Winter First Quarter Journal 2010 January-March President Obama 2nd year

 

JOURNAL 2010

1 January 2010 Friday

This morning Chuck Whyte called and said that he was in a lot of misery and needed to go to the emergency room. His right foot had swelled from an infection.  I took him to IHC emergency room and they kept him there for observation.  I guess he has a very serious infection.

            In the afternoon I called mom, Mike Romero’s parents Fay and Bill, and Darren Solomon and wished them all a Happy New Year.  The weather was beautiful this first day of a new decade.  I’ll either die in this decade or at least in the 2020’s.

            As this New Year begins, I am living still at 1633 Fernleaf Street in Salt Lake City, Utah but alone now, if you call four dogs being alone. My pups are Priscilla, a dachshund mix who will be 14 in May and the schnauzers. Smokey will be 12 in April, and Buddy and Daisy who will be 4 in March.

            Salt Lake City rang in 2010 last night with the new “First Night” replacement for the ‘EVE’ venue. Salt Lake Tribune said the three-day celebration proved to be only one-third successful, ‘either because Utahns can’t party for more than one night or because it wasn’t plurals titled EVES’. Ha!

 

2 January 2010 Saturday

I talked to Chuck Whyte today. They didn’t find any blood clots and the infection in his foot hadn’t spread to his bones so they just have him on massive antibiotics. I told him I’d come see him tomorrow. His friend Tom Folk, and former roommate, was with him today.

            I finished taping the downstairs bathroom trim and then spent much of the day painting it a Golden Rod color. I also took down all the outside Christmas decorations since it really was a nice day out. It must have been about 36 degrees or more since most of the snow in the driveway and sidewalks had melted. We had pretty blue skies too.

             I made some loaves of fruitcakes today. Not sure how they will turn out but, oh well.  I also fixed some split pea soup from the rest of the ham bone.

            Smokey was coughing and like he couldn’t catch his breath. I was afraid he was having a stroke so I was just petted him and tried to calm him and he did get over it.

 

3 January 2010 Sunday

I worked on putting the downstairs bathroom back together and then went to IKEA to get some picture frames but not sure if they will work. I may have to look at Reuls on West Temple for frames for the posters.

            I dropped by IHC hospital while out to see Chuck and drop off his coat. I guess he will be having surgery there on his foot tomorrow.

            I wrote my Q Salt lake story on George Moriarty, the Gay kid who was murdered up in Ogden about this time of year in 1965.

            In the evening I spent time cleaning up down stairs, folding clothes and generally getting ready to go back to work.

            Ben Anderson called me while I was at IKEA and said that Matia Lumaca and he will be here this Friday at 8:30 in the evening so I really don’t have another weekend to get ready.

            I don’t know why it should bother me that Mark Andersen or Mike Romero have never called or texted me this whole New Year’s Weekend but it does.

            Yesterday I got the Christmas card I sent to Buddy Husky, my old Texas Cowboy crushed from 1968, returned to me as undeliverable.

 

4 January 2010 Monday

I went back to work today at Washington Elementary after being off since the 17th of December. It’s back to the same routine.

After work I called Mike McCoy, the legal counsel for the Utah Education Association. I told him all that is going on with me and he said first I had to go talk to my principal and then call Joel Briscoe who is my Davis Education Association uniserver. He was kind of encouraging but also kind of sent a mixed message too.

    He said that he didn’t think the state would pull my license but it’s really Davis District that I have to worry about because they, in fact, are my employer.  I just dread telling Liz Beck tomorrow. It’s so personal but I might as well get my whole life dredged out and over with.

I came home and watched DVD ‘UP’ that came in the mail from Netflix.  It was good but not my favorite by any means.  The hounds were all happy to see me since I was gone all day to them.

            I also put two of the pictures posters in their frames to keep busy.

 

5 January 2010 Tuesday

            I went into work with every intention of talking with Liz beck, my principal, but at the only time I could go in, during my prep time, she was called away from school so I will try tomorrow.

            Chuck Whyte was released from the hospital today.

            When I came home, I framed the Huntington Beach picture I had bought last year and on hung it on the wall in the stair well.  The paintings of Santa Monica Beach  and Pacific Coast Highway I hung in the bedroom downstairs.

 

6 January 2010 Wednesday

I finally was able to meet with my principal Liz Beck and I told her what was going on with me and that the district might be contacting her about an arrest record I had 20 years ago. It was a very hard thing to own up to; especially putting my personal life out there. I told her I was Gay too. Why hold anything back now?

            She said she really didn’t know what she needed to do but would find out.  She said I was a great teacher and she also gave me a hug.  She is such a wonderful woman but I don’t know how much say she will have in me keeping my job.

            I still am not sure how I feel about talking to Liz. I wonder if it will change how I act around her; like I am ashamed.  I feel so exposed and vulnerable.

            I watched Alfred Hitchcock’s ‘Notorious’ tonight and gave Buddy and Daisy both baths.  They had dirty butts and daisy had a limp. I looked to see if anything was in her paw but couldn’t see anything so I gave her an aspirin and actually having her butt washed seemed to help her.  Maybe she was cramping up because of that.

            The Weather was very smoggy although we aren’t allowed to call it smog any more. It has to be called ‘haze’. 

 

7 January 2010 Thursday

Today is my ex-wife, Fran and mine wedding anniversary. We were married 33 years ago here in Salt Lake. It’s still very hazy outside and cold.

            When I came home from work, I finished picking up downstairs to get it cleaned for Ben Anderson and Matia Lumaca.  There’s not a whole lot to write about.

            In the news Lady Gaga became the first artist in Billboard history to land her first five singles in the No. 1 slot on the Billboard Pop Songs chart.

 

8 January 2010 Friday

            I left work early about 2:00 in the afternoon because half of the school had left for an in-service class. I came home and cleaned up the house for Matia Lumaca and Ben Anderson’s arrival tonight. My Costco Vacuum cleaner has given up the ghost and is like a bad Gay. It doesn’t suck any more.

            Anyway I was tired and I watched the beginning of the 2nd season of ‘Reaper’ until about 9:15 tonight when I went to the airport to pick them up. Their flight had been delayed because they originally were supposed to be in at 8:30 but it was closer to 10.             We all stayed up late visiting. I know they were all wound up.  So Ben is back.  I need his emotional support if not his financial support.

            In the news the Mormon Church bought up 13 acres of real estate in downtown SLC, between 400 South and 500 South and east of West Temple. No development plans were announced for the property.

 

9 January 2010 Saturday

Dear diary, Matia Lumaca and Ben Anderson were both up when I got up around 7 this morning. They were still on Italian time I guess. We went to Ambers for breakfast and the whole time there, I kept thinking of Mark Andersen and Mike Romero, Crazy.

            I am letting Ben and Matia use the Sonoma truck so after breakfast they took off to go see Ben’s son Jared and his girlfriend Meg. I guess they went shopping too, because I didn’t see them much until the evening.

            I had Chow Mein for dinner while I guess they ate at Chuck A Rama with Jared and Meg.

I mainly went into the movie room and watch several episodes of ‘Reaper’ on DVD  which I have really come to enjoy. It’s about this kid who’s turns out to be the son of the Devil and his kooky friends who help him capture escaped souls from hell.  It’s like a bizarre bounty hunter soap opera.

            Today is John Cunningham’s 59th birthday. Things did not work out like I planned with him. It seems like things seldom do.

 

 

10 January 2010 Sunday

After feeding the dogs and listening to a John Denver song “Living Without You”, I teared up and started to cry. I am missing Michael Romero and Mark Andersen tonight but I know they are not missing me.

            Here I am at 58 almost 59 years of age and starting over with almost everything. I still have no clue what the final outcome will be with my job. I wonder what living with Ben Anderson and Matia Lumaca will bring?

Last night Ben’s C-pap machine wasn’t working so he had a restless sleep and so did Matia and they were growling at each other for most of the day. I am not use to that kind of bickering but I guess I will have to.

            I went grocery shopping this morning and later in the day Ben, Matia and I went to Wal-Mart in Centerville.  Matia also gave me a haircut so that saved me some money.

            They left this afternoon to go to a movie with Ben’s son Jared and his daughter in law Meg, so I finished watching all the “Reaper” DVDs I had received from Netflix.  I also watched The Simpson’s tonight. They have been on television for 20 years now.

            I fixed some eggplant Parmigianino and a dark green leaf salad for dinner but no one was home to eat it except me. Maybe that’s why I am feeling so lonesome right now.

           I called mom and she’s sounding awful like with a bad cold perhaps pneumonia.

 

11 January 2010 Monday

My principal Liz Beck pulled me aside today and said she talked to the main person over legal issues in the District and she was told that because my arrest was so long ago the district probably won’t do anything about it. It was the best news I heard so far but I am still nervous and I won’t be at peace until my license is renewed in June.

 

12 January 2010 Tuesday

This morning I noticed that Mike Romero had called me last night, so I called him this morning to find out what he wanted.  He asked whether Ben Anderson and Matia Lumaca have come in, but he really called to talk about Mark Anderson taking off this past weekend.

            I guess they had another blow out and Mark took off.  He found himself a girlfriend at work and he’s probably landed over there or at least I hope so rather than sleeping out in the car.

            I couldn’t talk to Mike much because I was at work but after work I drove down to UPS to see if I could find Mark Andersen’s car and leave a note on it because Mike had canceled his phone service and I wanted to talk to him, but I couldn’t find his car there.

            Anyway Ben and Matia went to see ‘Avatar’ and said they really liked it and I invited Mike over for hamburgers because I am sure it feels pretty lonely over there without Mark and also to give him a chance to talk about the break up.

 

            When Ben and Matia came home, they visited with Mike also until I went to bed after 8 this evening.  They were talking about house buying and work and insurance and all kinds of stuff that didn’t involve me so I went to bed with the dogs.

            Buddy was hugging my neck and I told him that no one cares about me but you pups. Nobody asked about how I was doing or what is happening at work, so I just went to bed.

            In the news a major 7.0 earthquake hit Haiti and flattened the capital of Port Au Prince.  They are expecting thousands to be dead.

 

13 January 2010 Wednesday

Dear Diary, I had a very lonesome dream last night last night about Billy Bikowski. I dreamed that we were at the same restaurant or bar and we acknowledged each other but didn’t talk because his friends and his lover sat down with him. But It was enough to know that he was okay.

            I had lots of weird dreams last night about being on Grandma Johnson’s farm, and Mrs. Beck saying I had to dress better at school. It was a weird, weird night.

            After work, I invited Mike Romero over for dinner. I am sure he’s feeling very lonesome in that big townhouse without Mark Andersen.  I know how it feels to be alone after being used to the sounds of others in the house. I know Mike is really missing Mark and is frantic to know where he is. He even turned Mark’s phone back on so he could contact Mike if he tries.  

            I fixed some chicken casserole for supper and Mike visited with Matia Lumaca and Ben Anderson until he had to leave at 7 for a homeowners meeting at his townhouse. Mike said he’d go with Ben and Matia tomorrow looking for a car.

            Darren Solomon popped in about 7:30 this evening and I invited him to go to Gay Bingo this Friday. I kind of called it a night about 8:30 because it had been a long day.

 

14 January 2010 Thursday

I can tell that Michael Romero is heartbroken over Mark Anderson and what he has learned out about him. He called Mark’s Aunt Shirley Mortensen and found out that Mark has actually moved in with some woman named Jessica Jakubisin-Brady who works at UPS also. The aunt said not to trust Mark. I guess that was the biggest shock to Mike.

             Evidently Mark met this woman last December and has been sleeping with her since then and just making up a big story about working late hours for UPS over the holidays. This Jessica woman has three kids and probably was or is a polygamist because she lived at Hildale, Utah.  Her face book picture has this ‘polyg’ poufy hair.

Mark told Mike that he was staying with relatives over the weekend when in reality he was with this woman.

            When Mark left Mike’s last Saturday morning, he left behind all of his daughter Audrey’s and his things.  I have his rifle and coin collection at the house.  When Mike talked to him  on Sunday he said that Mark wasn’t being considerate to him by not telling him where he was. That is when Mark blew up at him and hung up. Mike is now the one living alone and not even with a furry friend to keep him company.     

            Mark has also gone deeply in debt, has not paid on his car or insurance, and is about to lose everything.  I opened some of Mark’s bills here that he hasn’t come for and found that he had spent about $130 last December 19th on sex toys and lingerie so he was probably with this woman the entire time rather than working late like he said, because he sure doesn’t have any more money to pay his bills.

            Oh kid you have really screwed the pooch and the sad thing is that Mike and I still love him.

I must have had a premonition that something was wrong last weekend because I was really missing Mark and Mike. Maybe I knew our little family was coming to an end.

            Mike’s mother Faye Romero called and asked if they could come down this weekend.  I made an excuse that I was not going to be in town.  It’s not a good weekend until I can figure out how to get Ben and Matia over to Mike’s so Faye and Bill can use the downstairs bedroom and bathroom.

 

15 January 2010 Friday

I’ve had a minor headache today. I think it was from the horrid weather. It’s been red burn alert for several days.

            My principal Liz Beck let us leave early today and Mike Romero called and said that Mark Anderson’s car was at UPS lot and that he left a letter for him on his windshield.  He wanted me to leave one too, in case he won’t reply to him so I did.

            It made me sad to think of him living out of his car but I do believe he is also spending time with this woman.

            When I came home from school, I made cream of broccoli soup but Ben Anderson and Matia Lumaca would have none of it. I thought it was pretty good, myself.

            Ben went to the emergency room this morning for some anti-biotic because his cold has settled into his chest.  He wanted to go to Gay Bingo tonight but I told him ‘should he really be going out if the weather is this crappy and he’s got a cold’? Sometimes he acts just like a little child. Matia must really love him. He’s aggravating.

            But Ben started whining to me how Matia doesn’t feel like he has enough room down stairs with the small fridge and microwave. I said well then get rid of it. I only had it out for their convenience.  Then he wanted two shelves in the refrigerator so I said well just move things around.  He actually was pissing me off for being kind of demanding when they haven’t offered me any money yet and they have been here a week already.

            Darren Solomon came by at 6:30 this evening and we headed off by ourselves to Gay Bingo at the First Baptists.  It was a full house but with mostly straights although I did see Brenda Voisard, Maureen Davis and Luci Malin there.  Bingo really isn’t my cup of tea but the $1500 they raised went to Camp Pinecliff, the retreat for people with AIDS.

            After coming home I made an excuse to Darren saying I was really tired, and I was, because I didn’t want him to come in. I just wanted to go to bed which I did after throwing the soup out.  I had left in such a hurry and Ben and Matia didn’t bother to turn the heat down on the crock-pot so it curdled and turned brown.

            Before going to bed I saw that Mark had responded to me on Face Book. He wrote: “You always will be my mama bear. Love you.  I’ll keep in touch. I promise just been a bad week"

 

16 January 2010 Saturday

Mike Romero and I went to Ambers Restaurant on 33rd South for breakfast while Ben Anderson and Matia Lumaca took off for Wendover today. I am so glad to have the house to myself today. However it kind of ticks me off that they just took off without asking if they could take the truck on a 200 miles trip.  They didn’t leave me a message or anything that they were leaving.

            I cleared out the downstairs laundry room and put everything out on the garage. I made enchiladas casserole and brought it over to Michael. I guess it’s like a funeral for him with Mark Andersen just leaving him without even a goodbye.

Mike's friend Troy Ryan and his boyfriend Kevin came down from Cheyenne Wyoming for the weekend this afternoon, I think to console him.

            I stayed home most of the day putting things away and watching TV. I saw the last episode of Reaper Season 2 and watched some instant watch on Netflix. I enjoyed watching “Places in the Heart” again also.

            Both Tom Folk and Mike think it’s crummy that Ben and Matia haven’t paid me anything for staying here and are making me have to broach the issue of money with them. Mike and Tom don’t think asking them to pay $175 a week is unreasonable rent and for use of a vehicle.

 

17 January 2010 Sunday

It was very, very smoggy again today with this terrible inversion.

Ben Anderson and Matia Lumaca came to me this morning and asked if it was a good time to have our talk about our living arrangements. I said sure.  I don’t know why I have such a hard time asking people for money when they have no qualms about using me.

            I told Ben as much when I said that I shouldn’t have to be the one asking for money here when they have been living here and using the truck for over a week now. I told Ben that I thought $175 a week should cover the rent and use of the truck and he said that he couldn’t afford that.  I asked if he thought I was taking advantage of him? I was pissed.

            I said if you went to a motel for a week it would be more than $175 a week and that’s without a vehicle. I said to try renting a car for a week.  Matia thought I was being more then generous but Ben, I could tell was unhappy. Well too bad.

            Originally Ben said he was going to help me out financially by living here and all they have done so far  is spent money on themselves. Even today they went to Park City to go skiing.

            About noon I went to Squatters Brewing to meet up with Mark Swonson to attend The Passion of Dottie S. Dixon Second Helpings show. At Squatters we had over priced hamburgers which weren’t all that good. The sweet potato French fries were about the only thing decent. I paid for our meal since Mark had bought the tickets. I also saw Troy Williams flitting around doing his Troy Williams thing with his entourage.

            The Passion of Dottie S. Dixon Second Helpings was fantastic I have to admit. Charles Frost is incredible. I can see what all the accolades are all about. Mark Swonson was in hog heaven because Dottie mentioned his name in the opening monolog.  The show was pretty long however, nearly 2 ½ hours for basically a one man show.

            After leaving the Rose Wagner Theater, I came home and called Michael Romero. I guess he and Troy Ryan and his boyfriend Kevin were at IKEA all day.

I called mom today and she said she was feeling much better.

 

18 January 2010 Monday. Martin Luther King Birthday Holiday.

When I got up this morning, Ben Anderson and Matia Lumaca had already left. Matia went to his language class but I have no idea where Ben landed. I didn’t see either of them until after 7 this evening.

            I hope they didn’t break my washing machine this morning because when they called me down to look at it, it smelled electrical, but when I re-set it, it seemed fine.  That’s all I need.

                I went out for lunch with Michael Romero and his friends Troy Ryan and Kevin from Cheyenne, Wyoming. Troy is nice but his German boyfriend is kind of arrogant. After they left, I came back home and watched a little TV and fed the dogs.

             It snowed just enough today to clear out the air and it warmed up to nearly 44 degrees, without the inversion.

I know Smokey isn’t feeling well because he keeps fighting with Buddy.

 

19 January 2010 Tuesday

            Today would have been my father’s 85th birthday. He died 26 December 2003.  I went off to work this morning to do grades and lesson plan. I worked a full day but didn’t get a whole lot done.

            It snowed some today and it has really clean the air out so you can see the mountains again.

            I called Mike Romero this morning to see how he’s doing living alone without Mark Anderson. He said Ben Anderson called him this morning and that he and Matia Lumaca are buying themselves a car today. Mike said Ben had a really nasty attitude about me having asked them to pay $75 a week to use my truck.

            He also said that Mark Andersen had his old route back at UPS but wouldn’t come in to Mike’s work office to deliver packages.  I know he’s feeling ashamed as well he should.

            Texas Road House catered lunch for us today at school. That was a treat.

            After leaving work, I dropped some shirts off at the laundry on 500 West and then invited Mike over for dinner.  Yesterday I made Italian sausages and noodles so we ate left overs and I sent the rest home with him.       

I watched ‘17 Again’ with Zac Efron in it. I can see why all the girls like him. He really has charisma.

            Ben and Matia came home about 7 this evening and they weren’t going to say anything about buying a car to me until I asked them what was going on. I had them give me back the Sonoma truck key and the garage opener. I am really pissed that they would go out and get a car when they can’t pay me a dime for staying here.  If they don’t pay me anything tomorrow I am kicking them out.

                 

20 January 2010 Wednesday

 Well there’s no need to kick Ben Anderson and Matia Lumaca out because when I came home from work, they had already moved out without paying me a dime for the time they were here or for using my truck. The truth be known, I am glad to be rid of them. Ben was so needy and while Matia was okay,  even he couldn’t get Ben to do right by me.

            Well now Mike’s parents, Faye and Bill Romero, can come and stay again when they want to come down.

            My cousin Stephanie Williams called me to ask if I would write up a eulogy for Aunt Marie who should pass away any time now. She’s in a coma and has a morphine drip and it’s just a matter of time.  Stephanie and her son Stephen Haag are driving out  to Arizona tonight from California.

            Mom had called and said that a major storm has closed down roads into Northern Arizona but Stephanie said she will drive into Phoenix and then go north to Sedona.  Charline and Denise will be at the funeral but not Mom.  She doesn’t want to go. She wants to remember Marie as she was.  I spent much of the evening composing a eulogy and it’s amazing how little you know someone.

            Darren Solomon called tonight and I told him that I was relieved that Ben Anderson and Matia Lumaca are gone. When I talked with Mike Romero, he said that they had called him and said they had moved out and probably will stay at a hotel.  Well if they were too cheap to pay rent for staying here, let them pay $30 or more a night at a motel or they can sleep in the back of their SUV for all I care.

            It really and truly is not about the money. It’s that Ben could think that I was ill using them after all that I have done for him.  I packed up his apartment after he left for Italy last year. I let him stay with me a year ago November while he was waiting for a visa. I painted and decorated the downstairs bedroom so it would be nice and cheery and even picked them up at the airport in a snow storm and yet Ben thought I was being unreasonable asking him to pay rent on the house and using the truck.

            Well I am done with Ben. I’ve deleted him from my phone, my Face book account, and changed the code on the garage door so they can’t come back over while I am at work. For that matter, neither can Mark Andersen now. I have his coin collection, his rifle, and his grandfather’s portrait that he needs to come get.

 

21 January 2010 Thursday

The first third of winter is over. So far this month, Mark Andersen left Mike Romero high and dry and Ben Anderson has screwed me over for the last time.

            I have to be fingerprinted before the end of the month and I told my Principal I was Gay and that I have an arrest record. Whew! Glad that is all over.

            I didn’t do much today except go into work and at home, clean Daisy and Buddy’s butts. I just kind of relaxed tonight and sent my cousin Chris Johnson more information on the Johnson Family.

            In the news “Activist Judges” on the Supreme Court erased nearly 100 years of campaign finance reform by accepting Citizen United’s claim that money is political speech.

 

22 January 2010 Friday

I worked today of term grades at school and it snowed some. I don’t care as long as it clears the gunk out of the air. Mrs. Petersen showed a movie called ‘Ruby Bridges’ about the desegregation of a school in the 1960’s in her classroom. We came in to watch it with her class so I had some time to work on grades.

            I called Mike Romero at home and he said he saw Mark Andersen today on his route and even stopped to talk to Mike but he was very distant. I think that’s all over between them now.

I guess Tom Folk is coming over to help Mike do his Income taxes.

            This evening I watched Disc 1 of Season 3 of ‘Big Love”. It is nice to curl up and be here by myself in a comfy chair and blankets.

Smokey and Buddy were fighting this evening. Smokey started to go wacko so I had to smack him a couple of times for him to settle down. I hated doing it but it’s like he gets demon possessed and I need to show him I am the Alpha dog not him; but it breaks my heart to do it.

            After only six months on the job, Conan O’Brien hosted his final Tonight Show following a month of public conflict with NBC.

 

23 January 2010 Saturday

I got a call from my cousin Stephanie Williams today saying that Aunt Marie passed away about 5:10 this morning.  Her care taker said that the kitchen clock stopped about the time she passed. Funny, I woke up at 5 this morning and couldn’t get back to sleep so I just went to the computer and worked on organizing my family photos and then Stephanie called.

            She seemed to be taking it well but she knew Marie’s death was eminent.  When these things happen you just shut down and do what you have to do.  She wanted me to call Mom to tell her of Marie’s passing, so I did and Mom called the rest of the family.

            I went out to breakfast with Mike Romero at Ambers and then we went to Sears Repairs to look for a Vacuum cleaner. I bought a recondition one for $85 which was normally $225.  So after coming home I cleaned the house.

I also bought myself a small percolator at Sears for coffee. Tastes better then drip coffee. I gave old Smokey a bath too.

            Mike Romero and Tom Folks came over for dinner and I had fixed a casserole of enchiladas. They then went over to Jim Hunsaker’s party but I stayed home and fixed some popcorn and watched some more of ‘Big Love’, the HBO series on Mormon Polygamy. This issue of the National Geographic is on Mormon Polygamy.

            Mark Andersen’s W2 forms came in the mail.  I emailed him and asked what he wanted done with them but I don’t think he is even thinking straight right now. He’s running scared and racking up debt.

 

24 January 2010 Sunday

I just cleaned the house some and did some washing. I took my pictures that were down in the downstairs bedroom and moved them upstairs now that Ben Anderson and Matia Lumaca are out.

            In the afternoon Mike Romero and I went to Verg’s Café down off of Redwood and about 64th South for lunch. We had Navajo Tacos and we talked about Mark Andersen mostly and how unhappy Mike is about him leaving.

            I talked to mom today about my cousin, Stephanie Williams’ issues with that old scoundrel Virgil trying to take my Aunt Marie’s house from Stephanie. Marie was wrong to leave it to the Sedona Church of Christ instead of giving it to Stephanie and her grandkids for their inheritance. The house is worth probably a million dollars now.

            Today was a pretty day, but when I bought gas today, the back window of the PT Cruiser was rolled down and I don’t know how but when I pulled the nozzle out the tank it sprayed gasoline into the back seat.  Ugh. And worst of all the dogs were in the back seat so they had to smell it before I could get home and air it out. 

            In the evening I wrote my article for the QSalt Lake on pornography.

 

25 January 2010 Monday

I am not sure what I did to my leg but right below the knee, it’s so painful. I watched three more episodes of ‘Big Love’ and that’s about all I did after coming home. In the news they say over 150,000 people have died in Haiti because of their earthquake.

 

26 January 2010 Tuesday

I am feeling a little dizzy and not sure why. After work Mike Romero came by to get the 3rd Netflix disc of ‘Big Love’ and he said that Mark Anderson actually delivered a package at Mike’s work and asked Mike for a hug.

            He also said that Matia Lumaca called and said he left some things at the house but was afraid to come over here after the way they left in a huff.  The only thing I can see, that they left, was some underwear.

            Darren Solomon came over about 7 this evening and stayed until 8:30 and he wanted to cuddle so we did. I kept telling him that he needed to find younger guys his own age. I am 15 years older than him. I really don’t want to have sex with him anymore or for that matter with any one right now. I really have lost my sex drive. I wonder if it’s just part of getting older.

            Mom said that Virgil, who is the executor of my Aunt Marie’s estate, took off to Florida for 2 weeks and won’t even be there for Marie’s funeral. I guess the Arizona clan is going up to Sedona this weekend to help Stephanie pack up Marie’s house and belongings.

            The Gay bar Club Jam on 3rd West finally got its liquor license.

 

27 January 2010 Wednesday

There’s nothing going on to write much about. Mike Romero says Matia Lumaca has been calling him saying that he left some clothes here but the only thing I can see is some underwear.  I’ve been putting Ben Anderson’s glaucoma drops in Priscilla’s eyes and it seems to be clearing up her running red left eye.

 

28 January 2010 Thursday

I made arrangements to take tomorrow off to get finger printed and to get the Sonoma Truck registered. Mike Romero’s parents, Bill and Faye, called and said that they are coming down this weekend so I am glad that Ben Anderson and Matia Lumaca are out of here.

 

            I gave Daisy a haircut today and accidently nicked her ear with the shears. I felt so bad but she didn’t seem to act like her hurt her. I cleaned the house and made up the bed down stairs for company .

            My 2nd cousin Barbara Danforth wrote to me on Face Book saying: “Hey Ben, Bev, Alan and I would like to send something for Marie's funeral. Do you know anything about what Steph wants? I don't like sending flowers, and I'm not sure a plant could be brought into California. What do you think?”  Beverley and Alan are Barb’s siblings and my other 2nd cousins.

            Stephanie Williams wrote on Face Book saying, “Please do me a favor, no plants. Virgil is not okaying the extra to have mom buried on Saturday. If you were considering sending flowers or plants which I cannot bring back, please send in kind because I am paying for the difference and my company doesn’t even have grievance pay. But flowers would be nice too, since I cannot afford those. I've had to take off so much time without pay for this. Thank you. Love to you all. Please keep us in your prayers that I don’t knock Virgil’s block off.”  Virgil is the Church of Christ creep that Marie had made executor of her estate.

 

29 January 2010 Friday

I steeled up my nerve and went up to the district office in Farmington to get fingerprinted.  It was awkward for me, even though all teachers have to be fingerprinted, because I had a notice from the state saying I had to be fingerprinted.

            After that, I went and had my truck inspected and registered at Jiffy Lube so that is done for another year.

            Mike Romero’s parents, Faye and Bill and their troop of dogs, came in about 2:00 this afternoon and we went to the thrift stores, Savers and Deseret Industries, because they like to look around in those stores. Faye bought a bunch of cook books.

In the evening Mike came over and we went to Ambers for dinner.

            I sent my cousin Stephanie Williams $200 to help with expenses for Marie’s funeral since the jerk who is the executor of the will didn’t authorize flowers or even the extra expense of having a funeral on Saturday. He actually took off to Florida for two weeks!

 

30 January 2010 Saturday

The inversion was bad today. It’s too bad the weather has to be so nasty for Bill and Faye Romero’s visited.  I picked Mike Romero up and we all went to Jims on 39th for breakfast.  We later ate at Panda Buffet on North temple and 10th West for dinner.  We just had a nice visit all day.

            This morning I sent my cousin Stephanie Williams an obituary and the eulogy for Aunt Marie she had asked I send her. She didn’t get it so I sent it to the mortuary.

Today was Aunt Marie’s funeral This was the eulogy I wrote for Aunt Marie which was read by the Church of Christ preacher at the service.

                “Marie Joanne Buehlman Williams was born 13 Jan 1937 In Los Angeles, CA the daughter of Alfred George Buehlman and Myhrties Evelyn Marie Schmidt, both deceased. She married Milton Bradford Williams 1 Dec 1956 in Norwalk, California. She was the mother of two children Stephanie Irene Williams of Anaheim CA and Gregory Lynn Williams (deceased) and grandmother of two grandchildren, Stephen Jon Haag and David Gregory Haven-Williams.

            Besides working as a housewife and a devoted mother Marie Williams worked as an accountant for Safeway for many years and with several other firms.  She was a faithful member of the Church of Christ. These simple facts cannot contain the sum of my Aunt Marie’s life.  She, like all people, was full of contradictions sometimes contrary and sometimes conciliatory.

            She had a bounteous good life and is loved by many people none more than her family who called her mother, grandmother, sister, sister-in-law and aunt.

            In our family, our aunts were only second in important to our own mothers. In many ways our aunts were our surrogate mothers.  I had an especially close bond with my Aunt Marie.  I told her things that I hadn’t to even my own mother, kind of like trying it out on her first, because I knew she loved me and I could trust in that love.

            I was only 5 years old when my aunt Marie came into our family and she loved to tell me what a brat I was. In fact she thought all of Milton’s nieces and nephews were brats until she had children of her own.

            Once she caught me climbing up on a ‘frig’ to get at some cookies and thought I was the biggest brat.  It may have been also, that I kept bugging my favorite Uncle to carry me piggyback.

            I have so many memories of Aunt Marie, like she being the only aunt I remember ever seeing pregnant. She was carrying my cousin Gregory when I was 10 years old.  My cousin Stephanie, Marie often told me, was a perfect baby, while Greg was a pistol.

             I stayed over at my Aunt and Uncle’s house many times and I’d look after my cousins like they were my younger brother and sister.  When I was 16 Marie had me stay over to help her get ready for Easter and I helped her make dozens and dozens of Easter Sugar Cookies.  We’d laugh and talk and share our feelings while cutting out the dough with a familiarity that only close family members have.

            My mom and dad really enjoyed the company of Milton and Marie and often would play cards with them and their cousin Gene Walker and his wife when I was young. I noticed that they all acted more lively and fun when they were not at a family gathering at our Grandma Williams house. Funny how we act differently whenever we our around our parents no matter how old we get.

            Aunt Marie loved the holidays, Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter, and the 4th of July. Christmas Eve was special for me as a youngster because Aunt Marie would make her famous banana cream pie from scratch. She’d cook it and whip it and just pour out all her love into that delightful confection.

             I know for a fact, and you might too, that Marie loved to cook and she was excellent at it.  Milton was a good cook also, so there was always good eating when every Milton and Marie was around.  One of my favorite dish of hers, of which  I never had any better,  was her cheese enchiladas.

            My folks often took our family vacations with Milton and Marie because they both liked to camp.  Marie would razz me on these occasions because I was not much of  a camper and did not love the great outdoors like she did.  As a teenager she used to call me ‘goldilocks’ because she thought my hair was too long.  She thought that it would rile me but it never did. I thought it was funny.

            On one of these mountain excursions, Marie even forgave me when I almost killed her husband by riding off a cliff on a mountain bike with him.  Fortunately Milton landed on me which broke his fall.

            Milton and Marie loved being outdoors and often took their kids dirt bike riding.  They even bought a motor home to be on the open road.  Those roads eventually led them to Sedona Arizona where they had a house built and soon retired to the sounds of coyotes in their back yard.

            I moved away from home to attend college in another state and the close family ties that once bond us so tightly began to loosen as they often do, but I never stopped loving my Aunt and Uncle or appreciating the involvement and affect they had in my childhood and youth.

            I will always remember the generosity of my Aunt Marie’s open heart. Oh she was frugal to a fault at times, probably from her Swiss upbringing, but she did have a generous heart.

            Marie liked nice things and especially antiques. She always had nice houses and they were always warm and inviting. Even after her husband had passed Marie loved to travel and took trips and cruises to far off places like Ireland and Alaska.

            Aunt Marie had sorrows in her life like we all do. She lost her mother from a heart attack when Marie was just 31.  She endured the tragedy of losing a son, which was always her private grief, and she was widowed too soon by the death of a husband when she was only 58 years old.

            She endured the excruciating pain of knee replacement also in her later years but tried not to let it slow her down.

            Aunt Marie and I often, as we got older, disagreed on politics and other issues but we never let that get in the way of how we felt about each other.  She was my aunt, a confidant, and I love her and always will.

            I am happy on this sad occasion in the knowledge that she is reunited with loved ones on the other side of the veil.  Peace be with you Aunt Marie until we meet again.            Aunt Marie is survived by  a brother Alfred George Buehlman and his wife Dottie, her daughter Stephanie Williams, her grandchildren Stephen Haag and David Haven-Williams, and many in-laws and nephews and nieces who are brokenhearted over the loss of such a truly wonderful woman, my aunt.”

            The memorial I placed at the funeral home read, “Marie Joanne Williams January 23, 2010 Her obituary-Marie Joanne Williams (Buehlman) was born on January 13, 1937 and passed quietly and peacefully in her home of cancer on Saturday morning January 23, 2010. She was preceded in death by her husband Milton B. Williams, son Gregory L. Williams, parents Myhrties Buehlman & Alfred George Buehlman Sr and brother Darryle.

            Marie was born in Southgate, California and graduated from Downey High School. She went to business school for bookkeeping then worked in Los Angeles and shortly after she met and married Milton Williams.

            For a short while she worked for North American in Downey then her daughter Stephanie was born. She worked for a period of time for Safeway Stores as a bookkeeper.

 

            During those years Milton and Marie bought their first home in Norwalk then later moved to Walnut, CA and lived there for many years.

            There the family grew to 4 with the addition of son Gregory Lynn Williams.  The family did many actives together, with friends and other family members. Marie enjoyed camping, cooking, dirt bike riding, even having her own little Honda XL100, crocheting, knitting, baking, playing cards and swimming. 

            After the kids were in high school they moved to Anaheim, CA. While in Anaheim, Marie worked at Hartwell as Bookkeeping Supervisor. Weekends were filled with trips out camping & dirt bike riding & having fun with friends & family. Holidays were always an extra special get together.

            They stayed in the Anaheim area until Milton's diagnosis of cancer and his retirement from Safeway Stores as a truck driver of 32 years. They searched for a place to retire to make their dream home and they found Sedona. Milton and Marie bought their property and had their home built with having fun in mind.

            Marie always loved to have company, travel, shop, and even play a board game.             She became a member of the Church of Christ while she lived in Sedona. She made many friends wherever she went. Marie was a very social woman. She loved people. She had friends all over the western U.S. and beyond.

            Marie took care of her husband Milton during his cancer and also went back to school. Taking several classes at the local college and went back to work. She was never one not to be keeping her mind active and she just loved the challenge of solving the puzzle in the accounting work.

            She worked at Sedona Floral and at Circle W. Accounting. Marie is survived by her Daughter Stephanie Irene Williams, Grandsons Stephen Jon Haag & David Gregory Williams-Haven and many beloved family members and friends.

 

31 January 2010 Sunday

I woke up to snow falling. Faye and Bill Romero left this morning for Rawlins after first going to McDonalds for breakfast with Mike Romero and me. It was a nice visit with the Romeros, short and sweet, and all their dogs and mine were basically well behaved except for Smokey’s constant growling at Buddy.

            I came home afterwards and made some chili and corn bread for supper. It’s perfect weather for it. 

            Later it cleared up and all the gunk was cleared out of the air. Thank goodness.

            I then went over to Michael Romero’s townhouse and watched “Ice Age Dawn of the Dinosaurs” with him. I brought some chili and corn bread over but for the rest of the day I didn’t do much but hang out and did some research on the computer.

Well this is the last of January and I am glad to have it over.

            In the news people who died in January were actress Jean Simmons,  Bonanza actor Parnell Roberts, and Taco Bell’s founder Glen Bell.

 

FEBRUARY

 

1 February 2010 Monday

 

This is Student Evaluation Plan [SEP] conference week, which makes for long days. However the Air has cleared up and it was pretty outside for a change.

            I came home and fed the dogs, did a load of laundry, and emailed my cousin John Johnson’s son Chris information on the Carlisle side of his family.

I fixed a sweet potato, some broccoli and Cauliflower medley, roasted chicken and a salad for dinner.

            In the news Toyota recalled 2.3 million vehicles due to sticky accelerators, including Corolla, Tacoma, Prius, Avalon and Camry models.  I am happy with my PT Cruiser.

 

2 February 2010 Tuesday

Mark Andersen’s Face book status changed from single to in a relationship. So that’s that. He’s involved with woman. Never trust a bisexual. They will always leave you for a woman.

            I didn’t get home from Parent-Teachers conferences until nearly 8 this evening. Mike Romero came over to feed the dogs. It was a long day keeping parents placated.

 

3 February 2010 Wednesday

I worked just to 7:00 tonight doing Parent Teacher’s Conference so I fed the dogs myself instead of having Mike Romero do it. The house is getting kind of scroungy but I have no ‘oomph’ to do anything but take care of the dogs and go to bed.

            I did watch a little bit of ‘Brideshead Revisited”. It’s like a familiar friend. It’s so romantic.

 

4 February 2010 Thursday

I had a major feud with my 2nd cousin Pamela Damron on Face book over her attitude towards Gay people. She is a first cousin to Beverley, Barbara, and Alan and is a so called “Christian” conservative.

            Beverly Danforth Gollatz had posted on her Face book page: “Please put this on your status if you know or love someone who is gay, or just advocate for social justice, equality. My wish for 2010 is that people will understand that being gay is not a disease nor a choice,  people who are gay are not looking for a cure but EQUAL RIGHTS...93% won't Copy and Paste this. Will you make it your status for at least one hour?”  I responded saying, “ Love you cuz.”

            However then Pam posted: “Read the first chapter of Romans...I love the sinner but cannot condone the sin. Everyone is free to choose, but I choose to serve the Lord. I cannot serve the Lord and condone homosexuality in my own life, but everyone is free to do or serve whomever they please. I do not judge, but I must express the bible's view and tell you that God does. ... That does not make that a greater sin than I have, I fight all sin in my life, but I cannot condone that sin as I cannot condone any sin in my life or others. I do believe God gives each of us a choice, and we are free to live and make our own choices. That is why this country is so great, our forefathers were Christians.”

            I responded, “Pam you certainly are judgmental for someone who doesn't judge. You ought to read what Christ says about divorce. Funny he doesn't say a word about homosexuality even though the world he was living in was the Roman Greco World where same sex unions were the norm. Paul who helped arrange the Murder of a Christian wrote to the Romans about going against a person's nature. If it's in someone's nature to be Gay he/she certainly isn't going against their nature. I certainly hope you also don't speak in church, wear gold or braid your hair. It's easy to use the Bible as a buffet like so called Christians do. As for me I will leave judgment to God and love my neighbor.”

            Pam posted back: “I do speak in church. And no what I said is I do not judge, I said I am a sinner trying constantly to live above sin. I fail every day. Yes, Paul was also a sinner, only Christ was sinless. I do not judge you or anyone. We are all free to choose our own path. I do not ask you to approve of my divorce, what you think about my divorce was irrelevant to me. I live my life in the same freedoms that you live yours, and I face consequences of my decisions and rewards. I do not live for any man's approval or disapproval of my choices, that I am free to make them is what is important. My only judge, your only judge is God. We have that in common. Love you Cuz P.S. I do not use the bible as a buffer or buffet, I take it in its entirety. I do not want to attack you or anyone else. I just endeavor to let God lead my life.”

            I wrote back: “Well what you wrote was very offensive and heard it all before...I guess if you take the Bible in its entirety you are not eating pork and believe slavery is sanctioned and that men can take more than one wife. When people use religion to try and separate people from their Constitutional rights and the belief in Life liberty and the pursuit of happiness I find that they are using scriptures to justify their own prejudice. I have no problem with any one's divorce just with people picking and choosing what sin is. Narrowness is why Grandma Danforth thought her own mother was in hell because she was a Baptist.”

            Pam Wrote back: “I do take the bible in its entirety that means I can eat pork that means one man, one wife, I will not argue my religious beliefs with you, I will not argue with you. You think I have not heard your voice before...think again. I am not PLEASE HEAR ME...against you living your life the way you want. I have said that over 3 times in these conversations. I do not want to stop your constitutional rights, I have said that many times today. How you live your life is your decision, and only yours. We Christians, like you, do not want to be put in a box. All Christians I know believe you have the RIGHT to live your life as you choose, we believe Christ gives you that right, and he died for all of us that will accept Him. He did not make us puppets, He gave us free choice. I don't know what you want from me, I have told you I am a sinner. I do not ask for your approval of choices I make in my life, nor do you need mine. I still love you. What Grandma thought does not change where her mother is today. Love, Pamela”

            I replied: “I am not against you living your life the way you want either I just don't go around telling everyone its wrong or that I hate the sin and love the sinner. If you love the sinner then you don't have to point it out one just does. Just because someone says they are a Christian doesn't mean that they are as my grandma would say.”

            Pam responded: “I speak out against sin, and yes I am an expert sinner, we are born into sin. I think we all have all become too tolerant of our sins (my sins are no less than yours, or most people I know). I am a Christian, the worst of sinners saved by grace. A Christian will be known by the one they follow, Christ will know them and they will hear His voice, and that is all that matters. Still love you cuz.”

            I wrote back: “The Savior saves and calls people to the paths that will lead them to him. If God is Love then denying people the right to love and care for and protect the people they love that is the real sin. Still luv you to cuz and want the same rights for my niece and all my cousins to love who their heart desires.”

            Beverley Danforth intervened and wrote “I put the paragraph about gay's on my status because I know 5 wonderful people who are gay and I love them very, very much no matter who their partners are or their beliefs. I just love you all.”

            Alan Danforth’s daughter Stacie Danforth Benich wrote: “WOW!! It's unfortunate that there are still ignorant people in this world.”

            I added "If you want to be me be me if you want to be you be you there's a million ways to be. You know that there are." I love all my relatives especially the ones I disagree with. We are still family and DNA doesn't lie. A hundred years from now no one will care about our differences only how we are related...trust me I'm a genealogist.”

 

5 February 2010 Friday

I heard Mrs. McNeil has to quit 2nd grade because of her advanced cancer. She has what my Aunt Marie Williams had.          

            After work I went grocery shopping, and got gas, which is going up again $2.60 a gallon. I called Mike Romero and we went to Lone Star Steak for dinner. The conversation naturally drifted to our Golden boy who has vanished from our lives.  It seems like there’s a ghost of Mark Andersen almost everywhere we go. Sometimes I feel brokenhearted myself. Did he ever love us or did he just need us.

             There was an article in the Salt Lake Tribune on Ted Fairchild. He used to be partners with Kelly Byrnes in the 1980’s and my ex-wife Fran attended a support group that his wife Debbie Fairchild had started in Utah County.  That was a blast from the past.   I did up the dishes tonight but the house is still cluttered.

 

6 February 2010 Saturday

Mike Romero and I went to Ambers for breakfast today and then we went shopping.  He needed to buy a phone as he found out that his AT&T phone isn’t compatible with Verizon. We also went to TJ Maxx and looked around at household furnishing also. I realized by looking around how much I really don’t need.

            After that, I just spent much of the day cleaning house and watching ‘Brideshead Revisited’.

            I have a bruise on the side of my foot and have no idea where it came from.

 

7 February 2010 Sunday

I fixed biscuits, bacon, and eggs for Sunday breakfast. Then Mike Romero called and wanted to go to Wal-Mart with me so we spent a couple of hours shopping.  I really did not get as much done as I wanted today.

            I made a meatloaf for dinner and invited Mike over. I paid some bills but didn’t get my taxes done yet. Darren Solomon came over this evening when I was getting ready for bed.  I wish he’d realize that if I am not answering the phone I do not really want to visit with anyone. I think he wants to get romantically involved and I don’t want to encourage him because it’s not gonna happen.

 

          

 

8 February 2010 Monday

I wrote my Lambda Lore Column today, made some stew for supper, gave Smokey a haircut, and Buddy a bath,  so now it’s time for bed.

 

9 February 2010 Tuesday

            I picked up my diabetes drugs from Smiths and had Mike Romero over for dinner. After he left I watched some TV.  The house feels empty but better than having people here that just were using me.

 

10 February 2010 Wednesday

I finished watching the last episodes of ‘Brideshead Revisited’.  Poor Sebastian Flyte and tragic Captain Charles Ryder. Even the music is melancholy.

 

11 February 2010 Thursday

I had a very restless fitful night sleeping in the front room as well as in my bed.  It was snowing all this morning which surprised me because yesterday it was so clear and pretty. Daisy had a really dirty butt so when I got home I had to throw her into the shower.

 

12 February 2010 Friday

My ex-wife turned 65 years old today. I wonder if she’s on social security yet.  We had our Valentine’s Party today and Dorothy Pratt helped out since she was staying for Joann McNeil’s farewell party.

            In the evening Mike Romero and I went to the city library where I checked out 3 Evelyn Waugh’s books. Then we went to Wingers on 4th South for dinner. After dropping him off I watched “Lion In Winter” and I was not surprised that I knew most of the dialog by heart because I loved this movie so much.

             I got my T-Mobile phone bill and I went $240 over my minutes last month with Christmas and Marie’s funeral. It was the highest bill I ever had. I called and changed my plan so I will have 500 minutes and unlimited texting.

            Mike said he has a phone he’s not using that I can borrow because I only have 30 minutes left on my phone until February 19 before I go over it again.

 

13 February 2010 Saturday

I went over to Mike Romero’s at 7:15 this morning to pick him up to take him to the airport. We went out to breakfast first then I dropped him off at 8:30. His flight out was at 9:30.

            I read a book, “Charles Ryder’s School Days” by Evelyn Waugh for most of the rest of the day. I hardly got out of bed after I went back to bed from taking Mike to the airport.

 

14 February 2010 Sunday

I gave Buddy a haircut this morning and noticed that his teeth are really bad and full of plaque. I am going to have to use some of my tax return to get his teeth cleaned. That’s about 400 dollars.  I am going back to Dr. Wilson in North Salt Lake. He’s a little cheaper I think.

            Also I did my Taxes today finally. I should be getting about $2500 back from the feds and $150 from the state.  I didn’t do a heck of a lot of anything else today but it was a beautiful day about 48 degrees.

 

15 February 2010 Monday

Today is President’s Day so I am off from school today. I spent much of the morning researching Mike’s mother, Faye Romero’s biological father’s history.  He was Alfred Willard Trolsen who is buried in Millville, Utah. He was sent to prison on white slavery charges for taking Mike’s grandmother Nora to California when she was fifteen.

            He was sent to McNeil Island federal Penitentiary in Washington 5 May 1937 and served 2 ½ years. He later was arrested in SLC for Burglary in January 1940 and served time in the Sugar House Prison.

             It rained or misted for most of the day so it wasn’t the kind of weather to do much anything else.

            I picked Mike up from the airport at 4:30.  I guess he had a good time with Troy Ryan and Kirk in Cheyenne. 

            I tried to do some house cleaning but didn’t feel up to it. I heard that Dick Dotson died today. He was Donald Steward’s partner for 21 years and an AIDS activist and had started the Camp Pinecliff retreat for people with HIV.

            In the news the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame nominated Alice Cooper, Neil Diamond, Dr. John, and Tom Waits for induction for 2011.

 

16 February 2010 Tuesday

            I am back to work after the holiday break and I am taking off Friday so it will be a short week.

            At home I finally watched ‘Harry Potter’s the Half-Blood Prince’ and of all of the Harry Potter movies this one was the most disjointed and darkly filmed sequel.  I really don’t like low lit films where everything is dark and there’s no color. One of the reasons I never liked any of the Batman Movies.

 

17 February 2010 Wednesday

We had our monthly data meeting today at Washington. I had forgotten about it until Jeny Petersen reminded me so I stayed at work until 4:30 in the afternoon.

            I Watched Will Farrell’s ‘Land of the Lost” this evening. It was kind of amusing.

 

18 February 2010 Thursday

I kind of have a sour stomach today. I went up to Layton for the District’s retirement seminar but left after learning that I really can’t retire until I put in at least 25 years and this is only my 22nd.  So I’m still waiting to hear whether the state will yank my license or not.   I had Mike come over to feed the dogs but actually I was home  before he could, so I fed him some supper as well and we visited some about Mark Andersen.

 

19 February 2010 Friday

I went down to the SLC Library to look up some information on the Trolsens in the Salt Lake Tribune’s microfilms.  I found Willard Trolsen’s obituary and some more information on his arrests in 1937 and 1940.

            I then Came home and straightened the house and invited Mike Romero over for dinner. I made a spice cake and fried up some cod for dinner.

            It was a cool cloudy day today. I got an email from Mark Anderson wanting some help with paying to register his car because he got a ticket.  He said he hadn’t been working much.

            Darren Solomon called and wanted me to go to Gay Bingo tonight but I told him I had other plans.  It’s the same old thing. I have to elicit all our conversation from him and I am tired  of people that take more energy from be than gives me back.

            Andy Dalrymple and Debbie Rosenberg want to meet for coffee at the center Monday. I agreed because I need some intellectual stimulation more than genital stimulation.

 

20 February 2010 Saturday

It was a pretty day out so Mike Romero and I took a trip up to Millville in Cache County to find the cemetery were his Grandpa Bill Trolsen is buried. It was nice to get out and go for a drive.  Today is also Faye Romero’s birthday who is the biological daughter of Bill Trolsen.

 

21 February 2010 Sunday

I just worked on some family Genealogy and piddled around the house today. I called mom but there’s not much news down there in Arizona. Everyone seems to be okay. Mom just wanted to know if I had heard anything from Cousin Stephanie Williams and I hadn’t.

             Darren Solomon stopped by while I was feeding the dogs and cleaning the kitchen. Good Lord. I suppose he thinks I should drop everything when he wants to come over to cuddle. Well I told him before, that on Sunday night I don’t like company or anything because I just want to rest and prepare mentally for school.

Finally I asked him to leave about 6:30 in the evening. I hated to do that but he didn’t have the sense to know that I did not want to sleep with him. I am not sure I want to go to bed with anyone anymore.

            Mark Andersen wrote me: “How are you doing? I hope things are going ok. Mike won’t let me get any of my things out of the house and I still have the text when he kicked me out. It’s on the phone. I need to get back to him. How’s ‘chunky monkey’ and prissy buddy and smoke? I’m ok just not working but I still love my job even thought I am still at the bottom of the list.”  Chunky Monkey is his nickname for Daisy.

 

22 February 2010 Monday

After work, I came home and found that my drink had spilled in my bag and destroyed my cell phone. I took it apart to let it dry but fear I have damaged it too much and will need either a new battery or a new phone.

            After feeding the dogs I went down to the Pride Center and met up with Andy Dalrymple and Debbie Rosenberg. It felt so good to be with intellectual people again. We talked philosophy and religion as much as anything while catching up with our lives.            Mark Swonson also stopped by about 8 this evening as we were wrapping things up.  I picked up a copy of the Q Salt Lake and then just remembered that my column is due tomorrow so when I got home I cranked one out on King James I of England who was a queen.

 

23 February 2010 Tuesday

The 5th Grade went to the Utah Symphony at Abravanel Hall and it was the best field trip I had ever taken there. I think it was because I have such a small class and because these kids are pretty good and well behaved.  Mrs. Petersen and I only had to herd 41 students. The Concert’s theme was from ‘Sea to Shining Sea’ with music about America. Sadly for some of these kids, this will be the first and last time they ever set foot in Abravanel Hall. The weather was decent too, so it wasn’t stormy or too cold to be outside walking to and from the school bus.          

 

24 February 2010 Wednesday

I got a strange email from Mark Andersen today and I forwarded it to Mike Romero.  I think he’s starting to try and make amends in a convoluted way.

            Mark wrote, "I talked to Mike the other day. I told him how he treated people, and I don’t think it went over too well. He just kept interrupting with ‘that’s all I’m going to say’. I didn’t even get to tell him how he treated you.  I think the things I said maybe made him realize, but he did say that his ‘friends and family have history’ whatever that means. Any way I hope you’re doing good. My friend Jason is in Texas and I’ve been house sitting for him, so that is kinda nice- just not home though". 

            I am feeling kind of queasy in my stomach, not sure why. I’ve been staying up way too late rewriting the history of my Grandma Williams’ great grandfather, Thomas Bassell Danforth, to reflect what I had found out about him from research through Ancestry.com.  I stayed up to 10:30 at night which is too late for me on a school night. It was a Rainy gloomy day… It felt like hash and eggs for supper kind of weather.

 

25  February 2010 Thursday

It’s damp and cold again and I’m Feeling a little under the weather. I watched another episode of ‘Fall of the Eagles” about the collapse of the German, Austrian and Russian Emperors. I had Chinese Pork and snow peas for supper.. I am going to try and go to bed early.

“Feeling under the weather”... what exactly does under the weather actually mean?... Technically aren't we all under the weather? Is anyone really over the weather? I think the deliriums are setting in.

            The Democrats and republicans are duking it out over national health care.  I say pass it and let the Republican piggies squeal.

 

26 February 2010 Friday

I went to Wingers downtown for dinner with Mike Romero tonight. We had burgers. I have been fighting with Vista updates that are constantly battering at my computer...I hate Vista and wish I had XP.

 

27 February 2010 Saturday

It’s a beautiful day in the Rockies… I can see the snow covered Wasatch Mountains all the way from Ogden to the point of the Mountain. It’s 54 degrees and life is stirring again after a long winter sleep.

            I fixed pancakes, sausage patties, and hot black coffee for breakfast. Everyone should learn how to cook... I'll teach ya if your mama didn’t.

            I called Mike Romero and asked if he wanted to go with me looking for a new phone. The guy at T-Mobile said the battery was good but the phone was dead. Later I learned that I could go to Wal-Mart and buy a prepaid phone and just put in the SIM card and I wouldn’t have to buy a $100 phone. And it works just fine.

            We went then over to Costco and Mike saw some shelves that he wanted to buy for his garage but wanted to wait until tomorrow. We then went to Virg’s restaurant in Taylorsville for lunch and had some Mexican food.

            Mark Andersen is starting to write bad checks so it’s a matter of time before the law catches up with him. Well nothing we can do about it. We tried.

 

28 February 2010 Sunday

It’s the Last day of the month. It was a beautiful day today warm 50 degrees.

I cleaned the house and did laundry and went to the store this morning to get some food for the hounds. I made ravioli, a salad, and garlic bread for Sunday dinner because I had invited Mike over.

            We also went to Costco with his truck to get the metal shelving that he wanted for his garage. I paid for it in on my debit card. Mike said that Randy Gile is coming tomorrow at 9 at night to stay for a while. I chatted with his wife Kimberlee this morning and she said that Randy got his Private Investigation license today.         

 

MARCH

1 March 2010 Monday

Randy Gile called from Florida and said he’s flying in this Friday to go to Montana to see his sick mom. He wanted to stay with Mike Romero also to go house hunting to eventually move the Giles back to Utah.

 

2 March 2010 Tuesday

It seems that since the Utah state legislature doesn't have the Gays to focus their hate on this session, they have turned their ire on to the federal government, public education, state retirees, and poor people. Republicans aren't happy unless they are grinding the faces of the poor.  I still think Lesbian Rep. Christine Johnson made a deal with the devil by agreeing not to bring up Gay issues this session as long as the legislators don’t pass any anti-gay measures.

 

3 March 2010 Wednesday

I am worried for Mark Andersen, who is heading for a train wreck, but nothing I can do to prevent it. I guess it takes a certain maturity, regarding life experiences to know there are consequences for every action.  He’s been racking up $20 charges for just little debit card crap.

 

5 March 2010 Friday

I let Mark Andersen know that he has a small check here from UPS.  Randy Gile flew in this evening from Florida and Mike Romero and I picked him up from the airport. He’s going up with his brothers to Montana to see his mom who is on her death bed supposedly.

 

6 March 2010 Saturday

Ever feel out of sorts but nothing is really wrong? Like kind of in the Doldrums? If it wasn't for the hounds I think I wouldn't even have gotten out of bed today. I did watch a good BBC series on Netflix from 1974 called the ‘Fall of Eagles’. Patrick Steward played Lenin during the Russian Revolution.

            I wrote my column for QSalt Lake so I wasn't totally unproductive.

 

7 March 2010  Sunday

I gave all the schnauzers haircuts today and I tried to trim my beard but just ended taking a big whack out of it instead.

            I had Mike Romero over for Corned Beef and Cabbage and later we went to the Babcock Theater up at the University of Utah to see the “Rocky Horror Show” which was being performed there. I snagged some free tickets from the QSalt Lake and asked if Mike wanted to go, which he did.

We sat next to Donald Steward and Stephen Bolinder aka Chevy Suburban at the theater. There was mostly a young theater crowd attending. The show started late but there was high energy and I really enjoyed it.  Of course I sang along because I know the lyrics by heart.

            The war drama “The Hurt Locker” won six Oscars at the 82nd Academy Awards but I never saw it.

 

8 March 2010 Monday

I took off work, because I took Buddy in to have his teeth cleaned at Dr. Wilson’s in North Salt Lake. Then I met up with Donald Steward for lunch so we could visit about what he’s going to do now that Dick Dotson had died.

We went to ‘Off Traxx’, Gene Gieber’s lunch place next to his Tryangles Bar. We had a nice visited but I learned that Dick Dotson left Donald in terrible straights with $250,000 in tax debt.  Donald also is a non-resident so he doesn’t know what is going to happen to him and whether he might have to leave the country and go back to New Zealand. I thought I have troubles.

            I picked Buddy up at 4 o’clock and the bill was only $200 not the $400 that the other place had quoted me.

             I saw my old neighbor Lynn Chaffin up at the Vet’s. It seems I am seeing my old neighbors more now than when they lived across the street on Daleridge.

            I made a Meatloaf for dinner.

 

9 March 2010 Tuesday

Randy Gile came in about 8 this evening after driving down from Montana. I got dressed and went with him to drop off the rental car and bring him back to the house.  I guess his visit with his family up there was a disaster. His brother Danny caused him $500 in fines for smoking in the motel up there. 

 

            Today is Buddy and Daisy’s birthday. They are four years old today. Saffy died four years ago.

            My friend Peter Crane’s mother Lois passed away today. I also heard that both Bob Waldrop and Bruce Barton are having heart issues. We warriors are all getting old

 

10 March 2010 Wednesday

Randy Gile is pissed at his family, not only at his brother Danny, but I guess his nephew, Blake Gile, who stole one of his guns that his brother was supposed to have locked up. He sold it for drug money.

            Mike Romero and I went to Applebee’s at the Gateway with Randy Gile for dinner.  He stayed with Mike tonight because he leaves out tomorrow in the morning to go back to Florida.

 

11 March 2010 Thursday

My students took their Writing Assessment today that we had been working so hard on since January. I am so relieved to get that over with.

            At home I watched ‘Chris and Don’ a Love Story about Christopher Isherwood and Don Bacardy which was okay. I was really tired tonight and went to bed by 9:00.

            I sent Bill Romero a birthday card and wrote him about the research I have been doing on his mother’s Moncallo aka Moncayo family tree. I traced them back to Cerro Gordo in Durango, Mexico.

            I also paid off the last of the RC Wiley account that I owned on the captain bed and lounge chairs from last September. That was $800.

 

12 March 2010 Friday

I let the kids have a read- a- thon today and passed out some cookies and soda pop.  After they went home at 1:30 both Jeny Petersen and I left. We were exhausted.

            I stopped at China Pearl and bough some Walnut Beef because Mike Romero said he liked it.  I also went and had my hair cut and beard trimmed. It had been such a very long time since I had it cut. I paid $16 with a $2.00 tip.

Gas is going up again. $2.71.

             I’ve been really tired lately, not sure why.  I know I am putting on weight again. Ugh. The insulin is probably causing that but my eating has been kind of crazy too.

            Michael Aaron wrote to me regarding the Lambda Lore article,  “love the pansy article. I'm gonna flood my front yard with pansies this spring.”

            I read in the paper that Mexico has Gay marriages now. 

            I found a newspaper article in the Ogden standard Examiner from 1937 that lists Michael Romero’s Grandma Nora as the girl that Bill Trolsen was arrested for taking across state lines for immoral purposes.

            In the news, Utah House Majority Leader Kevin Garn admitted to naked hot-tubbing with a teenage girl from 25 years ago, as well as a payoff of $150,000 for her silence. It’s also revealed that the Deseret News knew of the allegations six years ago but chose not to report on it because it “wasn’t newsworthy.”

 

13 March 2010 Saturday

It rained and it snowed almost all day. Mike Romero and I were going to go to the St. Patrick’s Day Parade but decided against it because of the bad weather. Instead we went out to Ambers Restaurant. I had French Toast and we talked about the ‘kid’.

            I brought the ladder over to Mike’s because he’s installing an automatic garage opener finally. He offered to take me to the LDS genealogy library, where I wanted to look up Mexican Census Records for Durango to see if I could track down the Moncayos anymore but that was a waste. Then I wanted to look up some Carlisle information for my Cousin John’s boy Chris Johnson but even that wasn’t very productive so I had Mike come and get me.

            We had a late lunch at LaFrontera’s on 4th South because it was one of those rainy Mexican food kind of days.  In the evening watched ‘Breakfast on Pluto’ which was good but I was in bed by 9. Today is the night we turn the clocks forward for Daylights Standard Time.

 

14 March 2010 Sunday

I did very little house cleaning, which I need to do, because I sat at the computer most of the day finding out information of Mike Romero’s 3rd Great Grandfather John Lewis who was a Lieutenant in the US Army. He was with Johnston’s Army which came to Utah in 1857 to put down the Mormons and then was transferred to New Mexico to fight the Navajos and the Confederate Invasion of the Territory.

            He died in 1865 and his son John Antonio Lewis married Kit Carson’s daughter as his first wife.  He later married Margarita Madrid, who was Mike’s grandmother Nora’s grandmother.  Nora must be directing me from heaven to be finding all this stuff right now.

            I called both Mike and his parents today. It’s Bill Romero’s birthday. I also talked to mom for about an hour. She said that she sold the coach in Vegas for $14,000. She paid $40,000 but like a car mobile homes depreciate in value rather than go up. She said that my nephew James Clark might be divorcing Rachel.

 

15 March 2010 Monday

I watched ‘District 9’ about aliens landing in Johannesburg South Africa. It was just okay.

 

16 March 2010 Tuesday

After work, I bought some pansies for a dollar each and cleaned out the flower bed along the driveway and planted them there. In the evening I watched ‘Hangover’. It’s pretty funny again. I watched it at the movies first with Mark Andersen last summer.

            The 2010 census came in the mail. It’s pretty basic. It does ask for birthdates so that will be cool for the genealogists of 2082 when this census is released to the public. However it doesn’t ask anything about occupation or finances but does ask if you own your home.

 

17 March 2010 Wednesday

It was a long day today. We had our ‘I CAN DO’ Ballet West program at West High School right after school. Since it was Saint Patrick’s Day, the whole gym at West High was awash in green. I had to tell kids just because someone isn't wearing green you don't have the right to slam their head into a wall.

 

            I had Mike come over to feed the dogs as I didn’t get home until nearly 10 at night because of waiting for parents to come get their kids at Washington afterwards. It’s bad enough they didn’t come see their kids dance but making us wait in the cold in the dark parking lot makes me angry. I wouldn’t leave Mrs. Petersen even though my kids were all picked up until the last of hers were.       

 

18 March 2010 Thursday

Everyone is wiped from yesterday’s ‘I Can Do’ Performance at West High. I am taking tomorrow off from work.         

 

19 March 2010 Friday

I took today off from school and met Mike Romero to go see ‘Alice in Wonderland’ in 3D at the Gateway. I am still not sold on 3 D.  I wore a Hawaiian shirt because it was 50 degrees and sunny but when I got to the Gateway, just 15 minutes away from the house, it was snowing on me. Spring time in the Rockies!

            Afterwards we went to Lone Star Steakhouse for a 2 for $20 meal.  When I got home I spent the evening working on John Lewis’s family of San Luis Valley Colorado who was Mike’s ancestor on his mother’s side.

 

20 March 2010 Saturday

It was a beautiful day. It’s also the First Day of Spring. I cleaned house a little and made a batch of oatmeal cookies. Darren Solomon dropped by for a bit, and I took Daisy to the vet to get her rabies shots. I also had her thyroid tested, as well as having her checked for vaginitis.

             I watched ‘Zombieland’ finally which was kind of funny if gory. Then I went off to the Genealogical Library and looked up some stuff on Mike Romero’s Lewis family of San Luis Valley, Colorado.

 

21 March 2010 Sunday

It was another beautiful day. Mike Romero and I went shopping and then I had him over for Sunday dinner. I fixed a Pork Loin in a mole sauce.

             I planted some tulips and hyacinths because the weather was so nice.  I called Chuck White because I hadn’t heard from him for a while. He says his foot is still healing.  Tom Folk’s dog Roxie is at the vet now because she has stopped eating.

            I watched the movie ‘2010 The Year We Make Contact’ again. I hadn’t seen it since it came out in 1984.

            In the news the House of Representatives passed the Health Care Reform bill today without a single Republican vote.  The Republicans for 8 years had the chance to put forth a health reform bill for Americans but they wouldn't do it and now they are the party of the disgruntled. So it looks like America will finally get health care reform, and Rush Limbaugh can now pack up for Costa Rica as he said he would, and finally we will get the pissed of  tea baggers out of our faces.

            I sent Rep. Jim Matheson an email stating how disgusted I am with his decision not to Vote for Health Care Reform. I Said I will work to actively replace him in the 2nd District by someone who is a Democrat and not a DINO. His family has "socialized" medicine but evidently he only wants the elite to have access to the same care.

            A great Mormon Democrat Stewart Udall just passed away. Udall wrote several of the most far-reaching pieces of legislation, including the Wilderness Act of 1964, which protects millions of acres... More than 60 additions were made to the National Park system during the Udall years, including Canyonlands National Park in... Utah, North Cascades National Park in Washington, and Redwood National Park in California

 

22 March 2010 Monday

It was teacher’s prep day today without any of my students. I worked mostly on grades all day.

            I am feeling really bloated and I am gaining weight. I wonder if my diabetes is out of whack because I didn’t have any pills for two days just Lantus insulin.

            I watched ‘Angels and Demons’ tonight which wasn’t too bad.

 

23 March 2010 Tuesday

I was really beat at school today. I am not quite sure why I felt so tired and cranky. I came home from Washington and immediately went to bed to take a nap. That helped some.

            After feeding the dogs and I wrote my column for QSalt Lake on the 1970 interview of SLC police officer Max Yopse and U of U student ‘Mary X’.  I then returned back to bed about 8 in the evening. I am not sure if I am coming down with something.

            When I posted on Face Book who teaching is becoming less driven by teachers and more by the state, Julie Barham Gappmayer, the mother of a former student of mine, wrote this to me on Face book-“I think one of the most important aspects that make a great teacher is exactly that Ben...having someone believe in you when you do not believe in yourself. You did exactly that with Darren...when he started the year in your class he was taking resource classes, and had been for a few years, and by the middle of the year, you called me in because he was getting straight A's and doing better than a lot of kids in the class.

            He was able to be taken out of resource and I watched him flourish that year...and I believe it was because you believed in him and gave him that messages that he could do anything he wanted!”

            Darren Gappmayer added to his mother’s comments, “I loved elementary school because the teachers really seemed to reach out and make a connection. I don't really have any teachers that stand out in High School. I really hated High School especially when I transferred to Viewmont in Bountiful.”

 

24 March 2010 Wednesday

I tried to get some sleep last night and I feel better but my eyes are puffy, so I know I caught something.

            We had another data meeting after school and it sounds like we will be teaching in a new way next year.

            I fixed some burritos tonight, watched ‘The Women’ from 2008. It was awful compared to the 1930’s Norma Shearer version.

            I am feeling under the weather. I think I’ve the winter-spring fever blues.

 

25 March 2010 Thursday

It was nice out this morning but this afternoon it looks like a storm is trying to come in.  I sent home grades today for the 3rd term. I had to hustle all week to get them all done especially when Dorothy Pratt came in again to visit and take up so much of my time.  But Dorothy has been really good to me and she is a good person so I made the time. Besides she’s nearly 77 years old.

 

26 March 2010 Friday

After coming home completely beat, and I had already got into my night clothes, I heard the doorbell ring. I thought ‘oh shit’ thinking it must be Darren Solomon. I was in the middle of doing some research on the soldier John Lewis when I decide to get dressed to answer the door.

            To my shock it was Mark Andersen dressed in his UPS uniform.  I had him come in and sit down. He said he came over to get his mail but I first made him tell me what is really going on in his life. He said he was house-sitting out in Tooele for a friend of his who’s been transferred to Texas. He said he’s been working sporadically and I asked about His girlfriend Jessica. He sounded hesitant to talk about her.

            Anyway I went and got his rifle, his coin collection, and great grandfather’s portrait for him to take with him. He also took back the bicycle that was hanging in the shed.  He left his car ramps here, however. He got himself a pickup truck he said from a neighbor.  I told him that he could have his mail sent general delivery to a Post Office near his work until he gets settled.

            When he left, we hugged and I had the feeling that I may never see him again. He’s got a new life and it would never be the same between Mike Romero, him and me. There’s too much hurt; too much distrust, although I still love the little shit and I always will. Grateful that he made me feel young again and allowed me to have someone to fuss over.

            I called Mike after Mark left to tell him how Mark came to get his things. I told him that I told Mark that he needs to sit down with Mike sometime and really talk about what happened but probably they never will happen.  Mike is pretty stubborn and so is Mark.  I think the bottom line was that Mark had Gay panic and fled back to what was familiar and comfortable to him.

 

27 March 2010 Saturday

Mike Romero and I went out for lunch today at Ambers and we had hamburgers. Then we went to the Rose Park Library to get some books to read this weekend. Mike said he was tired of watching TV.

            My nephew Ken’s wife Jehill Jones posted about my great nephew Kenny getting his 6-month-old check up on Thursday last. He is 28 1/2 inches long which puts him in the 97% percentile, weighs 20 lbs. which puts him in the 90th percentile, and his head is 18 1/2 inches around which puts him in the 97th percentile. Not surprised considering how big his father is. He is such a chunk! I love it!

 

28 March 2010 Sunday

I called mom today because I hadn’t in a while but there’s nothing really new in fact she basically told me the exact same things she said last time I talked to her.  I think she is getting slightly senile but I am sure one day blurs into the next at that age.

            The Globe Willows are greening, the Forsythias are popping buttery blossoms, but the crocuses, daffodils and tulips are taking their sweet time.

            The air is clear. The mountains are covered with snow and you can see 50 miles in any direction. Spring time in the Rockies.

 

29 March 2010 Monday

Today is Mark Anderson’s daughter Audrey’s 10th birthday. I doubt whether I will ever see her again. I just come home from Washington and work on Mike Romero’s maternal ancestor John Lewis’s history but now I am not certain that he’s the right John Lewis! Sheesh!

 

30 March 2010 Tuesday

Today was our third SEP Conference. I stayed until 5 in the late afternoon after having only one parent come in.  Mike Romero said he heard from Randy Gile and he may be coming back here in two weeks.

            I wrote on face book, “I hate it when one shoe lace is longer than the other side and you have to unlace your shoes and even them all up, and then after you retie them you find one is still longer than the other! WHY!!!???? PS I think the Christian Militia that was going to kill some police and then blow up more at the funeral should rot in hell with Sarah Palin.

 

31 March 2010 Wednesday

Today would have been Grandma Williams 108 birthday.  I still miss her a lot.

            It snowed most of the day with huge flakes but since it had been warm it wouldn’t stick to the ground. I had to take the kids over to Bountiful High to do a rehearsal for a dance program in the gym there.

            As I walked in, near the Boys Locker Room, the tang of high school boy sweat perfumed the air taking me right back to high school and the smells of P.E.  Adults do not have the same smell of teenage hormones. The smell was nostalgic for my youth but also repugnant because of all the bad memories of being tormented because I was not a regular guy.  Maybe they could smell it on me that I wasn’t a heterosexual.

            I had an egg salad sandwich for lunch and for dinner ate scrambled eggs and toast.  I am not really into cooking or cleaning lately.

            After coming home, I made up some enchiladas for tomorrow and fixed the food for Mike Romero to give to the dogs for Thursday night.

            I’ve been mostly watching Hula Television.  I watched another episode of ‘Who Do You Think You Are?’ It’s a genealogical program about celebrities’ ancestors.  I also watched 3 episodes of Ugly Betty that I had missed.

            Well this month went out like a lion and still no news about how I stand with having my credentials revoked.

            I guess poor Roxie passed away. She was Tom Folks beloved Whippet. He wrote a eulogy on Face Book: ““It seems like it wasn't that long ago that I was writing a letter like this, and I certainly didn't think I'd be doing it again this soon. I got my little Roxie girl when she was 2 1/2 years old.  I don't remember the exact date, but I do remember the exact day.  It was Super Bowl Sunday 2000.

            Roxie was a very sweet dog--very calm, very tame, and very lazy like whippets tend to be.  She did enjoy running around though more when she was younger.  She was the kind of dog I really liked--definitely cuddly and sweet!

            About a month ago, Roxie started not eating all her food.  She started throwing up some.  I checked with the vet and changed her diet some, to no avail.  I finally took her in 2 weeks ago today.  After checking various things and finally getting an ultrasound, I learned that my little puppy had cancer.  Lymphoblastic lymphoma, aggressive and malignant, all words I didn't want to hear.

            We tried steroids to boost her appetite, because if she would at least eat and drink, I could take her home.  Fortunately she wasn't in any real pain, just not eating or drinking and probably wondering why she couldn't come home.

            This past Sunday, I was able to bring her home for the day.  The vet is closed on Sunday, but of course the doctor still goes in twice to check on the animals.  So I picked her up in the morning and took her back that evening.  We did exactly what Roxie wanted to do--laid on the bed and watched 2 movies.  It may sound kind of boring, but I LOVED it.  I pretty much knew then that it would probably be the last time to enjoy that with her, and I'm so glad that I did bring her home.

            Feeling like I had tried everything I could, I had to make the decision that I didn't want to make.  It was extra hard because she wasn't in pain, but I have to look at that as a good thing, as a blessing.

            I talked a lot with my vet and with family and friends, and very sadly had to have my little girl put to sleep.  There was really no hope of her getting better according to the doctor, and I didn't want her to spend any more of her remaining days living at the doctor's office, which I just hated, not the office, but the fact that she had to be there.

            Even though I think my vet is absolutely wonderful and loves animals and does what he thinks is best, it isn't home, and it didn't appear she was going to be coming home.

            When she got sick and I found out she had cancer, I thought, this can't be.  She's never been sick.  This doesn't happen the first time you get sick.  The first time, you get better, that's just the way it's supposed to work, isn't it?  I really wanted that to be true.  But then I thought, wow, my little Roxie got to live her whole life never really being sick.

              She of course went in for her yearly shots and she did hurt herself one time and needed stitches, but she was never really sick, at least not with anything needing medical attention.  How many of us can say that?

            So I guess, in a way, she was pretty lucky.  So, in a way, I guess I'm pretty happy for her.  I do think her time came sooner that it should have, but I'm glad for every day I had with her.  She was 12 years, 9 1/2 months old.  And she was a very good girl!”

                People who died in March were child actor Corey Haim, Mission Impossible actor Peter Graves, Davy Crocket actor Fess Parker, Man From Uncle actor Robert Culp, and  football star/actor Merlin Olsen.