body language with the sound muted as he gave his acceptance speech and my God
how he gesticulated like Mussolini …Il Duce.. the fascist dictator of Italy who
rallied the masses with an appeal to make Italy Great Again. By chanting “make
America Great Again” Republicans are basically saying that America is not great
now and are essentially looking backwards instead of forward. How in the world
are we expected to believe that Republicans can make America Great Again when
they have chosen for President someone who has never made his own bed his
entire life? Remember the ridicule George Senior Bush received for not knowing
how a grocery checkout works? Magnify that by 100 times... Was that the
National Republican Convention we witnessed or the New Reich Convention...Law
& Order... We need a Strong Man... Build a wall around Mexicans...build a
platform based on fear that outsiders are polluting the purity of America...
Corporation and State ... Scapegoat a non-Christian religion... Sounds
frighteningly familiar. Looking out
across the faces in the Q Arena in Cleveland all I can see is the walking
damned. Donald Trump wants to repeal marriage equality how does that make
America great again? He wants to build a wall between Mexico and the US, how
does that make us great again? He wants to repeal the Affordable Care Act, how
does that make America Great Again? He wants to privatize Social Security How
does that make America Great Again? He's a bankrupt man pandering to a bankrupt
ideology.... This man is all platitudes and thinks the art of the deal is to
bully people into submission... I loved
the Democratic Convention in Philadelphia. What a contrast. I listened to Cory
Booker and Michelle Obama who I love what she said that what is done in the
White House effects children and how Hillary has never quit on anything in her
life. Elizabeth Warren basically called Donald Trump an asshole. I admired
Bernie Sanders when he spoke last and said Hillary must become the next
president... I saw a lot of young Bernie Sanders supporters crying knowing he
won’t get the nomination. Well get use to disappointment kids. I know what
disappointment it is not to have your candidate nominated for president. I was
an unwavering anti- Viet Nam Candidate Eugene McCarthy supporter, the Bernie
Sanders of 1968. However, earlier some
were booing when Bernie said people should vote for Hillary. Some Bernie
Sanders supporters are so vicious they even attack him... I remember watching
my first Democratic Convention in August 1968 the last few weeks before summer
was over and my Senior year in high school would start. Nixon was the
Republican nominee for president. LBJ had declined to run for a second term and
the Democratic Party was in shambles. I watched the Democratic Party transform
before my eyes as the old conservative fraction was replaced with the New Left.
If you think America is divided now you didn’t know the sixties. The Tet Offense showed the war was not being
won. Martin Luther King was shot in April. Robert Kennedy was shot during the
California Primary. Mayor Daley controlled Chicago and ordered the police to
attack protestors on what became known as a police riot. This was the time that
Hillary Rodham became a Democrat and I cemented my conviction that we needed to
reform the Democratic Party. This is what a Revolution looked like not just
being petulant and calling Hillary Clinton names. And all though I could not
vote until 1970 when I turned 19 I have been a loyal Democrat even though my
hero Eugene McCarthy lost. The 1968 convention was such a disaster for the
Democratic Party that except for the 1 term Presidency of Jimmy Carter the White
House had been controlled by Republicans until Bill Clinton brought the
Democratic Party back from the brink...even though he’s been severely
criticized as a centralist. Bill Clinton he saved the Democratic Party and
Hillary Clinton will bring back the progressive wing of the party. You can be
sure of that. I know I am pretty vocal
about politics but I am passionate about the lives of my friends and family,
who would be harmed even devastated by a Republican victory in November. The
Republicans since 1980 have done everything in their power to degrade, insult,
criminalize, and let my lovers and friends die. I lived through the 80s when
Republicans laughed at the 100s of thousands of Gay folks who were dying and
living in constant fear from AIDS. I lived during the Savings and Loans crash
of the 80s that wiped out millions of dollars of the middle class because of
Republican deregulation... And again in 2008 when the housing market
collapsed... I saw the Republicans pander to the worse in Christianity to give
rise to a theocracy built on the gospel of prosperity instead of helping the
poor...I saw The Republicans empty out the mental institutions, bust the
Unions, go to war in the Middle East for oil profits, deny science if it
interfered with their profits...Republicanism has become a disease on the body
politick in America. And I wonder like the Muslim father whose son died defending
this country whether Donald Trump has even read the Constitution and what
sacrifice has he made for this nation to denigrate those who have. As I was or ever shall be A Democrat and your
friend Ben
AUGUST
1
August 2016
Happy
Lammas and enjoy the First Harvest.... My tomatoes are finally coming in....
Neighborhood cleanup came and took away all the limbs from the globe willows. I
for one am happy to see July go and so are the pups. It was a rough old July
with temps over 100 degrees and no cruiser since July 17 for rides and two
firework holidays.
2
August 2016 Tuesday
I
celebrated Lammas, the 1st Harvest, with a good group of guys, Greg Allen, Jay
Vallar, Andy Dalrymple, and Jon Huggins...we had taco casserole, potato salad,
BBQ pork, tomatoes from the garden and after the Heart Circle we ate
watermelon...it's nice to celebrate the changing of the seasons...Lammas is a
cross quarters festival marking mid-way between the Summer Solstice and the
Autumnal Equinox... An old agricultural festival mostly forgotten today except
among Pagans ... When Hillary Clinton wore white when she accepted the
nomination of the Democratic Party those who know their history knew
why...White was the symbol of the suffrage movement. My grandmothers were born
into a world where they were not allowed to vote... I remember when the United
States rejected Equal Rights for Women ... I remember Hillary being vilified
for saying she chose not to stay home and bake cookies....Why don't we say
behind every successful woman is good man instead of the other way...Where did
all the feminists go? I miss Bella Abzug...
3
August 2016 Wednesday
I
worked most of the day working on my presentation for tonight on the 1940’s. I
went down to Kinkos and ran off about 15 copies to hand out tonight. Great turn
out tonight at the Marmalade Library. I appreciate all who came for the August
Meeting to listen to a discussion on the decade of the Naughty Forties. Chad
Anderson and Seth Anderson the historians were there as well as Courtney Moser,
Mark Angus, TJ Otaka and Jim McMullin, Andy Dalrymple, Stan Rovig, Randy Olsen,
Greg Allen and Jay Vallar, Jon Huggins and Robert Rosvall, Kent Scadlock and
Ladd McClurg. When the meeting was over Jesse Dolce and Darby came to the
Library and gave me a painting of me sitting at Huntington Beach with all my
pups Buddy looking at the sunset and Farley and Harleigh near me with Maxx and
TJ. His pup Toby is crossing out the no in the sign that says no dogs
allowed...
4
August 2016 Thursday
Poor
Farley is not feeling well...he wouldn't eat this morning and has been listless
all day...kind of out of it... Wanting to be by himself...His nose is pretty
warm too and drippy... Will try to get into the a vet tomorrow if it
continues... I am kind of gun shy about going to the vet with a dog because
I've come home without them... Just not sure what kind of life he had before I
rescued him.
·
Ron
Johnson Sending good thoughts.
·
Richard
P. Butler Think positive. Everything will be fine.
·
Matthew
Landis Lots of love to you and him.
·
Stephanie
Williams Hope he is feeling better soon. We almost lost 2 of our cats this
year. Vet gave us an appetite stimulant for them. They got better but it was a
long road.
·
Jon
Michael He might just have a parasites? Take a stool sample with you would be
my recommendation.
·
Greg
Tracie Aviary Hardin Daisy sends her get well wishes. Hugs!
·
Roland
Ron Holmgren Heat?
·
Charline
Wachs Hope he is better soon.
·
Marilyn
Johnson-Faulkner You have so much love, Ben...thanks for taking such good care
of those little ones.
·
Tracy
L Johnson-Faulkner Hope it's nothing serious.
·
Alan
Anderson Poor guy. I hope he is okay
·
Edgar
Ben Williams He's been drinking water I put in front of him but hasn't eaten
all day...been sleeping most of the day...his nose has been warm and runny like
he might have a virus...I am keeping him hydrated and near me....
·
Mark
Andersen No matter the life he had before you rescued him Farley and the other
fur babies have the best life. You are and always will be a great care giver to
both animal and human Edgar Ben Williams
5
August 2016 Friday
Up
several times during the night to make sure Farley stayed hydrated...still
isn't eating...when the rest were chowing down he went outside where I saw he
resting in the grass...even the squirrels didn't seem to bother him... I have
my own doctors appt. at 8:20 but will call the vet to schedule a time for
Farley to be seen...sick babies and our furry pets worry us the most because
they can't tell us what is wrong and how to make it better... After seeing
Lucky all of a sudden just weakened to the point he was dying I am worried that
this is what is happening with Farley... Who knows how old he really is and how
much damaged was done to his insides living on the streets as long as he did...
I guess I will find out at the vet today ...I was up during part of the night
checking on Farley and to give him a water bowl to make sure he was drinking
but he was so listless and just wanting to be along. When i got up this morning
he was up walking around, which I took for a good sign but he would not eat at
all and I found him out outside laying under a globe willow. I tried taking him
down to Pet Stop but they don’t open until 8 am and I had my own doctor
appointment at 8:20 so I took him home and went to see Doctor Stoneburner. My
A1C was high again at 10 and when I told him about them telling me I was not a
good candidate for bariatric surgery he was tiffed and said I was an excellent
candidate and to call them which I did later in the day but the gal who does
the scheduling isn’t back until Tuesday. So I took Farley to Pet Stop because
they already had all this paper work on him and the regular doctor was out so
this substitute looked at and said he was a very sick dog... He had all this blood
work, x-rays, Urinalysis and an IV for fluids ordered to see what is wrong with
him. He said that Farley had an enlarged spleen, and thought he may have
ulceration in his stomach...They have to run lab tests to see what is causing
him to be in so much discomfort. I was surprised that what I thought was a rash
was puncture wounds so someone must have bit him at one point. He also only weighed
16 lbs. when last April 29 he was 21 lbs.
That’s like a 4th of his body mass. The doctor wanted to keep
him on an IV to keep him hydrated so when I paid the bill it was nearly $600. I
went home took a nap and was stressed over Farley when I got a phone call at
3:30 with the vet saying he had bad news which I suspected already. Last April
I got a phone call from Laurie Epperson asking if I would foster a Schnauzer
she was rescuing from the shelter...of course I said yes but I was surprised
when she brought out two scruffy things... she said the shelter asked if she
wanted the one dog's brother also... how could you say no? So I took these two
frightened pups that were found out on the streets of West Valley who were so
matted and neglected. I called them Little Boy and Old Boy so I wouldn't get
attached but I got them groomed and found a good home for Little Boy but I just
couldn't give up Old Boy... he was so attached to me and loved me and cried
when he wasn't with me and I was also worried due to his age he might not find
a home. So I adopted him and named him Farley. He was sweet and gentle and so
needy. Followed me from room to room and was just ravenous. So my friends
thought I was nuts adopting another dog but he just kind of fit the family. In
the mornings he'd jump up on the bed and throw his little body over mine. I
didn't know I could grow to love a little guy so quickly or deeply. When the
vet called with the bad news that he was terminal this afternoon I made the
hard decision to let him go but I said not until I get down there. I wanted to
be with him and let him be with someone who loved him in his final minutes. So
I kissed him held his little head on my hand and stroked him... up until his
sweet precious heart was still at 4:20 pm. Only now mine is breaking. But he
did find his forever home with me. It's hard for me to fathom how someone could
have discarded Farley and Wiley like they were pieces of trash... Farley had
the sweetest gentlest nature and to have had to live on the streets all matted
up eating trash just breaks my heart... Those who met him knew him to be a very
sweet, good boy...his only fault was the hysterics he would go into whenever I
came home...I’d have to sit a few minutes with him to calm him down as he
hugged my arm or leg. I ended up spending nearly $1400 on a pup I only had 3
months but the love and affection he gave me was worth every penny... Strange
to be only feeding 4 tonight... Farley when I brought him home...then after he
was groomed...Harleigh and Farley my pretty boys... Farley died with pretty
white teeth...sweet angel.
·
Harry-It
Winston he loves you and will be with you always
·
Kay
Campbell Beautifully written. So sorry for yet another loss. Love you.
·
Tracy
L Johnson-Faulkner My heart breaks for you. RIP Farley. You give your kids such
a loving home and wonderful life.
·
Tom
Folks I'm sure every minute from April through today was the best Old Boy ever
had.
·
Richard
P. Butler So very sorry for your loss Ben. I always wanted to keep a positive
note so you could have hope. He spent his final days with someone who loved him
and he knew it. So sad to lose a wonderful spirit. Always sad to lose a loving
member. R.I.P. Farley
·
Chuck
Whyte Damn it Edgar Ben Williams , you have such a loving heart , always taking
in the sweet and innocent animal and giving them nothing but unconditional
love, sometimes a number of years and sometimes just a short while , when you
leave this earth I know for sure your spirit will make a stop at the rainbow
bridge and be greeted by all those sweet baby's
·
Randy
Olson I am so sorry for your loss. I can only assure it is better to say
goodbye even an hour early than to feel the pain of waiting a minute longer and
see them in pain. You have a good heart, Ben. Farley trusted you and you
honored that with your love.
·
Doug Murri Ben, I'm so very sorry. You're
giant heart has had much more than your share of heartbreak lately. I'm sure
Farley knew how lucky he was to be saved by you and loved by you. Your love was
returned by him, tenfold. ❤
·
Mario
Mothe I'm in tears. I'm so sorry for your loss, you definitely were his angel
until his last days. Hugs to you
·
Stephen
Bolinder Omg Ben I am so sorry. I am crying.
·
Steve
Brackenbury I am so sorry Ben. What a kind person you are, you gave him love
and a safe home.
·
Andy
Dalrymple {HUG}
·
J
Seth Anderson I'm sorry
·
Alan
Anderson I'm bawling. You are so sweet and loving to your fur babies. You have
him so much in the last few months of his life. Love you, Ben.
·
Robert
Edward Cross Wow, what a great 4 months you provided Farley. That says it all
Ben. You sent him home in style.
·
Denise
Wachs Oh Uncle Ben. I'm so sorry your heart hurts. I know from experience that
watching the light go out of their eyes is very painful. But the important
thing is, he hurts no more. I love you and am giving you big hugs right now.
·
Robert
Whyte I'm so sorry, still, that was one lucky dog.
·
Terry
McKeown What a great human he found with you. My thoughts for you both. Tears
are being shed.
·
Michael
Aaron West So very sorry my dear friend. You have such a warm and wonderful
heart...much love to you...
·
Roland
Ron Holmgren I am heartbroken about Farley. I am so sorry you have to go
through this again. You are a good man, and I am glad that he l lived a life
that was filled with love and kindness in the last months. You taught him that
not all people are bad.
·
Charline
Wachs Sorry to hear of the passing of Farley. His was yours from the first time
you brought him home. He knew that you loved him and would give him a good home
and he loved you,
·
David
Andreason Oh, Ben. heart emoticon<3 I've told you before how much you mean
to these older dogs who would likely never find a loving home otherwise. I know
it's tough to be losing dogs you love all the time but I love you for doing
it--for taking care of them and making their final years so filled with love
and acceptance. ((Big Hug)) RIP, Farley.
·
James
Clark So sorry here the passing of Farley.
·
Stephanie
Williams He could not have found a better forever home anywhere. Ben, you are a
wonderful doggie dad. Much love to you cousin.
·
Dana
Hays Johnson So sorry!!
·
Michael
Christensen-Frame SO SORRY FOR YOUR LOSS. ! ! ! ! RIP POOR BABY. ! ! ! ! ! MAY
GOD BLESS YOU AND WRAP YOU IN HIS LOVING ARMS. ! ! ! !
·
Darby
S Hinton Ohhhh Ben!!! I am so sorry..... He was such a sweet boy..
·
Jesse
Dolce Oh no. So sorry to hear this. I
wish you peace and hope. I hope your heart continues to love these amazing
animals. You are a good person and any pet would be lucky to be with such an
amazing man like yourself.
·
Edgar
Ben Williams I am grateful for the picture you painted of us all together
·
Michael
Sanders Ben I'm so sorry. Bijoux, JoJo and Paris sending licks
·
Deb
Rosenberg So sorry, Ben
·
Teinamarrie
Scuderi So sorry for your loss. Sending you lots of love and hugs!
·
Christopher
T. Scuderi So very sorry to hear this, Ben. Sending hugs.
·
Jamie
Turnbow Hugs my friend sorry for your loss
·
Daniel
Cureton I'm sorry Ben. It's like losing an arm. Let me know if you need
anything
·
Maureen
Aisling Duffy-Boose My heart hurts for you, Ben. Sending love and healing.
Farley is dancing over the Rainbow Bridge...and he will always be with you.
·
Edgar
Ben Williams I told him when he passed to give my love to Lucky and Daisy
·
Luci
Malin We still mourn our sweet Rudi who has been gone a year and a half now
·
Laurie
Epperson Oh no, so sorry. Thank you for adopting him and loving him for the
time you had. Sorry it was cut too short. Thank you for being there for him. He
knew he was very loved.
·
Marilyn
Johnson-Faulkner That is such a noble picture of Harley. Beautiful boy. So
sorry, Ben, that you lost him too soon. Jon Michael Huggins It is unfathomable
how some "people" treat animals......but for every asshole there is
an Edgar Ben Williams to make things right.
6
August 2016 Saturday
Harleigh
and Buddy are by my side this morning. They know I am really sad and weepy...
but it's only right to mourn a little guy that was full of love despite what
his life was before we met... I've learned in this life that great love will
also bring great sorrow... but as with Lucky and Daisy eventually I will
remember him without tears... I knew I wouldn’t have him a long time...Bill
Poore texted me this morning to take me to lunch and Rich Butler also wanted to
meet with me today so I invited him to lunch with us. I straighten the house and wrote Kyle Foote a
letter telling him about Farley. Rich came over with the leaf blower he fixed
for me that I was just going to throw out because it needed a new plug. When Bill
came over he brought a bouquet of flowers for Farley that I placed in a vase on
the table. I am trying to be stoic but it’s really hard when I think of what a
sweet boy he was. We went to the East Sea and Rich and Bill found a lot to talk
about Astoria and Alaska. I mostly just listened I wasn’t in the mood for
conversation. Bill bought Rich’s lunch too since he had gone out to Wendover
and made $400. After eating came back to
the house and Rich wanted to suck up some leaves with a vacuum bag and then
Bill went home. Rich and I went to DI and I think it was the first in a long
time I didn’t buy anything. Still
grieving over my sweet Farley. I don't know why but the house seems quieter
without Farley laying by my feet... Some of my friends have teased me about
spoiling my dogs so much, cooking them chicken, having a futon in the cruiser
for them to go on rides, and taking the flap off the doggie door because it
scared Harleigh... but I know how short and precious is the time we have
together. The pups have no concept of the future and little of the past. They
live in the moment and so today they want hot dogs , roasted chicken, rides,
treats and chewies and to have their bellies rubbed and ears scratched. They
keep me in the moment so I do not fall into melancholy for those I left behind
in the past. Farley is gone but Maxx is still demanding to lick the breakfast
plate, TJ to crawl into my lap, Buddy to lay out in the sun, and Harleigh
barking for no reason just because he wants to. We all have our day in the sun
and hopefully to experience love and joy before we become star dust again. This
evening the rolling thunder is scaring Harleigh while I was relaxing in the hot
tub so had to get out so he could huddle on the bed with TJ and Maxx .... Power
went off and on... We are just getting some scattered rain drops when we could
use a soaking rain. A great quote for those who are leaning towards Stein or
Johnson ...."Voting third party, like praying, isn’t a virtue. It produces
no tangible betterment of the world. It almost never produces any discernible
effect at all. It’s a token gesture meant to imply the person doing it has
literally done the best they could with the options available. But they
haven’t, and they’ve missed an important point put forth in my favorite
political film, Game Change: it’s not about you, it’s about the
country..."
·
Maureen
Aisling Duffy-Boose Knowing you, you gave him the best four months of his life.
He was loved and cared for and lived in joy with you. And he will always be
yours.
·
Laurie
Epperson Oh so sorry, they are morning him too. But he is up there watching
over you all until you meet again.
·
Richard Harmston Your heart is full of tender
feelings, understandably. And you've got a heart as big as any I've
encountered.
·
Bill
Poore I thought you took the flap off because TJ was too small to open it. They
are all sweet .
·
Edgar
Ben Williams No Harleigh wouldn't use it...it either frightened him or didn't
have the strength in his bad leg
·
Randy
Olson Mine spoil me. I count on them when my time comes to cross over that they
will be as forgiving then as they have for me in this lifetime.
·
Jon
Michael Wonderful, sweet friends. The loss of an animal companionship is
something that needs to be honored.
·
Bill
Poore I missed Farley not being there, the barking for sure was not as loud
when I arrived.
·
Richard
P. Butler Thanks for lunch, Bill. It was great getting Ben's mind off of
Farley, if only for a short time.
·
Bill
Poore It was quieter, he was always playing with the other puppies, especially
guest puppies.
·
Roland
Ron Holmgren You are a good men, Bill and Richard. Ben is blessed to have such
supportive friends
·
Dear
Kyle, I thought I’d take the time to write you that I lost another one of my
pups, Farley. He was my rescue that I adopted last April along with his
brother. I found an excellent home for the younger one but I kept old Farley
because he needed a permanent home and he was so clingy to me I could not let
him feel abandoned again. So had him groomed; he was so horribly matted and
eyes nearly shut from crusties, took him to the vet had his teeth cleaned and
all his shots. He paid me back by being the sweetest little loving guy.
Followed me everywhere. Wouldn’t let me out of his sight and when I was and
returned he cried so much almost hysterically and I’d have to sit with him and
calm him down. He rarely slept with me
but in the mornings he’d jump up on the bed and literally throw himself of top
of me or drape himself over me wanting me to cuddle him. He seemed healthy and
rambunctious even in this heat wave we had and the only thing I worried about
him was his digestive tract. He would have dirty butts at least once a week or
more but I would throw him in the tub and shampoo his behind. He never was
fussy about it and I knew he was grateful to have a clean behind. I guess that is one of the reasons I became
so attached to him so quickly is that I knew he needed my help. Over July he
felt to me like he was losing weight but he was getting so fluffy again it was
hard to tell. I kept expecting Stephen to set a time for the pups to be groomed
but he only did this week and it was for this Monday the 8th. Farley never got his last haircut. He was 21 pounds in July and 16 lbs. when I
took him in yesterday. At the start of the week I noticed that his appetite was
off, and on Thursday he stopped eating altogether and he became listless and
really out of it. I knew in my heart that I had seen these same symptoms with
Lucky but I was afraid to think about it.
I stayed up with him all night to make sure he was drinking and staying
hydrated and hoping that he just had a virus.
Friday morning he still wouldn’t eat but he was at least up and walking.
He went outside and laid on the grass in the backyard. The squirrels were
playing above him in the trees but he just wasn’t interested in them. I had my
own checkup appointment with my doctor at 8:20 so it was 10 am before I took
him to his vet in my truck. He was responsive to me but had the same lethargic
look in his eyes as Lucky did. The vet said he’d have to do labs and blood work
to see what was wrong. He thought it
might be an ulcerated stomach as that on Wednesday one of the dogs [now I know
it had to have been Farley] threw up on the deck vomit that was liquidly and
black with some undigested food. Anyway
no one told me he was dying so I paid $600 to have x-rays, urinalysis, blood
chemistry work and all these other tests. I told him how Lucky had died of
diabetes and said he was pretty sure he didn’t have that so I agreed to all the
testing and having an IV put in to hydrate him.
So I reluctantly left him there came home emotionally drained and tried
to nap. Then at 3:30 the vet called and
said he had bad news that the blood work did show Farley had diabetes and his
blood sugar numbers were in the 500. I immediately said that I don’t want him
to be in pain or suffer that I wanted him put down but not until I am there. I
owed it to Farley to be with him and let my face be the last he sees to know
that he was loved to the very end. So I
steeled myself up for me to be with him. He looked up to see me and I just
petted him comforted him and held his little head in my hand to let him know I
was there as the Vet euthanized him. I
held him the whole time until the doctor checked his heart and said he was
gone. Then I gently lowered his head. He looked so peaceful as if he was just
sleeping. Oh how I wish Daisy could have
died this way instead of the pain she was in before I could get to a vet in the
morning . They adjusted my bill for all the medicine I wouldn’t need now but
with the euthanasia and having him cremated and ordering his box it was another
$200. So I spent $800 for nothing but a
hole in my heart… but he will come home in a couple of weeks to join Oscar,
Saffy, Priscilla, Smokey, Lucky and Daisy.
Although someone tossed him out on the streets like a piece of trash at
least he found at the end of his life a forever home and someone who would love
and acknowledge what a good, sweet boy he was.
7
August 2016 Sunday
Spent
3 hours in the front yard this morning while it was cooler...thought might get
some rain but just sprinkles...mowed watered and cleaned out my herb
garden...helps with melancholy but now I am pooped out. I had a nice evening
with Seth Anderson. He wanted to come over for a movie night so we had a veggie
pizza and watched Brian de Palma 's Phantom of the Paradise. He had never seen
it... It came out 7 years before he was born lol...I am so old... I guess he’s
going to interview Courtney Moser tomorrow and then head back to New York that
evening. Kevin Scott and his husband Jose came over with a sunflower in a bowl
for Farley...that was so sweet of them... Bill Poore had brought me a bouquet
for Farley that has a big sunflower in it too... I guess now when I see
sunflowers I will think of Farley and how we spent a summer together.
·
Roland
Ron Holmgren You have good people in your life because you are good to people.
You are kind, thoughtful, generous, decent and your friends are blessed to have
you in their lives.
8
August 2016 Monday
I
worked in the backyard this morning while it was cooler mowing and watering.
Blew the leaves off the deck from the wind storm the other day. We still
haven’t gotten any rain while its hit all around us. Everything is bone dry
from the three weeks of over 100 degree weather. When I went out this morning to mail off
Kyle’s letter letting him know about Farley passing away, Drove by Kevin
Scott's house to see the flowers that his hubby Jose had planted in the
front... lots of black eyed Susans which I love when grown in clumps. However
as I drove by at the house next door was the dog catcher who was leashing this
beautiful white shaggy dog. Another man was outside watching. I hope he finds
his way back home. He seemed very mellow and didn't know quite what was going
on... Poor pup. Stephen Bolinder came over around 12:30 to set his trailer up
to groom Harleigh, Coco, and Buddy. It was warm today and Stephen’s air
conditioning in his trailer wasn’t working so it was pretty miserable for him.
I paid him $150. They all got groomed down to a field cut to stay cool for the
rest of the year. Our next appointment is October 10th at 10
am. He’s given up his mobile grooming
business except for a few clients and has become the manager of Donald
Steward’s grooming business called The Dog Show over on 15th and 15th
in Sugar House. I guess Donald has a boyfriend in New Zealand. While the dogs were being groomed I had Bill
Poore over for lunch. I went to Smith's pharmacy this evening to pick up my
monthly meds for high blood pressure, cholesterol, and diabetes. I also needed
some needle caps for this homolog that I have had for a long time but not used.
I also ordered some Levemir insulin... So when I go up to pay the kid at the
counter says “that's $568” not sure that I heard right. I stared at him for a
minute and then said that can't be right. Evidently they were charging me for
homolog pens which I didn't need instead of just the cap needles. When I asked
how much were the needles he said that they were $17.50. I said are you kidding?
without a prescription there were only $15 but with a prescription they are
more? I asked then how much was the Levemir. He said $128 and I said why then was I only
charged $40 a month ago and the month before that $150. He said the insurance
decides the prices but I asked but why does it fluctuate so much? Of course he
wouldn’t know. Then when he took off the price of the homolog pens caps the
price for the Levemir to $121! So I guess I better call my insurance and find
out what the hell is going on...Are drugs like mortgage rates up and down... So
I didn't buy the Levemir which for 10 years I have been paying $40 and all my
other pills with the pen caps was only $26! Far cry from $568. Sure glad I have
insurance or I’d have to take out a mortgage. I sent Kyle $150 today for shoes
and other items he said he needed.
·
Teinamarrie
Scuderi It's crazy what insurance covers.
·
Richard
P. Butler Different pharmacies charge different prices. They are not bound by
any legal or moral rights. Find another pharmacy (like Costco) I changed from
Walgreens to Smith's because of the cost difference.
·
Greg
Tracie Aviary Hardin Sorry Edgar Ben Williams, I have soooo many pharmacy
horror stories too. Hugs!
·
Garth
Chamberlain We need a public opinion. Fuck "for profit insurance"
·
Randy
Olson Medicare
·
Deb
Rosenberg Privatized Medicare
·
Roland
Ron Holmgren From now on, I am asking for paper subscriptions rather than have
my doctor's automatically send my prescriptions to Smith. After my last
prescription mess up, I no longer trust Smith's for getting my prescription and
the cost factor. I am calling around to the different pharmacists for the
lowest price. You have to shop around.
·
Edgar
Ben Williams Good advice
·
Bill
Poore they got the government and the American people by the balls and Congress
does nothing to control it.....solution, vote.
·
Laurie
Epperson There's an app you can get on your phone that you can put in the drug
you need and want and find the best price.
·
Deb
Rosenberg Insurance companies want us all to pay our premiums and then die
before they have to pay for anything. Who's your insurance?
·
Edgar
Ben Williams Medicare United Health
9
August 2016 Tuesday
Rereading
my journal from when Lucky died last January 26 both he and Farley died at the
same time 4:25 in the same place. I hadn't realized that until now. Strange.
What they had in common were they were both rescued strays and they both never
let me out of their sight and only wanted to be near me. I had Lucky for only
18 months and Farley for 3 1/2 months. 1963 ... I was 12 years and in 7th
grade...I had my first pair of glasses that I carried in a pocket case...and my
right wrist had a cast from a fracture from falling on it playing Dodge Ball.
We weren't wimpy back then... Well okay I was ....and the fracture didn't cause
my limp wrist...I was born that way lol... I was the best little boy in the
whole world... 1973 I was 22 years old and a senior at BYU and was always being
reminded my hair and sideburns were too long... Beginning of my Mormon phase
that brought me to Utah....sporting those 70's frames... Had to wear glasses
all the time now and those long collars lol... Strange how 10 years seems like
nothing now but from 1963 to 1973 everything changed. Me in 2013 at 62 years...
40 years later
·
Jon
Michael And the love you gave each of them is for all time.❤
·
Chuck
Whyte Edgar Ben Williams , All your pups that have left this earth are watching
over you from the Rainbow 🌈 Bridge in the heavens above.......
·
Darby
S Hinton They will always be with you!!! I still feel my pups that have passed
on......
·
Amy
Barry Our sweet pups never leave our hearts. They live on and I just take
comfort in knowing my baby is free from pain and knows how much she was loved.
Yours were loved too and what a gift.
·
Jesse
Dolce You are an angel to these amazing pups. You have given them a last chance
to be loved and love you back. Keep up the amazing job of just being you.
·
Laura
Trent They were lucky to have you for a doggy daddy! I know you gave them just
what they needed...lots of love and stability!
10
August 2016 Wednesday
Before
Farley died last Friday I had a doctor's appointment who said I was certainly
fat enough for Bariatric surgery and that the clinic who said I wasn't was
crazy. Well he didn't actually say that but rather that I was an
"excellent" candidate for surgery. Nice to know I am excellent at
something. He even shrunk me by taking my height...Now in high school I
measured 5 '10" 165 pounds. While I couldn't lie about being 165 libs
anymore I kept my height at 5' 10" all my life until the doctor made me
measure my height... Well the nurse did it wrong or I shrunk. Anyway it’s a go
for surgery. I am doing it for my diabetes more than any reason because they
say it will put in in remission so I have my first appointment September 13th
and surgery sometime after that. I have not had surgery since 1959 when I had
my appendix and tonsils yanked out. 57 years is a pretty good run I think. I
don't think they will give me ice cream and 7up like when the tonsils were
yanked. I kept a pocket diary since 1968 when I was a Junior in High
School....as you can see from doodling on the inside covers I was against the
war in Vietnam and for the Democratic peace candidate Eugene McCarthy the
Bernie Sanders of 1968... Interesting to see how that 16 to 17 year old boy
viewed the world...I can tell you there were no girlfriends to be found in this
record nor sports... Fun record of me living at home as a teenager with my mom
and dad and two older sisters... My oldest nephew was born that year too
...then Tet offensive, Johnson refusing to run, MLK assassination, Bobby
Kennedy assassination, the Chicago convention police riot...made a comment on
all... I was never a normal teenager lol
11
August 2016 Thursday
12
August 2016 Friday
I
went to Urgency Care again to get some antibiotics because my stomach where I
give myself insulin is infected again. Then I made crock pot macaroni and
cheese from a face book recipe. I didn’t eat any and sent some home with
Michael... Still plenty
·
Bill
Poore- You have got to clean the area you give your shot, you know this. You have staff in you and this can kill
you. You can’t just stick the needle in
without cleaning the area......I met you when you have a hole in your stomach
and fighting an infection.
13
August 2016 Saturday
Wrote
a Lambda Lore article for the Q after having Bill Poore come by for lunch ....
Made a simple tomato and iceberg lettuce salad, and served up cooked green
beans and the macaroni I made from that crock pot recipe on FB... It was pretty
simple and tasty... Going to Saturday Voyeur tonight with Alan Anderson's
crew... Should be fun... I had to turn down an invite to Jim Dabakis BBQ
though...So much going on ... Feast or famine...Such a fun evening at the Salt
Lake Acting Company's production of Saturday's Voyeur... Had no clue what to
expect since I hadn't gone in ages...how they intertwined Trump as God on
Kolob, the Mormon church ban on children of Gay couples, and the Mormon
Republican legislature was a miracle in of itself... So many great lines but my
favorite was "temple tadpoles"... Loved the Joseph Smith character
played as a sexy rogue... Thanks to Alan Anderson for getting me a ticket and
to Greg Allen and Joel Jay Vallar for giving me a ride there. I love watching
Devin Barney who played one of the Gay dads...he's a musical theater student at
the U and I have seen a few things he's been in... But the entire cast was
hilarious...
·
Bill
Poore Thanks for a great lunch....drove around a little looking at trucks but
tired out and came home saying on the bed watching the Olympics.
14
August 2016 Sunday
My
grandma Johnson was born in Oklahoma Territory and claimed all her life that
her grandmother had enough Indian blood to have filed for land in the Indian
nation but wouldn't do it because she was ashamed of being mixed ethnicity.
Today I found a clue that makes the old family story most likely true.
Grandma's great grandma was a woman named Elizabeth known as Grandma Langston
who died in Jacksboro, Texas in 1883. Found out her maiden name today after all
these years. She was born 1817 a Brashear in Tennessee and her mother was
Hannah Tuten born 1796 born to Zachariah Tuten and a Cherokee woman from the
Clinch River area of Tennessee. SO this full blood Cherokee had Hannah Tuten
Brasher who would have been called a "half-breed". Hannah had Elizabeth Brasher Langston who was
quarter which would have made her eligible for land in the Indian nation. Her
daughter Martha Langston was an 1/8 married Neal McLeod who was a teamster and
murdered by the Comanches in 1867. Martha McLeod had Roderick McLeod a cowboy farmer
who was 1/16 Cherokee. He was the father of my grandma Johnson... So grandma
you were right... I miss you. People are really having fun posting many of the
old school house rock shows....my absolutely favorite positively is Lolly Lolly
Lolly Get you adverbs here....indubitably ....Can you name quickly the 8 parts
of speech? My students could... And they knew how to conjugate perfectly the to
Be verb
15
August 2016 Monday
Voting
for Trump should be a litmus test whether you are mentally stable enough to own
a gun... Oh you voted for Trump ...sorry we can't sell you a gun....
16
August 2016 Tuesday
Had
a nice surprise when Deb Rosenberg dropped by with some cookies this morning on
her way to work...we sat and visited for a while...you know you are good
friends when you can just sit down and pick up right where you left even if you
haven't spoken in months. Finalized Bill Poore as the speaker for September’s
historical society. Courtney Moser wants to do October because Sept he's busy
with the choir. His topic will be Torch
Song Trilogy Outs American Theatre from
the Closet 7:00-8:30 September 7 Wednesday Marmalade Library 3rd West and 5th North...
18
August 2016 Thursday
19
August 2016 Friday
I
picked the cruiser up today after Michael took me down. I asked them to do an
inspection on it too since the tags were due the end of July. They didn’t
charge me for the inspection since they held my car for so long. $2600 was the
total damage to my wallet but still cheaper than car payments. Well the Ruby Red Putt-Putt Pup mobile
is home at last. First thing I did was give the babes a ride...they had been
home bound for a month. Just finished doing the registration on line because it
expired at the end of July. The place did the vehicle inspection for me for
free... They said because it was such a hot summer...everyone was breaking down
and it’s been a mess... but all's well that ends well...and now I can take the
Old Whitey in and have the ignition solenoid replaced. Both the cruiser and the
truck are paid for and in good shape so hopefully the old savings will stop
hemorrhaging money.
20
August 2016 Saturday
Sweet
Farley has been gone two weeks now...time to stop grieving and just be glad he
and I had some really good times together... Bill Poore wanted to come over to see the pups and later we
drove around looking at car lots for a small truck for him...he's looking for
something like my Sonoma...since we were out in Murrays we had a late lunch at
Mimi's. Food was great as always and I had fish and chips and Bill had a tuna
melt...Bill bought lunch because he had gone out to Wendover and won a couple
of hundred dollars. yay! Now to see if the pups will eat...
21
August 2016 Sunday
Since
I have a little Chihuahua who likes to use my bedroom carpet as his potty. I
went to Wal Mart and bought a little carpet cleaner and a new vacuum cleaner
today to help out...He is like a stealth pooper...I can never catch him in the
act... When I go to scold him he just gets on his little hind legs and does the
Mexican Hat Dance and grins at me... So I guess I am the little shit's
chambermaid.... the owner of Wylie formerly known as little boy, the schnauzer
I fostered last April sent me a picture of him is showing off his new do... I
referred his owner to Stephen Bolinder because Wylie was being a bad boy not
letting his owner groom him...imagine that a bad boy Schnauzer...
·
A
recipe for Wendy’s Chili 2 pounds fresh ground beef, 1 quart tomato juice, 1
(29-ounce) can tomato purée; 1 (15-ounce) can red kidney beans, drained, 1
(15-ounce) can pinto beans, drained,1 medium-large onion, chopped (about 1 1/2
cups), 1/2 cup diced celery, 1/4 cup diced green bell pepper, 1/4 cup chili
powder (use less for milder chili), 1 teaspoon ground cumin (use more for real
flavor), 1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon ground
black pepper, 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano, 1/2 teaspoon sugar, 1/8 teaspoon
cayenne pepper
22
August 2016 Monday
It
appears that a good portion of Louisiana is underwater from a stationary
tropical storm. I hope all the Libertarians are standing on principle and
refusing government interference LOL. Tony Perkins the Christianist head of the
Family Research Council’s home was destroyed by the floods. He had said that
God sent natural disasters to punish Gay people. Fundamentally why would you
want Donald Trump, this very flawed person, to be President of the United
States? Is this vitriolic hatred you have for Hillary Clinton worth the
catastrophe his administration would cause....look at the people he is
surrounding himself with... You want these people deciding the future of
America? If Fox News owned by an Arab and an Australian mogul was a 5th column
they could not have done a better job of demoralizing and dividing America....
Our founders were secularists not
religionists...theocracy is the root of all evil in this world... The
Constitution was created by rational men who did not put the 10 commandments nor
any mention of God in the founding of our government...I applaud this brave
Muslim Secularist... The Muslim fundamentalists are no different from Pat
Robertson or any other Christianist who wants religion to be public instead of
private. Some people say
there's no Gay Muslims... How stupid...his money won't protect him if ISIS
comes to power he will have to flee to the west...ISIS is throwing Gay men off
roofs, Iran is hanging them, but no different than Christianists here who
preach kill the Gays...
23
August 2016 Tuesday
lucubrate 1.to work, write, or study laboriously,
especially at night. 2.to write learnedly. I have lucubrating my ass off. Forty-Three
pages of written history on Jehu Jones, one ancestor of my nephew Ken Jones. He
lived from 1797 to 1845 and now it’s done! I put in at least 6 hours a day of
research and writing since the end of July. One of the reasons I love doing
genealogy is that it is history in microcosm...I learn more of a time and place
by studying the people of a location than I ever would on my own. I have no
connection with the state of Iowa but now I am intimately aware of its origins
because a nephew of mine's paternal ancestor named Jehu Jones was an agent for
the American Fur Company in the early 1840s. He traded with the Fox Indians
until they were forced to give up their lands by the treaty of 1842. They were
to be removed by 1845 to Kansas but so many kept slipping back into Iowa hiding
out...they did not want to leave their lodges and burial grounds of their
ancestors...eventually Iowa gave up and let the Fox nation settle and buy land
in Tama County... The 1st time Indians were allowed to own land since the
National Indian Removal Act of 1830 that forced American Indians off their
lands and forced marched to west of the Red and Missouri Rivers. Now I can take a break and do some yard work
and house cleaning before I start on the next person. Most of my side of the
family is done and I just need to post it but this is pure research. My
nephew’s wife Jehill asked if I knew the history of the Jones... I said no but
I will find out. LOL. It’s a mania. I watched a YouTube clip on how lava lamps
are made and now I want one. Chad Anderson asked I would be interested in
previewing the first chapter of his book he is working on about Gordon Church
and I said I would glad to do so.
24
August 2016 Wednesday
I
am an old poop...Mowed my front lawn pulled some weeds and watered my bone dry
yard...Did a little house cleaning before Rich Butler came over to take me to
lunch. He won a bunch of money at Wendover and it’s my rule that when my
friends win lots of money at Wendover they must take me out to lunch to
celebrate. We went to Toasters downtown on State Street to try something new.
It was not worth going back to but since it was a free lunch I can’t complain.
Then we went to Trader Joes. There’s a Lots of construction going on downtown
so our economy must be doing pretty good under President Obama. I can tell
school is starting up. I have been having going back to school dreams and being
in a classroom again. That stuff stays deep in your psyche.
25
August 2016 Thursday
I
really needed a beard trim and hair cut so I went to the Barber College on 72nd
South and State Street to get fussed over and groomed. I told the young guy
"Make me not look so much like Gabby Hayes" and he said, "Who's
she?" I sat in silence for the rest of the operation feeling really old. I
went from there to the Redwood clinic to have my labs done for my bariatric
surgery next month...I was told to go in and they would know what I needed
done...so I go in thinking a blood draw and a urine sample but oh no...I had 13
vials I had to fill with my precious blood and then they wanted a breath test
but when they asked if I had recently taken Tums I said yes because the
antibiotics I had been on gave me heart burn...so then I am informed they can't
do that part of the test for two weeks until the Tums is out of my system...
First of all no one told me not to take Tums and second who the hell knew Tums
stays in your system for two weeks... My tags came for the cruiser so I guess I
am legal again. About 5 pm I get a call from Kyles case worker who put him on the
phone. I guess today was a deadline for him to apply for fall term at SLCC and
he needed me to go on line and do it for him. I paid $40 for the registration
fees. He said he did get the math book finally so I am glad for that. He must
have told his case worker that I was his family. This morning I noticed that
Andy Dalrymple had tried to get in touch with me on the 16th and
Bill Poore had called several times so I had to post this on FB, “Sadly I am
old so I don't pay attention much to 21st Century technology...if you are
trying to contact me by phone or texting it may be days until I get around to
seeing who called or texted me...if you need to get a hold of me do it on FB
message because I am nearly always on the computer writing or researching and I
rarely hear my phone which is usually in the bed room or left in the car... I
am not ignoring you...well I guess I am unless you FB.” I have finicky dogs...
Only Harley will eat dry food, only Harly and Buddy will eat wet dog food, the Chi-Chi’s
are now turning their noses up at chicken... I tell them there are starving
pups in China but do they care? Coco and TJ only want cheese now as snacks... I
am about to tell them eat your premium kibbles or starve... I guess I better go
buy some deli ham ... I know they won't eat fish...tried that...
26
August 2016 Friday
Went
to grocery shopping this morning and broke down and bought more Levemir for
$128. Well either pay it or get sick. I picked Chuck Whyte up at Hill Side
about 12:30 and delivered him back home. He was going to have Tom Folks pick
him up but I guess Tom wasn’t feeling well so it fell to me. I told him now
that his vacation is over he will have to wait on himself. He was not amused.
Really I know he is relieved to be back home. Didn’t sleep well last night and
so was cranky today. Then I see an Email from SLCC about Kyle’s admission
saying he wasn’t registered and then I wrote back that he was because I have
the receipt for it. Then later I get an email that he was registered so I guess
now he can sign up for his classes. I sent the emails to his case worker Delroy
Warnock at Gunnison to let him know the status as far as I know.
27
August 2016 Saturday
I
went to the Murray farmer's market this morning at 9 am to meet up with Rich
Butler. I bought some fresh green beans, yellow squash, sweet corn and
nectarines...they had plenty of peaches but I don't like peaches unless they
are baked in a cobbler LOL...Beautiful day to be out and about...I saw Charles
Frost before he saw me and I ducked away to not have to say anything to him.
Childish I know. I met Alma Smith at 12:30 for lunch to have a visit. He's in
town from San Diego for the Leather Rebellion Convention going on in the Red
Lion Hotel. Not sure why he wanted us to get together because we weren’t close
friends even back then and he moved to San Diego with John Cooper about 1990.
Old timers would know him from starting the first Gay Student Union at Salt
Lake Community College back in the 1980s and member of John Coopers old SL
Affirmation would too but I doubt whether anyone else would. We laughed when he
said someone at the conference said that the Utah AIDS Foundation was founded
30 years ago! Like that was sooooo long ago! We laughed because we knew
everyone who was involved with starting it so it's not history to us ...just
part of our lives lol... We walked to R&B Barbecue on 6th South
and 3rd West for lunch...had pulled pork sandwich and fried
okra...Alma said okra is alien to him lol...made me laugh because I heard someone
on the NPR radio today call God an "extra-terrestrial".... And I
suppose God is an alien or an ET lol....Beeeee Goooood! I’ve invited Bill
Poore, Alan and Kyle, and Greg and Jay over tomorrow for Sunday dinner. A good
way to eat up some of the produce I bought at the farmer’s market this morning.
I baked two banana nut breads this evening to use up 3 bananas that were overly
ripe. In the mail I received two movies I ordered through Amazon, Body Heat and
Partners. That was fast because I think I ordered them just last Wednesday. I
watched a little of Partners just to make sure it was a good copy. Ordered them
for movie nights that I will start back up in September.
28
August 2016 Sunday
I
decided to move my bedroom around and shift the captain bed to the south
wall...no small feat with a captain bed...moved everything out on the deck so I
could swing the bed around and all the drawers underneath...I amaze myself that
I can still do all this heavy lifting and shoving by myself...probably last
time I will be able to do it by myself...I solved the problem of TJ
pooping...he can't poop where there's a Bed. Lol. Having some friends over for
Sunday dinner ...prep work is done but now to straighten the rest of the
house...Had a nice Sunday dinner with some of my Gay family to celebrate the
summer harvest...made green beans with bacon, butter sauté summer squash, sour
cream potatoes, corn on the cob, melon and blueberry salad, rye bread, angel food
cake and a pork loin roasted with apples and onions. Had sun tea too... If
anyone went away hungry it was their own fault....Michael Romero brought Coco,
and Bill Poore came over in the candy Van, Alan Anderson brought Kyle
Daniels...noticed he smiles and grins a lot when he says "my husband
Kyle" ....bitch...Greg Allen and Jay Vallar rounded off the dinner
party....Jay was so sweet and did the dishes while Bill told us about all the
porn stars he worked with.... Said most were short and dumb lol .... Now I am
really pooped ....fed the dogs their mighty dog and I either need a nap or a soak
in the hot tub....if I had water wings I could do both.
·
Richard
P. Butler Someone went to Farmers Market in Murray!!1
·
Bill
Poore Dinner was so good, but I didn’t know those guys were gay, surely Jay isn’t.
30
August 2015 Tuesday
Had
a nice visit with Andy Dalrymple this evening. He hadn't eaten, so fed him some left overs from Sunday's
dinner...in the olden days people would drop by my basement apartment on 6th
east and talk until 2 and three in the morning... Always had food in the house
to feed anyone hungry...These days 11 pm is my limit and the dogs are already
passed out lol. He was going through some very hard times so I wrote him a
check for $500…I remember when David Malmstrom gave me $200 back in 1988 when I
was so destitute of funds before starting teaching that fall. I told him to use
some of that money to get a haircut and stop looking like a homeless person. I
don’t know if it will do any good.
·
Bill
Poore I am having way to many fucking senior moments....I think I am losing my
mind, I was supposed to look up some things on computer tonight after
conversations at the pool, can’t remember what it was. I can’t even remember
who I was talking to .
·
Edgar
Ben Williams Couldn't have been very important...or if it was you will think
about it when you are sleeping
·
Bill
Poore importance has nothing to do with me remembering believe me .....I also
left the laundry and was at this light and this guy next to me kept trying to
tell me something, I couldn’t understand him, he finally got out of his car and
lifted my laundry bag, which was hanging from my passenger mirror, he opened my
door and put it in the car......
·
Andy
Dalrymple Thank you, Ben.
·
Chuck
Whyte I fondly remember Edgar Ben Williams apartment at the Jewel, Always a
shoulder to cry on and a plate of food to make sure you never went
hungry...............
31
August 2016 Wednesday
I
got a lava lamp delivered today... It felt like Christmas having a package on
the door step...picture does not do it justice...
SEPTEMBER
1
September 2016 Thursday
September
use to always mean back to school...not sure what it means anymore...dreamed I
was back in my classroom doing a math assignment no one was interested in then
I tried to find the faculty room where there were cookies and donuts to try and
get us through the day...best part of the dream was telling off Wayne Stanger
an old principal I had for 5 years what an awful human being he was...he made
my first years of teaching very hard and I was constantly stressed out that
he'd find out I was Gay and be fired.... Funny how that from 20 years ago is
surfacing....all the back to school stuff I guess is acting as a trigger....I
am really pissed at Chuck Whyte right now. Tuesday he asked if I wanted to go
to lunch Wednesday after his nurse appointment and I said no because I know
what it like waiting on him and his nurse all day so I said lets go Thursday
because all I had going on is Alan Anderson bringing Corky and Bhanni over at
11. Then this morning Rich Butler wanted to come over this afternoon to do some
odd jobs and I didn’t want to put him off so I said how about 1 pm and I
messaged Chuck and I said I would pick him up at 11:30 then he said could I
pick him up at Smiths at 11 pm and I said no that I had Alan coming over and
I’d pick him up at 11:30 because I had to be back home at 1:00. Then Alan came over a little early but he
also had a little Chihuahua that was roaming the streets with him. His tags
said he belonged just up the street so Alan left and I delivered Jack home and
then rushed to be downtown at Chuck’s place at 11:30 and I was there on the dot
but no Chuck…well that is kind of typical but at 11:40 he texts me asking where
was I and I said on the street and then he asked where then I realized that he
was still at Smith’s. I was furious…by
the time I went and picked him up, took him home, and waited for him to put
away his groceries it would have been noon. There was no way we would have been
finished at The Other Place by 12:30. We would have been lucky to even be
seated by 12:30 during their lunch rush. I felt used. I told him I was not
going to be driving into town any more to take him grocery shopping when he was
two blocks from the store and he could call a taxi. I know he thought I would
come and get him but I just texted him
and said I don’t have time to play your silly games and that I was going back
home. So I get back to my place after
wasting nearly an hour for nothing. When
I didn’t have a car and depended on rides from people I was always waiting for
people and never kept them waiting. I absolutely hate to be kept waiting. It’s
a sign of disrespect. Well I am done running errands for Chuck now for a while
until he learns his lesson. Busy
afternoon.... Richard P. Butler came over to help me with a couple of project.
He wanted to fix the latch on my 3rd door of the Sonoma but it turned out to be
a bigger project so we put that on hold and worked on lowering the gate at the
top of the stairs to make it more dog proof... TJ had no problem getting under
it before but he is stymied now... I am babysitting Corky and Bhanni tonight
and even Corky could slink through it before... Not anymore...finished feeding
the crew and everyone ate. Some dry food and wet food with shredded chicken and
shredded pork
2
September 2016 Friday
Alan
Anderson took me to dinner for babysitting his pups. We went to R & B for
barbeque because it’s one of his favorite places. I had fried okra with my meal
which was so much that we both had to take a lot of ours home. Green Flake, a
black slave, owned by a member of the Mormon Church named James Flake, drove
Brigham Young's wagon into the Salt Lake Valley on July 24, 1847. When I taught
history and the civil war the kids always were shocked when I said Utah was a
slave territory...half of teaching history was dispelling Utah myths... I
absolutely hate Utah's reenactment of Civil War pageants as if Utah was pro
Union...not one Mormon man served in the a Union army be caused Brigham Young
refused to aid the United States...that is why a regiment of California
volunteers were sent to SLC to guard the overland communications because
Mormons couldn't be trusted. They named the road I live off Redwood after their
California trees...
3
September 2016 Saturday
I
would have gotten a lot more done this morning if I would have not watched
Princess Bride while cleaning my bedroom but I made the bed and vacuumed so
that's an accomplishment... I went to Vosen Bakery on 2nd South to get some
Italian bread and I forgot how much I hated having to back into the parking
stalls stupidest thing Rocky Anderson ever did. Anyway Bill Poore called to
come over and see the pups and wanted to take me to Lunch....I suggested Robertino’s
a Bountiful institution...after lunch took Legacy HWY home because it is more
scenic.... Tops of the mountains the scrub oak are starting to turn Orange. My shoulder and neck
ached so much today that I looked up the is Masseuse named Patrick Ryan I used
to go see years ago. I called him and he was still just $40 for an hour so I
made an appointment to see him tonight at 8 pm and it was just want I needed a
good rub down and the fact that he does it in the nude is a bonus.
4
September 2016 Sunday
Right
now the largest Native American PROTECT (not PROTEST) in history is happening
in the Dakota’s. What’s going on? Well, the US Government is taking control of
Native American lands and forcing them to allow oil developers to drill on
their land and move oil via pipelines. From watching what happened with the Tar
Sands of Canada, we can get a good glimpse at what the land will look like
after they’re done with it.
5
September 2016 Monday Labor Day
Proud
to come from a Teamster family and a member of the Utah Education Association
for 28 years in Davis County... Want higher wages and better working
conditions...then unionize...the 1 percent didn't get rich without the labor of
the 99 percent... Look at the Walton Family I asked my grandma Johnson what
political party were her parents...and she said Socialists...they were what
farmers called the Granger movement wanting a fair deal from the rail
roads...my grandpa Johnson was part of the farmers co-op gin in Hart Camp Texas
and I was born at a co-op hospital at Amherst... when Reagan began to crush the
power of Unions...the middle class has struggled ever since...I rarely ever get
sick enough to heave... But something made me hug the porcelain throne...can't
remember the last time I was this nauseous ... I fed the hounds boiled chicken
and barley for supper and they seemed to enjoy it ... The thought of food is
making me green... Swilling the old Pepto bismo. Hugh O’Brian the star of the
old Wyatt Earp tv show died today at the age of 91. In his prime he was so
handsome. On the other hand the old witch Phyllis Schlafly, GOP icon who spent
her life promoting bigotry and hatred, is dead at age 92.
6
September 2016 Tuesday
Everyone
on my FB page is so glad this woman is dead. Phyllis Schlafly hypocrite
deluxe...she wielded power and presided over an empire based on the principle
that women's place is in the home subservient to a man...although she had a Gay
son she used her influence to hurt and debased people she didn't even know
because of their sexual orientation... She was the inspiration for hundreds of
Eagle Forum groups in the nation whose sole purpose were to defeat Equal Rights
for women and Gay folk and mobilize against progressive movements in state
legislatures...in Utah her minion Gayle Ruzicka beside the Mormon Church is the
most powerful unelected individual in the state. Hopefully her movement will
die with her
7
September 2016 Wednesday
I
spent most of the morning watching a documentary called the Men Who Crashed the
World. I know this won't be of interest to most but it is the most informative
presentation of how the Crash of 2008 happened and who were responsible... Free
Markets and Deregulation do not work...Seth Anderson borrowed the truck today
to move some big items out of the condo they are selling and I gave a Pearl of
Great Price papyrus plate to him to give to Michael Adam Ferguson that I bought
at DI. Rich Butler came over about 1 pm
to install the new ceiling fan I bought for the bedroom. Watching Rich work so hard installing
the new fan it has exhausted the pup and me so we had to take a nap after he
left. I sent home with him a blueberry lemon poundcake. Robert Edward Cross, at
the Marmalade Library before the history lecture by Bill Poore tonight, gave me a dog angel
garden statuette for my angel dogs I lost this year that was so sweet of him. Great
evening with Bill Poore regaling us with stories of Harvey Fierstein and Torch
Song Trilogy and its importance in Gay Culture and history... We had a good
turn out with about four new people and about 18 people in all. Thank you Bill
for doing such a wonderful presentation on a part of Gay history most of us
know little about.
8
September 2016 Thursday
I
got up early and made a meat loaf because I was going to invite Bill Poore over
for lunch but after discovering the pots and pan cupboard by the doggy door was
littered with Mouse turds I just had to tear my kitchen apart. I just spent 3
hours on the first layer of cleaning the kitchen for mouse droppings. I like to
think I keep a clean house but I had to wash all my baking ware and pots and
pans... spray and wash the cupboard, then pull out all my kitchen drawers empty
them through all the wash cloths and dish towels in the washer, wash all the
drawers with bleach and wash all the utensils... tired now but tomorrow with
pull the appliances from the wall sweep and mop...I am not so sympathetic about
the mice now after seeing what a mess they leave behind. Maybe I should get a
cat... a female that doesn't spray...Fifty years ago Star Trek premiered and it
was on a Thursday too as part of NBC’s fall lineup. Space: the final frontier.
These are the voyages of the starship Enterprise. Its five-year mission: to
explore strange new worlds, to seek out new life and new civilizations, to
boldly go where no man has gone before. The woman who was kissed by an ecstatic
sailor in Times Square celebrating the end of World War II died at the age of
92. Greta Zimmer died in Richmond, Va, from complications of old age. Friedman
was a 21-year-old dental assistant in a nurse's uniform on Aug. 14, 1945, known
as V-J Day, the day the Japanese surrendered. People spilled out into the
streets from restaurants, bars and movie theaters in New York when they heard
the news. That's when George Mendonsa spotted Friedman, spun her around and
planted a kiss on her. The two had never met. In fact, Mendonsa was on a date
with an actual nurse, Rita Petry, who would later become his wife. Soon that whole generation will be gone
and will seem as distance as WWI or the Civil War.
·
Jon
Michael There is a darling cat up for adoption that has been declawed. Let me
know if you were serious or just kidding.
·
Edgar
Ben Williams I will probably stick with dogs so a while... thanks for thinking
of me
·
Terrie
Williams You need a cat with claws that gets along with dogs
·
Stephanie
Williams Females can spray too. But it's more rare than a neutered male cat if
you do get a male cat which can be very loving and affectionate cat make sure
you neuter them soon once they have their hormones kick in the more spraying
you will have so don't delay take my word for it you don't want them spraying
in the house. Sorry about your mouse problem I'm surprised the dogs didn't get
them. Tasha catches them from time to time when they're outside but the lizards
are much faster than the mice. Cats are actually a lot of work we currently
have three and the dog and oh my gosh we keep saying no more pets, LOL that
doesn't last Long though. They got away to melt your heart
·
Roland
Ron Holmgren Sympathy from me. Had to go through the same thing. My neighbors
had major mice problems from time to time, we never did, until my last cat
died. After the mice we're dancing in the middle of the front room when
"American Idol" was on, we adopted two kittens. One male, one female.
Brother and sister. And that was the end of the mice. They are almost twelve
years old, and if they have earned their keep. Think if you adopt a cat or
kitten, then TJ won't be the littlest in the family.
9
September 2016 Friday
I went to Sutherlands early this morning
looking for Decon mouse bait when I saw these… the Sonic Pestchaser and Mouse
Repellant... So hopefully the mice will vamoose and I will see them marching
out the doggy door...then I went down to the vet to see about Farley's
remains....it's been over a month and they still aren't in! I want him home!
Bill Poore came over for lunch...I wanted to thank him for doing the
presentation at the Wednesday Lecture series. Had my kitchen washed and
bleached and put back together so felt good enough to cook in... I made a meat
loaf, scalloped potatoes, canned corn, tomatoes from the garden and peach
cobbler...I told him I was going to watch tonight Body Heat one of my very
favorite movies and he then he tells me how he knew William Hurt and Kathleen
Turner from his theater days in New York... What a life. Seth Anderson left
after having dinner and watching a movie tonight...he's a vegetarian so I
served macaroni and cheese, scalloped potatoes, corn with red peppers and a
fresh pear topped with yogurt and sliced nectarines with a drizzle of
grenadine... He hadn't eaten all day so when he left I packed it all up with
him to take home... We watched Body Heat because I knew he never had seen it.
It came out the year he was born...Film Noir at its finest... So I had a nice
day. Good for Hillary Clinton for calling out Donald Trump for his hateful
supporters!! Basket of deplorable. A private security firm guarding the
construction of $3.8 billion Dakota Access LLC oil pipeline unleashed vicious
attack dogs against a sizable crowd of members of the Standing Rock Sioux who
were peacefully protesting including women and children. Without warning, these
security henchmen unleashed their dogs on the demonstrators and used pepper
spray on the Indians. At least six people were bitten, including a young child.
Anonymous confirmed that the woman in pictures and a video using attack dog is
Ashley Nicole Welch.
·
Laurie
Epperson I use something like this at my house. I have 4 or 5 of them all over
the place. I like not using something that can hurt the dogs. Plus I don't have
to clean up dead things. They just stay away. Ugh poor Farley. Thanks for
loving him.
·
Edgar
Ben Williams For the short time I had him he sure took a piece of my heart with
him. It was an honor to be the last face he ever saw and that he knew he was
precious and loved.
·
Jon
Michael A month! WTF? That is inexcusable, adding insult to injury. When I knew
that it was time to say goodbye to my darling Buster, I paid a visit to Major
Street pet services. They run a mortuary for pets, most of their business is
cremations, which are done onsite. I was INCREDIBLY impressed with their high
standard of professionalism, empathy, and beautifully maintained facilities. I
hope you do not need these services again for a very long time. Just maybe file
away in your memory bank
10
September 2016 Saturday
I
went to Murray's farmers market early this morning at 9 am to buy a loaf of
Volkers German Rye Bread, six ears of sweet corn and about 5 lbs. of
nectarines. I didn't buy any peaches because I would have made cobblers out of
them lol. Beautiful morning. During the harvest season Farm Bureau sponsors the
Murray Farmer's Market and the South Jordan Farmer's Market. I like the Farm
Bureau Farmer's Markets because only growers only and bakers are allowed-no
brokers and no crafts. October 29th will be the last day for the
market this season. Then I went to the Genealogy Library for about 4 hours
looking up property deeds on the Joneses in Knoxville Township, Iowa. I am
about ready to wrap Isaac Jones up. It was the big Holy War football game this
evening and when I heard that BYU lost by 1 point I was snarky and wrote this
on FB “Did Jehovah smile favorable on the Lords University tonight or did he
turn his face away from all their prayers and supplications? Is there
Lamentations in Utah County tonight and are the heathens rejoicing? Are they
singing O by the River of Jordan we wept?”
Obama put a temporary halt to the Dakota pipeline that is being
protested by over a 1000 Native Americans. I don't understand why people still
put their money in banks after the 2008 crash when credit unions have never
crippled the world’s economy. Thousands of Wells Fargo’s employees have taken people’s
money to open false accounts so they could get bigger bonuses. Want to punish
banks? pull your money out refinance everything in your local credit union... So
Donald Trump admires Vladimir Putin who is behind the murder of 30 journalists
critical of his regime and who invaded the Ukraine and took over the Crimea in
violation of international law, who has criminalized homosexuality in Russia
and who supports the Assad’s Regime in Syria and Trumps followers are upset
because Hillary called them deplorable... If you admire Trump you are a fascist
and have no idea about what America's core beliefs are... we the people not we
the bankers and billionaires. Hillary Clinton made this statement, Last night,
I was "grossly generalistic," and that's never a good idea. I regret
saying "half"—that was wrong. But let's be clear, what's really
"deplorable" is that Donald Trump hired a major advocate for the
so-called "alt-right" movement to run his campaign and that David
Duke and other white supremacists see him as a champion of their values. It's
deplorable that Trump has built his campaign largely on prejudice and paranoia
and given a national platform to hateful views and voices, including by
retweeting fringe bigots with a few dozen followers and spreading their message
to 11 million people. It's deplorable that he's attacked a federal judge for
his "Mexican heritage," bullied a Gold Star family because of their
Muslim faith, and promoted the lie that our first black President is not a true
American. So I won't stop calling out bigotry and racist rhetoric in this
campaign. I also meant what I said last night about empathy, and the very real
challenges we face as a country where so many people have been left out and
left behind. As I said, many of Trump's supporters are hard-working Americans
who just don't feel like the economy or our political system are working for
them. I'm determined to bring our country together and make our economy work
for everyone, not just those at the top. Because we really are "stronger
together."
11
September 2016 Sunday
I
had an appointment at 10 a.m. for another sensual massage from Patrick Ryan. My
old back muscle surely needed a rub down from all the weeks on bending over a
keyboard. That pretty well wiped me out for the day, Today is the 15th
anniversary of the Al Queda attacks on America. Having an old fashion dinner
this afternoon...Tuna Casserole, corn on the cob from the farmers market,
canned peas, tomatoes from the garden, and Volkers German Rye bread with
butter... It's how we use to eat as a kid at home... Fast and simple because
mom worked...Sad news for the Arquette family... Now she can join her grandpa
Charley Weaver aka Cliff Arquette
12
September 2016 Monday
Spent
most of the morning typing up a letter to Kyle Foote so I can get it in the
mail by 1pm when the Post Office picks up. Then I went to All A Dollar to get
some cleaning supplies and I bought some squeaky dogs toys that Harley loves so
much. He was so excited to get them. It was like Christmas for him. The other
pooches could not care less. If they can’t eat it they are not interested.
Pretty day today and the State Fair is going on. I went to the liquor store and
bought some flavored beverages, some Sangria, and a bottle of wine just to have
on hand. Hillary Clinton's doctor says she was diagnosed with pneumonia on
Friday and placed on antibiotics. That is why she left the 9/11 memorial
service yesterday early. A
woman I don't know left me this sweet message... I know we fought the good
fight but it's good to be validated
"Edgar, I wanted to private message you to tell you how truly
thankful I am about your courage. I have a 13 year old son who shared with me
that he thinks he is gay. He is not ready to come out publicly yet but I am
doing everything I can to make his journey as successful as possible. Thank you
that my child will face a kinder and more open world than you faced. I am
forever grateful of the individuals who paved the way before us."
·
Dear
Kyle, I received your letter your letter on Saturday. As always it was good to
hear from you. Sounds like you are working off your culinary school classes.
Good for you. I am sure besides losing the weight the exercise is good for your
mental health because exercise can ward off depression. I sent you the SLCC
letter with your registration student number. I hope that was helpful for you.
It will feel great to walk out of incarceration with your associate degree for
sure. I printed out the visitor
form and have filled it out but I need to make a copy of my driver’s license
and SS card which I have to dig out. I can see them wanting the DL in case
things have changed but why the Social Security card? It’s not like that’s going
to change and that they don’t already have it on file. Just more hoops to make
it inconvenient for people to come visit. It
may be a while before I can come down anyway. I am meeting with my doctor
September 13 to schedule my bypass surgery. The Friday that Farley died I had a
doctor's appointment that morning who said I was certainly fat enough for
Bariatric surgery when that the U of U clinic said I wasn't. My doctor said
they were crazy. Well he didn't actually say that but rather that I was an
"excellent" candidate for surgery. Nice to know I am excellent at
something. I even shrunk that day. Now my senior year in high school I measured
5 '10" and 165 pounds. While I couldn't lie about being 165 lbs. anymore I
kept my height at 5' 10" all my life until the doctor made me measure my
height again... Well either the nurse did it wrong or I shrunk. Anyway it’s a
go for surgery. I am doing it for my diabetes more than any reason because they
say it will put it in remission so I have my first appointment September 13th
and surgery sometime after that. I have not had surgery since 1959 when I had
my appendix and tonsils yanked out. 57 years is a pretty good run I think. I
don't think they will give me ice cream and 7 Up like when the tonsils were
yanked. I will be laid up for two days in the hospital and for a couple of
weeks at home after that. Michael said he will spend the night at the house
when I’m in the hospital to feed the dogs and keep them from being lonesome.
Several friends said they will come by during the day when I am home to help
out if I need anything. I am a little nervous but if it helps put my diabetes
in remission then I suppose it will be worth it to the change the ways I can
eat. Doing this right before the holidays too. LOL It took a month to get my Cruiser back. I guess this long
hot summer was causing vehicles to break down left and right. It cost me $2600
but cheaper than buying a new car which I don’t need. I am not working anymore
and just need it to drive the pups around and take Coco home. The truck still
needs to get an ignition solenoid fixed but that can wait. The pups are all
fine. I call TJ and Maxx my Chi-Chi dogs because one is a pure Chihuahua and
Maxx is a mix. I would never have brought a Chihuahua home on my own but when I
agreed to foster them I couldn’t give them up because they made themselves
right at home. And TJ is not like most Chihuahua I have seen. He isn’t a barker
or nervous or anything but is as sweet as he can be. He likes to be held by
everyone and all my friends want to take him home. Half my friends call him
Peanut the others TJ. Bill Poore is the one
who named him saying since he is Mexican he should be TJ for Tijuana. He burrows under the blankets at night and
does this little dance where he stands on his hind legs and paws at the air
when he knows he’s been naughty. I call it his Mexican Hat dance. He only
weighs about 6 pounds. Maxx is twice his size and you’d think they were twins
with their fawn coloring. Even their white markings are the same. He’s a sweet
heart but one time I had to swat him good when he and Buddy got into it and he
almost tore poor Buddy’s ear off. Male dominance I suppose but I let him know I
am the alpha and he’s been docile ever since. He’s not a barker at all and he’s
the best thing I could have done for Coco. They play and wrestle all morning
and are the best playmates. Coco hurries in first thing in the morning to greet
Maxx, They are inseparable. Harley is becoming more sociable but still doesn’t
like the other dogs much. He’s a loner and sleeps in a doggy bed I made up for
him in my bedroom closet. He’s the only one who will eat the dry dog food I put
out for everyone but he and Buddy both bark like mad at 6:30 to get me up and
they won’t quit until I do get up. They want their morning treats of hot dogs.
I buy Bar S brand hot dogs that are mostly chicken and pork anyway which is
better that chicken jerky that I use to buy years ago until found it all came
from China where it was killing dogs. I have to cut TJ’s into little slices and
hand feed him so it’s not like I can just throw it down and go back to bed.
Then Coco the stink won’t eat hot dogs at all but only wants cheese. So I keep
American cheese slices on hand for her and I have to cut them into bite sizes
too. Sometimes TJ refuses to eat his hot dogs and wants Coco’s cheese too. Not
spoiled are they. I’ve been feeding them boiled skinless and boneless chicken
thighs at night for their supper. I cook up barley in the Chicken broth and
feed that too them too. Last night I
made a tuna casserole for dinner and decided to give the dogs some of it for a
change. They hated it. I thought they would like the noodles but they don’t
like fish I suppose. Buddy seems to be doing okay just slowing down. All the
money I spent on him last December was well spent because he’s had a good year.
He looks like the hunchback of Notre Dame though with his bigger than a goose
egg bump on his rump. It doesn’t hurt him and the vet said to leave it alone
but it sure isn’t pretty but Buddy doesn’t care. I still haven’t gotten Farley’s
remains back and it’s been over a month! He died August 5 and I paid to have
him cremated and put in a box like all my others pets. I went down there on
Friday thinking maybe they just forgot to call me but the vet still didn’t have
them! I just want Farley home where he belongs. Been going to the Murray Farmer’s Market on Saturday mornings but
may start going Friday evenings since they are opened both days. The Farm
Bureau sponsors only the Murray Farmer's Market and the South Jordan Farmer's
Market. Farm Bureau Farmer's Markets are growers only no brokers or
crafts. So it’s just get in and get out.
Not like the others where the hipster all like to take their dogs and see and
be seen. Hell most of them buy the premade vendor stuff because they don’t own
a skillet LOL. I usually buy fresh corn,
nectarines, and German Rye bread from Volkers Bakery. My garden is giving me all the tomatoes I can
eat. I don’t buy peaches because I will just make cobblers and that’s the last
thing I need. My little garden plot in the southwest corner of my back yard was
a bust this year. It was so hot it kept burning up. I planted corn, yellow
squash, pumpkins, tomatoes, green beans and peppers. I got a few squash but
corn burned up, and I had no pumpkins, a few green beans and the peppers shriveled
up. The soil probably needs more compost and manure for next year. I don’t know
why I bother with all the farmer markets to go to. I guess I just like to see
things grow. Brad De’Orio that guy I don’t like that use to manage the Q years
ago runs the Sugar House Farmers Market now and has moved it to Fairmount Park
where it opens on Wednesdays now. I am not sure whether the Peoples Market at
Jordan Park is still going or not. Seth Anderson is back in town for a while.
He and Michael are selling their Condo and Seth borrowed the truck to move
things he couldn’t fit in his car. I’ve got 4 big boxes stored in the
downstairs bedroom of theirs that they are taking back to New York after
Michael flies out here for some conference later this month. Michael Ferguson
is a professor now at Cornell University in upstate New York… Seth is working
for the University as an archivist for the Kristen Ries and Maggie Snyder AIDS
archives at the U. He’s collecting oral histories and such. He’s also getting a
pictorial book on the History of Gay Salt Lake published that I helped him with
from my collection. My only involvement with the Gay Community anymore is the
Utah Stonewall Historical Society Lecture Series I host at the Marmalade
Library the 1st Wednesday of each month. Even that is not wide spread because I
only advertise it on a FB page and am selective on who I let join… Mainly
because the room at the Library only holds at the most 20 people. I get about
18 attending. I don’t advertise to the Lesbian, Bisexual, or Trans community
just the Gay men’s community. Let them create their own since I don’t want to
deal with their anti-Gay men attitudes…most of the men who come anyway are 30
and up. Bill Poore spoke at the last one
about his experiences with Torch Song Trilogy and Harvey Fierstein on Broadway
and how important the play was for opening up Broadway to Gay themes. First Gay
play to win a Tony and Bill was in the audience. Anyway I think I told you the
Pride Center sold their building and will be moving but they haven’t found a
location yet. They are going to have to leave downtown for sure as rents have
sky rocketed. Two bed rooms in all the new apartments along 4th South are about
$1400 a month. Twice what I pay in my mortgage for the house… No real news or
scandals to report. Misty Snow that delusional transgender who is running on
the Democratic ticket against Mike Lee is a sacrificial lamb just so she can
say she was the first Transgender to run for Senate in Utah. Good Luck with
that. She was a bagger at a grocery store before running for office ha! Mike Weinholtz
is running for governor against Herbert. He’s Donna [medical marijuana] Weinholtz
husband. Not a snow ball chance in hell of winning anything outside of Park
City and Salt Lake City. I am afraid it will be four more years of Gary They
Paved Paradise and Put up a Parking Lot Herbert who will sell Utah’s soul to
developers. Democrats are hoping people will not vote a straight Republican
Ticket with Donald Trump at the top of the ballot. They are hoping more that
Republicans stay home. It’s about the only way Doug Owens and the other
Democrats will win. I wonder how many General Authorities will vote for a
lying, cheating, adulterer conman over voting for a woman? The radical
religious right sure has taken this spawn of Satan as their poster child. LOL
Just goes to show how insane the religious right is and that it’s all about the
Power and the Glory and about keeping the money rolling in. Except
for going down to Gunnison in July I haven’t gone anywhere or done anything but
work on my nephew’s genealogy and babysit dogs. It keeps me occupied especially
over this long hot summer without any rain. The one fun thing I did was go see
Saturday Voyeur. Alan Anderson bought me a ticket for watching his dogs for a
week last July. I had to turn down an invite from Jim Dabakis to his BBQ
though. So much going on in summer like feast or famine. But I am too old to do
everything. It was such a fun evening at the Salt Lake Acting Company's
production of Saturday's Voyeur... I had no clue what to expect since I hadn't
gone in ages but they managed to intertwined a Donald Trump like character as
God on Kolob, the Mormon church’s ban on children of Gay couples, and the
Mormon Republican legislature idiocy. That was a miracle in of itself. So many
great lines but my favorite was calling sperm "temple tadpoles"...
Loved the Joseph Smith character who was played as a sexy rogue. [Kind of like
you]. A longtime friend of mine named Rich Butler retired and has been coming
over and doing projects for me around the house. He lowered the upstairs gate
so TJ can’t squeeze through and go down stairs when I open the front door. He
replaced a circuit switch in the upstairs bathroom that burned out and put in a
new ceiling fan in my bedroom. He’s going to come over also some time and power
wash the deck. All I have to do is make him banana bread and listen to him
grouse about his family life LOL. I also baby sit his dog when they take long
vacations. The Q is still
publishing. I think Michael Aaron just is careless about sending out the
magazine. Here’s some news from
September’s issue:
• Equality
Utah announced three new members of its board of directors today — James
Huntsman, Sen. Steve Urquhart and one of the organization’s original founders,
Michelle Turpin.
• Dave
Robinson wants to be Utah’s highest ranking gay elected official- Dave Robinson
is not big on labels. So, when he ran in the nonpartisan Salt Lake City mayoral
race, that suited him just fine. “I’ve been either a registered Independent or
unaffiliated all my adult life,” he said of his political leanings. So, when he
was approached by leaders within the Republican party to run for Salt Lake
County Mayor, against incumbent Ben McAdams, he had to set one thing straight:
He isn’t. “I told them they better think deeper and harder about a queer man
running on their Republican ticket. He was told the “gay issue wasn’t an
issue.” [Dave is the asshole who treated my Armenian ward Levon so poorly]
• Salt
Lake City Mayor Jackie Biskupski married her fiancé, Betty Iverson Sunday, Aug.
14. Kate Kendall officiated
• Salt
Lake County Council passes trans health coverage
• Salt
Lake City bids for Gay Games XI in 2022- Salt Lake City is among 11 cities
which have so far bid to host Gay Games XI, the Federation of Gay Games
announced.
·
Lambda
Lore- The ’40s in gay Utah: In
1940, Utah’s population was 550,310 and the state’s unemployment was second
highest in the nation. As the United States entered World War II, Utah
converted its economy to wartime production which ended the Great Depression in
the state. Utah’s prosperity however changed the state from a provincial
backwater to the location of the largest inland U.S. military installations
during the war. Hill Field Air Force Base, south of Ogden, became in 1940 a
major repair and supply depot for the Army Air Forces. At its largest, Hill Field employed 15,000
civilians, 6,000 military personnel, and several thousand prisoners of war,
making it the largest employer in the state. In early 1942, after the attack on
Pearl Harbor, officials feared sabotage and attacks on the Pacific Coast and
moved two major military installations to Utah. The U.S. Army 9th Service
Command moved its headquarters from San Francisco’s Presidio to Fort Douglas in
Salt Lake City. Fort Douglas served as an induction and separation station and
contained a German prisoner-of-war camp. Its proximity to Salt Lake City and
the University of Utah made it a cruising ground for homosexuals. On May 1, 1942, Kearns Army Air Base
came into existence as a U.S. training facility. By spring of 1943, Kearns had
become Utah’s third largest city with 40,000 troops stationed there. The base
was less accessible to homosexual cruising than Fort Douglas as it was a
temporary base for thousands of soldiers and airmen. At the outbreak of WWII,
draft boards in Utah and across the nation processed nearly 10 million men into
the armed forces. Early in May 1941 the U.S. Army Surgeon General classified
“homosexual proclivities” as disqualifying inductees for military service.
Similar policies were adopted by the Navy and the Selective Service System.
Thus, when inductees were examined by medical professionals and psychiatrists,
they were questioned about their sexuality. Hundreds of thousands, however,
denied they were homosexuals to serve their country. In 1944 the Women’s Army Corps’ instructional guide began screening
for homosexuality to disqualify recruits. There are no available records on
discharges for homosexuality but any such discharges were likely classified
under another category. The government’s efforts to ban homosexuals from the
military accomplished little but it had an unintended consequence. By using the
medical term “homosexual,” gay Americans had, for the first time, a name for
their feelings. Men and women all over the nation who had thought they were
alone were now provided with the concept that same sex erotic behavior was so
common that people had to be screened for it. Historian John Berube referred to
induction into the military as a national coming out experience when “coming
out” at that time simply meant acknowledging your sexual orientation. Wartime
often brings about a loosening of sexual standards and WWII was no exception.
It brought about a change of sexual mores in Utah with the disruption of the
traditional family, the sense of impermanence and the absence of normal
attachments. Historians commented that WWII unleashed a “Hedonistic impulse” on
overall society. “The thought of perhaps dying tomorrow created a psyche
directed toward living life to the fullest at the present both among those who
might go into combat and those with whom they associated. It loosened morals
and opened doors for opportunity as never before.” Because of the wartime
draft, thousands of Utah women worked outside the home for the first time in
their lives. Women replaced men in the factories, on farms, and at military
installations. One of the most liberating aspects of war for lesbians was that
females were freed from constraints of home supervision. Women entering the
workforce allowed for them more freedom from traditional supervision and eroded
sexual boundaries. For the most part, the Mormon residents of the Wasatch Front
were reluctant to interact with the new arrivals. The relaxation of standards
among the faithful was seen as a moral crisis.
The young servicemen, stationed at Fort Douglas and Kearns, were barely
tolerated by suspicious Latter-day Saints who feared the corruption of their
youth. However, this informal prohibition of Mormons from fraternizing with non-Latter-day
Saints couldn’t be sustained by religious leaders. The fear of fraternizing was
not so much about homosexuality as about any type of premarital sex. Religious
leaders feared the thousands of single young men away from home would seek
sexual partners among the Mormon sons and daughters of Utah. The church
leaders’ fears were real since it was only natural that premarital sexual
relations, as well as covert homosexual ones, would flourish in wartime,
despite religious admonitions against immorality and vice. This fear of
promiscuity was real, as the Utah Health Department in 1945 confirmed 1,097
cases of gonorrhea in Utah, an all-time high. Newcomers, as well as “Jack
Mormons” (non-practicing Latter-day Saints), managed to find sexual liaisons in
the many bars, taverns and canteens that sprang up to cater to the military
installations in Salt Lake City and Ogden. Two popular “pick-up spots” for
homosexual men looking for service men and others were the Temple Square Hotel
which housed the International Bus Terminal and the Belvedere Hotel on State
Street. The Twilight Inn, across the street from the Belvedere, had upstairs an
officers’ lounge and private sleeping quarters. North of the Belvedere was the
Salt Lake Public Library whose men’s restrooms were notorious cruising areas. Utah
municipalities even condoned prostitution as a means of easing pressures in
their local communities, especially 25th Street in Ogden and west 2nd South in
Salt Lake City. These cities fathers tried to protect the local women from the
perceived licentiousness of the servicemen while turning a blind eye to the
licentiousness of their own gay sons. In Ogden, the notorious 25th Street, the
city’s red light district, was considered one long brothel due to the rows of
houses of ill repute. The Hill Air Force Base supplied customers for Ogden’s
dens of prostitution along three blocks of 25th Street where 11 houses were in
operation during the war. The district, which had been around for many years,
was expanded during the war as the so-called “Victory Girls” catered to the
wishes of the local servicemen. The train yards also provided ample space for
sexual interludes between transient servicemen and local homosexuals. Salt Lake
City’s old Greek Town, west of the train tracks on 2nd South, was the hub of
the city’s prostitution. Generally, wherever prostitution was allowed to
flourish, homosexuals found ready and willing men who were short on cash. As
long as the activity was out of sight from most of the public the city fathers
turned a blind eye to the goings-on, in part because it eased some of the
pressure on their daughters. In 1945,
Marvin O. Ashton, first counselor in the LDS presiding bishopric, wrote a
passage in the LDS Church’s “Improvement Era” as assurance to worried parents
that times would return to “normal” as soon as the war ended. He urged Latter-day Saint parents to be
patient with their children and servicemen who acquired “bad habits” during the
war…. Well now to important News. I guess Big Brother will end in a couple of more
weeks signaling that summer is really over.
Natalie went home last week instead of James and it will be interesting
to see if James or Nicole goes home this week. I am still rooting for Victor at
this point because he is the most ethical and strongest player. Also he comes
from humble beginnings and I am sure his family could use the money. Mr.
Friendship looks like he comes from plenty of money and his mother just wants
him to buy her a BMW anyway. Nicole I still like and would like to see her come
in at least 2nd so she could get $50,000.
Cory is interesting. A giant Ken doll who is always grabbing at his
crotch like he has the itch. LOL From the feeds I watch I guess he and Nicole
have been fucking all summer and the majority opinion is that he’s just using
her for the sex and that there won’t be a relationship outside the house.
Besides he’s a handsome tall white Texan whose family has plenty of money. He
will do fine without the half a million.
Kind of like Vanessa who had already won millions playing poker… Seemed
strange this season without a Gay player and who ever picked Josea to be the
Gay character should be fired. It would be nice if they picked a “Gay” Corey
for a change. There are plenty out there. Oh well. Paulie, Nicole, and Frank
were my picks. I guess there will be a
new season starting this month that you can only watch by subscription on CBS
access. I guess the show is a cash cow like Survivor. I think I prefer it being a summer show for
some reason. I’ve watched every season since it began I think because I have
voyeuristic instincts and I can express them here rather than going to jail
LOL. Chuck Whyte is finally home from rehab after being there all summer. I
brought him back to his place at the end of August but I am miffed at him right
now. I told him that now that he is collecting disability he needs to take a
taxi or uber to the store rather than impose on all his friends [mainly me]. I
said I wasn’t going to drive five miles to take him two blocks to the store
anymore. So last week he wanted to go to lunch and I said sure but I had to be
home by 1pm because my friend Rich Butler was coming over to put in a new
ceiling fan in my bedroom. I told him I’d pick him up at 11:30 and even then I
thought I was cutting it close. Anyway he asked if I could come by earlier at
11 to pick him up from the grocery store and I said no because Alan Anderson
was coming at 11 to drop off his two dogs I had agreed to dog sit. So I drive
into the city and am waiting outside his condo right at 11:30 and there’s no
Chuck. At 11:40 I am getting pissed and then he calls me from Smith’s asking
where was I? He was at Smith’s after all! When I specifically told him I was on
a tight schedule. If I went and picked him up and loaded up his groceries and drove
him back to his Condo where he would unload them it would have been 12 O’clock!
I was so mad like he could care less about abusing my time so I said I was
going home and he could walk! He was
still using me like a taxi! So that was
45 minutes wasted doing nothing. He
complained on Facebook that it took him 39 minutes to walk home from the store
and that his grocery bags ripped. I didn’t say a thing but thought Good! Next
time call a taxi. It’s not like I hadn’t
been there for him when he was so broke [from his own neglect] and staying up
to all hours at the LDS Hospital but I am not his private Taxi service now that
he’s got some money coming in. I feel like he’s just taking advantage of our
friendship now so I am teaching him a lesson not to take me for granted. It
takes a whole lot but when I am done with someone I am done. Charles Frost knows that. My final thoughts
“Voting for Trump should be a litmus test whether you are mentally stable
enough to own a gun... Oh you voted for Trump ...sorry we can't sell you a
gun....” “It was God’s judgment on Tony Perkins of the Family Research
Council’s destroying his home by a flood. He had said that God sent natural
disasters to punish Gay people.” I discovered a new word “lucubrate” definition
1. To work, write, or study laboriously, especially at night. 2. To write
learnedly. Sentence “I have been
lucubrating my ass off all summer.” “Let me get this straight. You think Colin
Kaepernick disrespected the military for sitting down during the National
Anthem but support a candidate who dodged the draft, made fun of a POW,
attacked a Gold Star family, and wants the military to commit war crimes? You
must be a Republican.” “Regarding Hillary’s health, this is the first time
Republicans have cared about a woman’s health.” As I ever was or ever shall be Your
Friend
Ben.
13
September 2016 Tuesday
Had
to be up at the U of U Hospital early at 7:45 to meet with Dr. Volckman and the
other specialists, Hilary Cutler the dietician, and an exercise specialist for
my bariatric surgery. I had to pay $450 today for the program fees. I have a
dietician class October 11 and November 8 Tuesdays and December 13 at 11:30 am
in the Red Park room. It’s going to be a process before I can have the surgery
which won’t be until sometime after the first of the year. Then it will be one
or two days in the hospital, a week recovery, two weeks of baby food and
liquids after 6 weeks back to regular food small portions... No carbonated
drinks, no coffee, no aspirin or ibuprofen or Aleve... Have to take vitamins
rest of my life but diabetes should go into remission. Came home and made some shrimp chow mein
first time ever. I just used Top Ramen noodles.
14
September 2016 Wednesday
Finally
a good soaking rain! I had to go buy a blender because after my surgery I will
be eating baby food for about two weeks and drinking protein powder. I also
have to exercise ...ugh ugh damn it all to hell ... so dug out my silver
sneakers card that you get with Medicare that makes joining some gyms free. I
will go to the Northwest Rec Center and get a free member ship tomorrow. I told
my physical advisor that I would go twice a week and work up to more. While I
was out I bought 6 mum plants for a $1.00 each to replace the flowers that died
in the summer heat on the back deck. The rains came right after planting
them...yay! BTW the Shrimp Chow Mein I made was delicious.
15
September 2016 Thursday
Richard
needed me to go with him to get a new stove and microwave. We went to RC Wiley’s
where I got some free ice cream and then to the warehouse to pick it up. I
stayed with him and helped him some with holding up the microwave while he
installed it. Then we went out to the dump to drop off the old appliances. It
was a busy day although I didn't do anything really but watch Richard P. Butler
work while I ate ice cream and he took me to lunch at Chilis in West
Valley before taking me home...the
hamburger and fries were really good like in the olden days...got home too late
to cook dinner for the dogs so opened up canned dog food and they looked at me
like you got to be kidding. So I went down to NW Rec Center with my silver
sneakers card and got a free yearly pass...so. Damn it to hell I guess I have
to exercise... Stopped and got some chicken nuggets for the pups on the way
home. I guess they are kind of spoiled
16
September 2016 Friday
Went
to the Gym for the first time. It didn’t kill me. Then went to Chuck-arama with
Bill Poore to celebrate. On the way home I stopped by the vet’s and Farley was
finally in so finally brought Farley home to his forever home...I have no idea
why it took so long for me to get back his remains when he passed away on
August 5...but now I don't feel so anxious that I've got him home...Farley is
home with all my beloved pups now...I hope they are all playing over that
proverbial Rainbow Bridge together... Sad and glad to have Farley home my
little street urchin... Oscar my first Schnauzer was an old boy I adopted in
1996 who died 2002, then Saffy died 2006, then Priscilla a dachshund mix and
Smokey in 2010, then Lucky, Daisy, and Farley in 2016... Only Priscilla wasn't
a Schnauzer. Making Corn chowder with fresh farmer’s market corn for the
Harvest Full Moon tonight... It’s a magick moon so sending out good energy that
after the full moon the waning moon will take all negative energy away from my
life... Glad Farley is home for the Harvest Moon... It’s a good sign. I paid
$200 to adopt him, spent $350 for a checkup and teeth cleaning, paid $40 for a
grooming, $825 in vet bills when he was sick, his euthanasia and cremation and
although I only had him four months it was worth every penny for the time we
shared together.
·
Bill
Poore- I am happy they are doing a sleep study on you....I think you have sleep
apnea. If they say you need a CPAP
machine, tell then you want the type that just over the nostrils. I think the
mask would not work for you....you do get used to it, believe me, they work,
but it takes time to adjust to them....I think the ones that ....I think the
ones that just cover the nostrils little plugs attached to a hose that gently
blows air into your throat....you will sleep deep and wake up
refreshed.....don't fight it. The Sleep
study is a pain in the ass. You will
need someone to stay with the dogs because the sleep study is at a clinic. If I
remember I will bring one of the nose things over tomorrow and show you. The
CPAP actually helps with diabetes, it is supposed to lower blood sugar. I almost wonder if that is why mine is
low. I wear the CPAP every night
faithfully. and my figures are like 6.6 all the time
17
September 2016 Saturday
Really
cleaned the house well for Movie Night although few came over. Alan Anderson
and Bill Poore stayed for dinner but only Greg Allen and Jay Vallar stayed for
the movie. So we had a small group for movie night because a lot is still going
on evidently as summer officially ends on Wednesday. We had plenty of spaghetti
and chocolate cake to send home with people. We also had squash from the
garden, a salad, and garlic bread. I think Greg Allen and Joel Jay Vallar
really enjoyed Partners when Ryan O Neal was hunky cute.
·
Bill
Poore-Thanks for a great dinner and to go food. I totally enjoy that group. I
love Greg and Jay and of course Alan.
18
September 2016 Sunday
I
had so much spaghetti sauce left over from dinner yesterday that I was able to
make two batches of Lasagna. That and laundry is about all I accomplished today
besides work on genealogy. Voting for Trump because you hate Hillary Clinton is
analogous to saying I voted for Chancellor Hitler not because I liked him but I
hate Jews even more. So the GOP wants a man to run the world’s largest economy
who has filed bankruptcy six times! Trump Taj Mahal Associates, Atlantic City
casino — 1991 Trump Castle Hotel &
Casino, Atlantic City casino — 1992 Trump Plaza Associates, Atlantic City casino —
1992 Plaza Operating Partners, Manhattan
hotel — 1992 Trump Casino Holdings,
Atlantic City casinos — 2004 Trump
Entertainment Resorts, Atlantic City casinos — 2009
19
September 2016 Monday
Today
would have been my Grandpa Johnson’s 115th birthday. I went to the
gym this morning after Seth Anderson came over to retrieve his boxes to take
back to New York. I walked 1 1/2 mile on tread mill and a half mile walking on
the running track. I did a bunch of strength building exercises too on the
machines. I watched CNN’s coverage of the capture of the NYC and NJ bomber
which made the time fly on the tread mill . I asked Bill Poore over for Lasana
but he had a doctor’s appointment today. Kind of a mind blower to realize that
the majority of Canadians live on the same parallel as Oregon and Idaho and
below Seattle.
20
September 2016 Tuesday
Summer
is hanging on this last day of the season with temperatures of 91 today!
Average tempt for this date is 78 degrees...the record high for this date was
81 degrees in 1991... It's been a long hot summer... Ready for Autumn. The air
condition in the cruiser is out again.
21
September 2016 Wednesday
My
endoscopy was postponed until next Friday because Dr. Volckmann wasn’t in today
so Richard P. Butler came over anyway and we went to Charlie Chows for lunch
and to visit. Afterwards I went and got what little hair I have left cut before
going to the library. I love to read but since I write so much I don't feel
like I have the opportunity but since there's only crap on TV decided I needed
a good book... I am reading Erik Larson's Dead Wake the last Crossing of the
Lusitania... I loved his book the devil in the White City about the Chicago's
World Fair so giving this a try... So far so good. Summer turns to fall today.
Yay! Wells Fargo Bank perpetrated fraud
on thousands of customers by opening false accounts under their names. Not only
should they go to prison but the government should confiscate personal assets
of Bankers they do that with drug dealers
22
September 2016 Thursday
I
drained the hot tub this morning before going up to the Sleep Apnea Clinic up
at the U and that was fine and I have an appointment November 5the for the
sleep over but when I came out to start the car...the battery was dead. I only
had 5 percent battery charge on the phone but I managed to call AAA but they
said it'd be an hour before sending someone up to me in Research Park. But it
was a beautiful day up at Research Park and the leaves were changing a pretty
yellow color... Well when the service woman arrived she said my battery was
dead so I bought a new one from AAA for $110. When I was heading down into the
valley I saw an evil dark cloud front swooping down from the west which
contained a tornado that hit the South Ogden area with plummeting winds. No
damage here and not that much rain .But the weather has sure turned from summer
to fall... I am fixing stew tomorrow. I got an eight page letter from Kyle
Foote today dated the 18th so that came really fast. Usually it
takes a week or more. He was musing about what he wants to do with his life
once out of prison.
23
September 2016 Friday
Devoured
Erik Larson's 439 page book Dead Wake in two days...so good but I love a good
historical nonfiction...everyone knows about the sinking of the Lusitania but
very little about the details... Most think it brought us into WWI but it
didn't. One of the richest men in the world Alfred Vanderbilt drowned...there
was no time like with the Titanic to make class distinctions...the ship went
down in 18 minutes in sight of the coast of Ireland...the author leaves it to
the reader to come to the conclusion that the British Admiralty left the liner
vulnerable hoping the ships sinking would bring America into the war... It was
the 9/11 of its day... Good read. Started making my stew this morning by
browning my meat, onions and potatoes before heading off to the gym this
morning for an hour...then came the messy part I pulled my pantry cabinet and
refrigerator from the wall swept up mouse droppings and mopped with bleach...
Little buggers...finished off my stew with peas, carrots, and green beans then
made some buttermilk biscuits...I had Bill Poore come over at 1 for lunch and
as we were finishing Alan Anderson and Kyle G. Daniels came over with Corky and
Bhanni who I am doggy sitting until Sunday. They are going to the U of U game
tonight in the rain. After they left I was giving them all treats when Corky
lept threw the air snatched the treat for Buddy nearly taking off my finger in
the process...I have 5 dogs piled on the bed while I am trying to
nap...Everyone is resting but Maxx who is guarding the window...corky and TJ
are snuggled in between me and the arm of the chair like old friends instead of
mortal enemies they were a bit ago when Corky tried to pirate TJs food. Feeding
six dogs boiled chicken thighs and peas and carrots...the logistics is feed
them without Corky pillaging and plundering everyone else's. Ten chicken thighs
shredded .... I think everyone got a belly full...Corky maybe two... He's such
a buckeroo... Now everyone is resting listening to the rain fall...I had Mike
come and get Coco...don't trust Corky in the car...sent Mike home with beef
stew, biscuits, and a carrot cake...sent Bill Poore home early with a jar of
stew but no cake... Made it after he left anyway... Good to hear the sound of
rain after such a long dry hot summer. Snow in the mountains from the storm
today.
·
Bill
Poore Sort of weird you talking about cleaning up after the mice and in the
same breath talk of finishing the stew that you fed to me, makes me pause Hmmmm
·
Darby
S Hinton Mice!!!! I'm starting to think these 5 little ratters aren't doing
their jobs!!!!!! :o)
·
Roland
Ron Holmgren Kitten
·
I
am surprised you did not tell me it was Bisexual month. The Pride Center is
celebrating the entire month, it is their Bisexual Month. You should get all
your bi friends together and have a big party, I will come as well.
·
I
have no bisexual friends unlike you
24
September 2016 Saturday
I
cleaned the house really well because I was hosting a Mabon celebration with
Greg Allen and Joel Jay Vallar. They were the only ones who could make it. I
had dug out my fall and Halloween decorations, put jack o lanterns over the
porch and garage lights and made a kettle of chicken soup and carrot cake. I
Just love those guys...the pups were all pretty well behaved too even with
Corky and Bhanni here! I guess Alan and
Kyle were posting a wine tasting party at their place. My pirate hat came in
the mail today! Aye Matey yo ho yo ho a pirates life for me.
·
Richard
P. Butler Beware Ye Matey!!
·
Craig
Hunter A good start on a Halloween costume.
·
Robert
Edward Cross Arrgh*!
·
Jon
Michael Most becoming indeed!
·
Edgar
Ben Williams Halloween costume? I plan on wearing it all year round lol
·
Richard
P. Butler That's why I said Beware Ye Matey. No good can come from Ben in a
pirate hat.
·
Jesse
Dolce Now you need the right socks. Argyle.
·
Dana
Hays Johnson You look a bit like your Dad with your glasses off
·
Richard
Harmston This hat suits you visually, but you're no pirate--too nice to make
anyone walk the plank. However, Halloween is a time to try on new identities.
Just stay the same sweet man I know.
·
Edgar
Ben Williams That's so kind Richard...but I have been called a Butt Pirate once
or twice before lol
·
Wachs
Do you know what a pirates favorite letter is?
25
September 2016 Sunday
I
made a kettle of Mexican soup from a recipe my mom wrote on those 3 X 5 cards
this morning to use of the ground beef I had in the refrig.. Yummy ...then I
said goodbye to Corky and Bhanni when Kyle G. Daniels came to get them...Maxx
must be used to a carrier because he ran into Bhannis and wouldn't come out...I
had to dump him out silly boy. Before Kyle left I seduced him which didn’t take
much effort and we went to bed and he fucked me... he really likes to fuck me
so who am I to say no at my age? After he left with the pups, I finished
cleaning the hot tub and filling it back up but the filter was really yucky
even after cleaning it so I will buy a new one tomorrow before turning the
switch back on... The pups had giblets, barley and carrots and peas for dinner
but they look pretty tired... Corky is like a Tasmanian Devil and wears the
pups out. A face book quiz said “You’re a true nurturer. You can create order
out of chaos, considerate to everyone and tend to look on the bright side. You
always try to sympathize with the feelings of others. You’re family-oriented,
generous, and you appreciate intimacy and openness in people.” I think that is
fairly accurate.
26
September 2016 Monday
I
went to the gym for an hour this morning before going shopping today. I had to
buy a new filter for the hot tub. The other one was shot. That and some bromide
tablets came to about $40. Then I stopped at a Halloween store to buy some
striped socks for my Halloween Pirate costume. I also went to Dollar Tree and
bought a plastic pirate sword and other things needed at home. The presidential
debate was tonight but didn’t watch it. I know that Dangerous Donald would be a
disaster for this nation and I have always supported Hillary Clinton. The
despicable garbage spewed by Fox News and Hate Radio to appeal to the worse
misogynists cretins in America is why half of Americans hate Hillary. The
amount of blatant, disgusting and violent sexism Hillary Clinton has faced over
the years from the media is truly stunning.
27
September 2016 Tuesday
Only
thing lighting up Facebook is how Clinton creamed Donald Trump in the debate
last night. Donald Trump raised the possibility he was purposely given a
defective microphone during Monday night’s presidential debate which was the
source of all his sniffling others say it the copious amount of cocaine he snorted... Everyone was sound
asleep when Coco came over at 6:30 ...must be that it's so dark out now...but
Harleigh soon roused me out of bed for breakfast...they want their hot dogs and
cheese squares. I cut the hot dogs in half for the big guys and bite size for
TJ...Coco only likes cheese so I cut two slices of cheese into bite size for
her and TJ...so I have to hand feed them so they all get an equal share...by
then I am wide awake...lol that's my morning routine ... Now I am ready for
coffee...there's a lavender cast to the dawn...for my friends who don't live in
Utah we don't see the sun for about an hour as it has to get up over our
mountains...I was finally finishing up the Isaac Jones and Mary Jane Booth
section on my research for my nephew Ken Jones when the time got away from me
and it was 1:30 when I told Kent Scadlock yesterday that I’d see him today at
1. Traffic across town was horrendous so and parking is so screwed up at the
hospital that I didn’t get there until after 2 pm. I visited with Kent Scadlock
after he had surgery yesterday for a stomach hernia and other stuff. They gave
him Lortab while I was there so he's doing fine. He may be able to come home Thursday
depending. He said his surgery lasted 6 hours rather than the 3 hours that was
expected and at one point his lungs collapsed. Makes me a little nervous about
my procedure tomorrow. I have been getting packages in the mail from things
ordered from Amazon.com lately. So far I got a Caftan, a pirate hat, and three
African print pull over shirts. I still have a nightshirt coming. I think I am
reverting to my hippy days. I am going to Jesse Dolce’s pot luck Sunday as a
pirate. I got another letter from Kyle today dated from the 22nd
·
Kent
McKay Scadlock Thanks for the visit today, Edgar Ben! It was good to see you
and a much needed distraction.
28
September 2016 Wednesday
Today
is better sweet because its Billy Bikowski’s 55th birthday. Thirty
years ago when he turned 25 I made a birthday dinner for him that he forgot
about and nearly broke my heart. When Rich came over at 11:00 am to take me to
the U of U he brought with his the little angle dog that Robert Edward Cross
gave me to remember Farley by a while back. I had asked Richard P. Butler if he
would clear coat . It help preserve it but he one up it and painted it before
clear coating...I had never noticed the little ball until it was painted
white... I have good friends. Came home from the hospital about 3 pm and
everything went well. The male assistants to Dr. Volckmann were handsome men so
that was a plus. After the procedure when I came to, the female technician asked me if I used to
teach school and I immediately recognized her as a student I had in 5th Grade
at Orchard, Emily Astill. She was the sister of Bryce Astill the boy I posted on
FB who was so Sick in Ecuador last year...she said I was her favorite teacher
and was surprised I remembered her. I said I remember all my kids...so I was in
good hands. Richard P. Butler took me and picked me up but I walked out of
there on my own steam instead of being wheeled out. This procedure was nothing
like five years ago when I remember distinctly them putting the tube down my
throat and how uncomfortable it was. This time I was out like a light and
didn’t feel a thing. Michael had to come get the coco however because I still
wasn’t allowed to drive. I was so sleepy the rest of the evening and I just
went to bed and watched some shows on Hulu and Oh Brother Where Art Thou on YouTube
before drifting off.
·
Alan
Anderson Did they find Jimmy Hoffa?
·
David
Baker One of the wonderful benefits as a teacher is seeing former students. At
pride one year I had four former students (one girl and three boys) came to me
to say hello. They asked if I was gay and I said that was why I was at Pride
·
Craig
Hunter I have a feeling you have a lot of students out there that really do
adore you.
·
Charlie
Ward Handsome assistants are always a plus
·
Jon
Michael Very sweet.
·
Michael
Christensen-Frame BLESSINGS. ! ! This is so adorable. ! ! !
·
Robert
Edward Cross Thank you Richard for making the gift infinitely better.
·
Mark
Andersen That is really cool
·
Greg
Tracie Aviary Hardin Big Hugs Edgar Ben Williams!
·
Craig
Hunter It's very adorable and a nice gift for you.
·
Richard
P. Butler I wanted to do something different instead of just sealing it with
lacquer. So I made the ball more pronounced and gave him lightly colored gold
wings. I antiqued him with furniture dye and then clear coated him. Buddha, St.
Francis and now eternal memory dog. What next Ben? Bring it on. LOL I truly
love doing it for Ben he is special.
29
September 2016 Thursday
Poor
pups had no hot dogs for morning treats so I had to go to Smith’s early at 7pm
to buy them their treats and some gizzards for supper tonight. First time Ive
run out of hot dogs for them. Coco came over very quietly this morning. It’s so
dark out now when she comes that all the others are asleep. I was up quite a
bit peeing last night and I notice that the neuropathy in my big toes are
starting to get worse. Or its gout LOL. My throat feels all bruised up. My throat feels bruised and sore today after
my endoscopy...Kind of what I imagine Linda Lovelace felt after making Deep
Throat. Or having gone down on the U of U football team. Well I suppose I don't
have to really imagine. I went to DI
shortly after they opened and bought some women’s pants for my pirate outfit.
Dark brown and I didn’t want the zippers that are found in men’s pants. I also
bought some autumn decorations for the porch and spent much of the day getting
caught up on this journal. I did finally get around to mowing the back yard
until I ran over the power cord..ha-ha. Started carrying the flag stones from
the north side of the hot to the south side. I guess that is one form of
exercise. A old friend of mine that I've known for 30 years came over this
evening to hot tub and drink wine... Pinot Noir ... One glass and I was a goner
lol such a light weight... we caught up on thing we are doing and people we
know... Dan Fahndrich works part time at the wine store on 3rd west... He can
answer all your wine questions...unlike like me who enjoys a glass of Mogen
David Jewish Kool-Aid...it was a perfect night for hot tubbing
·
Dan
Fahndrich Ben, It was soooo great to relax, drinks some wine and catch up on
things. Yes, I have a DVD I made of "Beyond Stonewall" a wonderful
weekend retreat that you started for 3 years in a row. I will find this and
give you a copy my good friend.... Cheers
30
September 2016 Friday
I
met Bill Poore at 11 a.m. in the downtown Smith’s parking lot to take a little
day trip to see some color in the canyons before it’s all gone. We drove up
Parley Canyon where a lot of the trees had already lost their leaves into to
Park City. There it was kind of misting and it felt very fall-like. Bill hinted
he want to eat in Coalville so we took off to there, where we ate at the Polar King; one of Bills
favorite stops. I had a really good cheese burger and onion rings while Bill
had a foot long with fries because he's a size queen. The country boys eating
there weren't bad to look at either. When we left we drove around Echo
Reservoir where we hit some showers then down to Henifer. We decided to go through
East Canyon along the original Mormon trail. East Canyon was best for color
likes of yellows, ambers, rusty orange, and reds. Its only 25 miles an hour
through much of the canyon; so we went at a leisurely pace. East Canyon empties
into Emigration back into the city. I was back home by 3:30 and tired. We hit a
few rain showers up in the mountains. I stopped at the library to get another
book by Erik Larson called The Garden of the Beasts about Nazi Germany. So ends
another September. Started out roasting but has ended mild with tempts in the
70’s. I invited Jim McMullin over for dinner as that TJ is away in Japan
because his mother passed away and I figured Jim might want some company while he’s
away. I invited him for Sunday, which is the same time as Jesse Dolce’s
Halloween Pot Luck but looking at his guess list I would not have known anyone.
There will be other opportunities to wear my pirate outfit I am sure. A YouTube
video of Donald Trump saying he had superior genes was on the internet today.
Eugenics is the pseudoscience that some people are superior to others...it was
used to exterminate masses of people in Europe as recent as the 1990s... It's
the excuse to keep some people in servitude and the basis of miscegenation
laws... This is why white supremacists are flocking to Trump...Now it is easy
to understand how Hitler came to power in a normally progressive nation like
German. Anyone voting for Trump may be citizens of the country but they are NOT
Americans. Hillary Clinton announced
support for a National Service Reserve for Millennials to gain benefits and be
of service to the country. Trump is a jingoist with false patriotism and lots
of platitudes of "make America Great Again." That plays well among
some but those who pay attention know that we have regain the respect of our
allies, have recovered from the Bush great recession and the deficit is down a
trillion dollars. Under President Obama many of the top leaders of ISIS have
been eliminated by drone attacks...and we have a President who believes people
like me is worthy of respect and rights. That has not been the case for most of
my life. Mom and I talked a lot about voting for Hillary Clinton back in 2008 when
she ran for the Democratic Presidential nomination back then and we both voted
for her but ultimately she lost to Obama. Mom never got to see a woman become
President in her life time. I am hoping to see one in mine.
·
Richard
P. Butler Another month slips away into the memories of yesterday. But what a
summer!!
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