Oklahoma

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It’s Sprinky, such a wonderful toy!

I have uploaded about a dozen new Jonas photographs.  They are from the cousins in Washington State.  They have been sitting in my e-mail for months now and I finally pulled them out, cataloged them, and posted them!  I still have not named the rest of the European Trip photos.

I have to mention my new toy.  Yesterday at Ace Hardware, my favorite place in Oklahoma City, I was looking at sprinklers.  I was going to reseed some of the front and side lawns and knew I would need a good sprinkler.  I don’t know what overcame me, I just had to!

All those lawns I sprayed, I saw this certain type of sprinkler.  I always thought they were really cool and wanted one.  Additionally, if I ever had a sprinkler catch my hose or have problems, it was typically this same sprinkler.  It was a love/hate relationship.  My Grandma had one until she got a sprinkler system.  He is one of those fancy little sprinklers that look like a miniature tractor.  Their front wheel goes over the hose and the hose is a track for the sprinkler to follow.  Then the water going through the sprinkler turn the little transmission so that the wheels propel it forward and it also pulls its hose behind it.  They have been around since the early 60’s and I think they are ingenious!  With the new lawn, I would have to keep it moist for the seed to germinate and I didn’t want to keep moving the sprinkler.  I broke down and purchased it.

Upon returning home, I announced my new purchase.  As I was a bit sheepish about the whole thing Amanda asked how much he cost.  She then emphasized the point we will have to go without food for an entire week to pay for my indulgence.  In the process of our laughter, I slipped and called it a sprinky instead of a sprinkler.  Well, that is his new name.  Every time I see him wandering the yard doing his job, I laugh and think of his name.  Yep, if only purchasing a car these days brought about the same passion.  Sprinky might as well be my pet.  Since he is a bit more expensive and novel, Ace warned me about this, he tends to walk off.  Therefore, with great pride, at the end of his watering day, I unhook him and put him in the garage on the bench, right next to the pickup.  I am retaining some of those itty bitty farming roots; parking my tractor in the shed at night!  Perhaps one day I will even pull out some wax for him…

As I crawled out of the crawl space, I saw him sitting there waiting patiently.  I had to turn him off to enter the crawl space.  The song came for the Slinky commercials.  “It’s Slinky, it’s Slinky, it’s such a wonderful toy…”  Well change the name to Sprinky and it works perfectly.  Now as I wander my little piece of ground, I either sing the Slinky song or the portion of “Give Said the Little Stream” where it might apply to some small part, “I’m small I know but wherever I go, The grass grows greener still.”  The first would be about him, the second would be his theme song.  (I am laughing so hard I am crying!  This is hilarious!)

On a more somber note, I have inspected the underbelly of my home.  The ruling has been pronounced.  The plumbing has to be replaced.  One bathroom has to completely be avoided because any flow of water in the bathroom creates a flow under the home.  Additionally, I have two floor joists that have twisted off their piers and a structural/foundation company has to come in and place a joist beside them to lift the home back up.  Just happens to be, those two joists are beneath the other bathroom, utility closet, and hot water heater.  All the plumbing there has to be moved to allow for the floor joists.  Besides, what is present is a patchwork of 70 years of plumbing.  I would do it myself but I have lead sewer pipes, copper running pipes, PVC for the main bathroom, and this hosing stuff for the utility closet.  With such a mess and having to move it, might as well rip it out and start over.  What is even worse, I have pipes still connected to other pipes that are so corroded they are sawed off, but still connected to water pressure!  Did I mention our cold and hot water to the washer leaks so bad the pipe looks like a rust pillar?

The next pronouncement is more happy.  The termite damage as a whole can be confined to two parallel boards in the subfloor of the home.  My impression was I had whole floor joists that were missing from termites.  Not true!  I have termite damage in the subfloor, very little in the hard wood floors, and in the 2X4’s at the base of the NW and SE corners of the home.  We will start a termite treatment and all should be well.  While I do have sagging in the NW corner of the home it is not from termites.  So when I have the floor joists fixed, they will also jack up the NW corner of the home and we will be good to go.  The sagging that was experienced in the home is from poor construction, not termites.  Initially there were 20 foot expanses of floor with only a 2X6.  No wonder the rooms were all sagging!  As part of the closing, those sagging floors were fixed.  Why the twisted beams were not corrected, as per the contract, will be discussed with the owner of the company this coming Monday.  I do have another company coming in to give us a bid for the remainder of the work, as well as plumbers for the plumbing.  All in all, our little home’s underbelly should be good to go after about $5,000.  That hurts, I don’t like it, but it has to be done.

The part that will hurt the worst is the home was redecorated with the sagging foundation and floors.  Jacking up those two parts of the home will definitely show some cracking and need fixed, as will replacing our plumbing in the walls.  Those expenses I can fix and pay for later.  I am sure the tile floor in the bathroom will need serious fixing as well as the new shower and sink in that bathroom.

Anyhow, enough of our home woes.  This home will be set for the millennium when I am done with it.  Now, like waiting for water to boil, just waiting for that grass to grow with Sprinky’s tender care.

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Packing it into the nest

I uploaded another 340 photos for those who are interested.  They cover the remainder of the time we were in England.  They start about Harlech, Wales through London.  I have not named them yet, nor the ones from the last batch.  I will be sure to let you know when I finally do.  Which really means, you shouldn’t look at them until I have them all named!

Another day in paradise.  We keep plugging along.  We finally gathered all our possessions from rented space into the nest today.  At least we have the account closed with U-haul storage now.  They seem like good people.

Our washer was delivered today.  Our large purchases from Lowe’s are now complete.  Frigidaire has reaped some income from our purchase of a refrigerator, washer, and dryer.  (I also learned yesterday I have spelled refrigerator incorrectly all these years.  I spelled it refridgerator.  Darn English language.)  Interestingly, the man who delivered the blessed washer asked where in Utah I was from.  He deducted it from my 801 cell phone number.  I confessed my wife was from Kaysville and he admitted he grew up in Layton.  Small world.  I found out he is now an ordained minister whose sermons go over the trucker radios.  I wouldn’t have thought of a ministry over the radio, but all the best to him.  I found out he wasn’t allowed to attend LDS services growing up, and then did when he could.  He joined the church and then his mother moved to Oklahoma.  He had some questions that he apparently asked the Bishop and the Bishop couldn’t answer them.  I don’t know if he didn’t want to hear the answers or if the Bishop just wouldn’t or didn’t take the time.  He gave me the three main questions and his e-mail address.  I have dropped him an e-mail to confirm the address and then have to start putting together the answers befitting his situation.  Here they are in a nutshell.  If you would like to write with suggestions on how to respond, I would appreciate it.

The end of the new testament states, ‘The End of the Prophets’.  If it is the end, why do we have Joseph Smith or any others afterward?  A typical evangelical question posed.  I will have to establish what a prophet is, what prophecy is, and that even the Savior himself was a prophet.  Then we can build from there.  Certainly cannot forget Revelations stating that to have a testimony of Jesus is to have the spirit of prophecy.

The second question dealt with the old testament stating there was no God before, and no God afterward.  If we believe that, how can we believe in a separate Godhead and other ‘Gods’?  This one is a bit more tricky to build common ground.  I will have to revisit and do homework.  This is another common protestant question designed to create doubt.

Lastly, the question probably most difficult, and one I may not answer as I intend to go in order and discuss them slowly.  For the doctrines really don’t make it clear and it is one of those areas of gray.  I have my thoughts lined out but they are mine and not really to be shared.  Besides, I cannot back them up with doctrine and I don’t think he is interested in statements of latter day prophets.  But, once we become God in our little world elsewhere, is it given to us, or do we create it.  Next, what do we do once we have our own world or universe?

Coming back down to earth.  We found a dead mouse behind some drawers.  Amanda was not happy.  I just laughed.  After all, being a country boy you might as well say I grew up with mice.  But we did work out a deal.  I remove the mice, dead or alive, and she changes the diapers.  I don’t like diapers, she doesn’t like mice.  Boy, am I glad we got that worked out!

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Quail Creek Ward

I know some of you were interested in the first impressions from the first time we attended our ward here in Oklahoma City.  Here are a couple.

Testimony Meeting was interesting.  Mostly, they were the typical ‘thankimony’ but they were good heartfelt ones.  There was plenty of empty time where we all sat there pondering the life of Abraham Lincoln, or Jefferson Davis depending on which side you fall.  The main theme of the testimony, if there was one, was family history.  Which struck me as a bit unusual from my experience.  Amanda and I were happy to note that our most recent callings were both filled today with new members in this ward.  Meaning, we probably won’t have to worry about those callings again, at least for a good while to come.

Sunday School was most interesting.  Having spent far too long as a Stake Sunday School President, I am very analytical of what goes on in the teaching of a ward.  Here were just a few quick observations.  I tried to review the lesson at least generally so I knew what would be discussed.  The teacher took the liberty of introducing the lesson and then went off about a talk in which talked quite a bit about the atonement.  He did the big no no of straying from the outline of the lesson, thereby discouraging those who prepared, and in a sense making himself totally in control of the lesson.

Next, if we look beyond his high esteem of himself, he spent most of the time on a talk given by President Bednar in 2001.  While it is a good, genuine talk, even published by BYU; it does not fall under the heading of a church publication.  Only official church publications are to be used in Sunday School.  Here we have a talk printed from BYU speeches of the year, and by a man who is not a general authority of the church (at the time).  He should have just pulled out the old Mormon Doctrine, by Bruce R McConkie, it falls under the same category.  I know there is much good doctrine in there, but also a few unofficial doctrines.  It still isn’t published by the church, and therefore out of the question for use in Sunday School.

Even better, the talk has a couple of points which have been clarified by General Authorities before and since.  Not at all that President Bednar was wrong, but a main reference of his talk comes from President David O McKay.  The quote he uses has been clarified by other General Authorities, namely Dallin H Oaks.  If the church had put this talk into correlation and official publications, I am sure it would have included some of these other clarifications.  For example, the quote by President McKay goes something like we make bad men good, and good men better.  In 1998 as a missionary we were very seriously taught from a talk by Elder Oaks that we are not here to make bad men good, or even good men better, we are here to make men Gods.  If you just want to make bad men good, and good men better, go to another church.  Don’t waste our time.  However, we have the Priesthood and the ordinances which make manifest godliness.  Anyhow, this point isn’t so much important as the first two, it really is getting down to semantics and intent of the talks.  Nevertheless, I was pretty upset to have prepared for a lesson that was never given.  The teacher went off on some talk he had impress him once at complete disregard for correlation or standard procedure of the church.  Most of the lesson was no less true, but it make a talking head of the teacher and removed the nourishing of one another.

Priesthood went very well.  People were very friendly and I feel very welcome into the quorums.  I look forward to getting to know more and serving therein.  We have a member of the Stake Presidency in the ward, as well as a Patriarch.  The CES Institute Director for the area is also in the ward and he committed me to Institute, of which I was happy to oblige.  Most interestingly, we then went to a combined High Priest and Elder Quorum lesson on of all things, Family History.  From what I gather from the lesson, this ward is pretty active when it comes to family history.  The temple and family history center appear to be very active.  I am glad to hear these things and look forward to being one of the humble herd following along.

As the church often works, we found out today of a dental hygienist in the ward.  Amanda visited with her for a while and it has really given us some hope for the prospects of her employment in the area.  Moreover, this good lady has a brother in law who will be in my law school class!  Meaning, I know now I am not the only LDS student in my class.  I probably have a study buddy now!  We have been fasting today that Amanda’s prospects and employment opportunities will be open, forthcoming, and available.  That door swung open to a degree today.  Hopefully this path will work out for our long term benefit while we are here.

I started up on the family history for the man I do the work for professionally yesterday.  It will be good to have a little income to help us out while we wait for employment and licensing for Amanda.  Things will go well in the Quail Creek Ward from all outlooks.  As long as we don’t end up having a run in with with Gospel Doctrine Teacher like in the Provo 1st Ward!

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Moving in

We are in the process of moving into our new little abode in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma County, Oklahoma State, United States of America.  We got the master bedroom mostly squared away, the living room, received our dryer and refrigerator today, and watered half the lawn.  Tomorrow we have the termite inspector coming to check things out.  I am going to climb under the house with him to take a look.  Not sure if I am excited about that.  Plus I can see the new joist work the contractors did for us to buy the home.  I am worried they were not honest since there is one spot in the floor of the home that sags quite a bit.

This is a good, solid little home.  The past occupants/fixer-uppers were not very well trained in the layout or work on a home.  It is quite obvious where they moved light switches, many are not very good moves.  If they were going to go through so much trouble to rewire some of the home, you would think they would put in 2-way switches or put in a new breaker box for the home.  The current one must date to the 60’s.  I found out the home has two ceilings.  The old lathe and plaster ceiling has another ceiling about 4-5 inches below it, at least in most rooms of the house.  I guess they grew tired of putting in the new ceilings and skipped the kitchen.  There is very little insulation in the attic space and it will need to be increased.  The poor air conditioner runs all day, so I am wondering what the inside of the walls look like.

Our poor lawn is almost dead.  Forget the garden existed, nothing but rotting shells of what was once edible plants.  At least the lawn did not grow much while we were not living here.  The chopped down tree in the front yard has plenty of runners to mow though.

We have moved everything from our storage unit except two book shelves, one heavy enough to require 3 men to move, and a 4 drawer filing cabinet.  I will be glad to let the storage unit out of our control some time next week.  Sadly, while carrying a tele down the stairs at the dock, I slipped and found myself sitting at the bottom of the stairs.  At least the tele was safe!  But I have some pretty nice bruises on my rear bumper and the bottom of my shoulder blades.  My right elbow took a pretty good hammering, but I already had a bruise there from my water bottle on the hike.  Amanda just laughed at me.  Good thing we have some entertainment around here.

The breeze-way between the garage and house is so big we fit all our storage in there.  Who knows what we will do with it when we get everything put away.  Perhaps we could put up a painting studio, a dance studio, or something.  Heating and air conditioning I am afraid is pretty poor in there, not to mention the insulation.  We will have to see.  Not enough money, or time, for all the projects I will probably have over the next 3 years.  We have some serious water rot of timbers on the roof.  The home has very few or no gutters, which is ultimately the problem.  But to put gutters on will require replacement of much of the wood on the eaves.  I haven’t a clue how to do that.  Guess I will have to read a DIY book.

So much to do, so little time to do it in, so little money to do it with!

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Oklahoma City looks mighty pretty…

The line from the Nat King Cole song came to mind for a title for the entry of our arrival in Oklahoma City.  (I know, that was a bad sentence.  But it is late enough I don’t care.)  If any of you out there are planning to motor west, take our way, take the highway that’s the best!  It just so happens we live about 3 blocks from the old Route 66!  I have driven portions of it nearly every stretch except in Illinois.  I hovered closely to it and drove most of it in Missouri, even some of the unused sections.  There is another reason to come visit.

We have arrived at our home in Oklahoma City.  After a two day drive, nearly all day for both days.  I am exhausted and my tailbone was threatening to leave me if I did not get up.  We drove from Paul, Idaho to Arriba, Colorado last night.  We would have gone further, but a pretty bad storm stranded us.  This morning checking out of the hotel I felt like I had found my way back to the 1960’s.

Today we drove through Kansas and half of Oklahoma.  It is very beautiful in Oklahoma.  Kansas is beautiful as well, but the trees here help break up what could become monotony.  The home is quaint.  We did a pretty thorough walk through of the home.  In the next three years we will have to go through and redo most of the rooms in the home.  The previous couple had flipped the home, but had obviously done their own work.  It isn’t bad work, it just would not have passed my own muster.  However, we won’t be doing it because the quality of workmanship is below what I would do myself, but because there will be some easy improvements to increase the resale value of the home plenty more.  An air duct extending to another room of the house adds on a number of livable square feet.  Just the fact another room is heated and air conditioned will increase the value of the home.

There are numerous cracks, and evidence of rot or bug infestations, which with proper plastering and paint will be as good as new.  There is much potential.  We cannot complain, we have our own home for under 95K.

Tomorrow we plan on going after our furniture.  Hopefully Amanda will live through the day.