What now am I bid for this old chest of drawers?

"One thousand? One thousand, do I hear two? Two thousand. Who'll make it three?

Three thousand once, three thousand twice, going and gone!" said he.

What is it worth, can a special touch bring it life once more? We will see, we will see ....

It will soon be here!

Ikea is rising from the soil of nearby Draper. We can hardly wait to stroll by the many aisles of real cool Swedish stuff. No longer will we covet the riches of fellow Californian's, Arizonan's and the like who have constant access to this treasure.

Oh boy, here is local newspaper article:

IKEA is looking for 350 good people.
The wildly popular home furnishings retailer said Tuesday it has launched an employee recruitment program for its Draper store, which is slated to open next year.
"Things are proceeding on schedule, and we are still looking forward to opening the store in spring 2007," said IKEA spokesman Joseph Roth.
Workers have laid the foundation and are in the process of raising the walls and framing the second floor of the 310,000-square-foot store, Roth said.
The store is located on 22.5 acres along Pony Express Drive at the northwest corner of I-15 and Bangerter Highway.
While construction on the store proceeds, Roth said a variety of leadership positions are available. Later, the company will begin accepting applications for positions in sales, interior decoration, customer service, safety and security, cashiers, maintenance, goods receiving and stocking, warehouse work and food service, he said.
Information is available on the company's Web site, www.IKEA-usa.com, listing the positions available and when the company will begin accepting applications. Candidates also may submit their applications via the Web site, Roth said.
IKEA provides full medical/dental insurance to employees who work 20 hours or more per week. Other benefits include vacation time, paid maternity/paternity leave, paid time off for child adoption, tuition assistance, 401(k) retirement contribution matches and discounts on IKEA merchandise.
The Draper store will be IKEA's first in the Intermountain West and its 30th in the United States.
Founded in 1934 in Sweden, IKEA has more than 240 stores in 34 countries, employing 90,000 people worldwide.

Hey Corn Man

Sarah Aaron and Dadoo visited a corn maize in West Jordan, http://www.cornfieldmaze.com/ . Yes it was cold, yes it was dark and yes it was fun. Only since we last frequented a maize maze, this one seems almost, well, easy. Aaron led the way and we moved through the first part, past some munchkins, which I mistakenly identified as Hobbits. Then on to the Scary part, past the trolls, corn men, and chainsaw-toting dudes (they were out of gas or so we heard them mention) and from there to the exit. The real challenge came in the parking lot finding the Astro!

The evening came to a close with a treat of Hot Chocolate and Spicy Chicken Sandwich for the Aaro and all in tow!

LOTR

I just finished watching the entire Lord of the Rings Trilogy; the last two episodes were extended editions. I had forgotten so much it was almost like wathcing it for the first time. And yes I can tell the difference from Merry/Pippen and Sam/Frodo. Althought I still have a hard time distinguishing between Merry and Pippen.

I have some questions...

Was Gollum/Smeagal a hobbit? I've had some tell me he was and others say he was a "River People"

Why is the area called Middle Earth, it seems to be set above ground?

What's the deal with the Dwarfs, we only get to see one, Gimli in the movie. Are they all dead?

What happens to Frodo, Bilbo and others when they are given a ride on the elf boat to elf heaven? Do they ever return?

Other than the Hobbit, did Tolken ever write more involving these characters?

I have more ??’s however this is a good start. And yes I will read the books, starting with the Hobbit..

Magic Mountain - Tell me it ain't so!

Word is out that the days of Magic Mountain are numbered, I was told last week that it will close in 2007, however it seems that they are selling season tickets for next year, so it's demise may be a wee premature. Sad indeed if this is true, Darien Lake near Buffalo is definitely gone. Six Flags has been losing money for the past few years and they will need to sell some properties to stay out of bankruptcy.

Here is an article describing the situation:

Good-bye Magic Mountain? Six Flags puts six parks up for sale or closure
2006-06-22

By Robert Niles: Six Flags announced plans Thursday to sell or close six of its properties, including the chain's once-flagship park, Magic Mountain, in Valencia, Calif.

In a press release issued after the U.S. stock market closed Thursday, Six Flags announced that it would sell the properties, to either a single buyer or multiple buyers, or that it might sell or redeploy the properties' attractions, to clear the land for real estate sale.

The six parks on the block are Magic Mountain, Elitch Gardens in downtown Denver, Colorado, Darien Lake near Buffalo, New York, Wild Waves and Enchanted Village outside Seattle, Washington and the waterparks Six Flags Waterworld in Concord and Six Flags Splashdown in Houston.

Long-time TPI readers are familiar with our coverage of Six Flags' financial struggles, and we predicted some of the parks would be going back in January. With Paramount Parks already selling out to Cedar Fair, one wonders what company will be able and willing to mount a bid to purchase the Six Flags parks. Real estate sales, alas, seem the most likely result for most of the parks. Magic Mountain, obviously, is the most viable park among the six, but Cedar Fair already has a Southern California park, in Buena Park's Knott's Berry Farm. The land underneath Magic Mountain would be worth many millions, even in SoCal's stalled real estate market, if no theme park company is willing to add this roller coaster haven to its portfolio.

More Pan! Tell me it's no so!

It seems that we are to punished once again. A new book titled "Peter Pan in Scarlet" is hitting the bookshelves today! Tell me it's not true, MORE PAN, oooohhhhhh nooooooo!

Here's quote from the website http://www.peterpaninscarlet.com

"We've waited a hundred years for this. On 5 October 2006 the biggest children's book publishing event of the century will take place when Peter Pan in Scarlet by Geraldine McCaughrean - the official sequel to JM Barrie's much loved Peter Pan - hits bookshelves across the globe."

We've been waiting! Who in there right mind has been waiting for another PAN!

I feel ill, and think I'm going to ......

I'm Lost

Henry sees the plane crash, a Stephen King book, where are Sawyer, in a monkey cage? and Jack, can he swim?

Welcome to Zermatt

We had great time at the Zermatt Resort & Spa in beautiful Midway Utah.
With our anniversary date on the horizon I saw an article about Zermatt, we found it to be as advertised. My cold kept us from a planned kayak adventure however the indoor pool, hot tub, restaurants and gorgeous views of the fall colors provided a memorable weekend.

Hey Aaron, Deak was wrong!

Apparently we have been duped! The following article comes to us courtest of the NY Times.

Read on..................

For years, at thousands of New York City intersections, well-worn push buttons have offered harried walkers a rare promise of control over their pedestrian lives. The signs mounted above explained their purpose:

To Cross Street
Push Button
Wait for Walk Signal
Dept. of Transportation

Millions of dutiful city residents and tourists have pushed them over the years, thinking it would help speed them in their journeys. Many trusting souls might have believed they actually worked. Others, more cynical, might have suspected they were broken but pushed anyway, out of habit, or in the off chance they might bring a walk sign more quickly.

As it turns out, the cynics were right.

The city deactivated most of the pedestrian buttons long ago with the emergence of computer-controlled traffic signals, even as an unwitting public continued to push on, according to city Department of Transportation officials. More than 2,500 of the 3,250 walk buttons that still exist function essentially as mechanical placebos, city figures show. Any benefit from them is only imagined.

"I always push," said Réna, an employee at Long Island College Hospital in Cobble Hill, Brooklyn, who was too embarrassed to give her last name after she pushed a button on Atlantic Avenue and was told the truth. "The sign says push, so I push. I think it works."

By the late 1980's, most of the buttons had been deactivated, their steel exteriors masking the lie within. But city officials say they do not remember ever publishing an obituary, and the white and black signs stayed up, many of them looking as new and official as ever.

"I don't always push, but I do it in the off-chance that I might save two seconds," said Joanne Downes, 63, a retired nursing professor.

And in the bigger scheme of things, he said, it doesn't really matter if people push a working button. "The public is going to get the walk signal regardless," said a city offical. "I guess that's the point. There's no harm in having it at the locations."

His explanation may be the best reason for the continued existence of the buttons.

"Because," he said, "it's fun."

Tortilla Jo's

Here is the happy elder with the happy sister enjoying Mexican food at Downtown Disney. We had driven all day to meet up with Ben, the whole fam enjoyed dinner at Tortilla Jo's.

What fun!

On to the next!

Its been sooo long since I've posted a log here and soooo much has happened. We welcomed home the once wisconsinated Aaro. Here he arrives home to a thrilled group who love this guy. Its soi great to Aaron home with us, we have missed him greatly.

After a short time at home we all arroanged for everone to meet at Disneyland. A place so familiar to each of us over the past 25 years.




Here you see the Elder as he was translated to civilian life while at the happiest place on earth.

Despite sickness and an extremely hot enviro we enjoyed having the family all together again. We have grown in numbers from 5 to 7, with the arrivals of Ben and Emma. Funny how that works?

However I think I can say that as parents it is so wonderful to be schooled by such a great group, we have truly been blessed.



I could not resist posting these two photos for obvious reasons, I will tell you that the sleeping on to the right knows the smiling one above as Kakaa!

I 'll look for more photos to post, but until the next, off we go!

A Real Special Day

Dadoo enjoyed his favorite day, starting with the greetings of a personal poem authored by Susan and a surprise father’s day present from younger sister Sarah. Here is a rare photo of the youngster sister with her creation including the obligatory "fathers day candle" What it represents is beyond my comprehension, but I appreciated all the same!

My dear parter in parenthood of some 24 years, 9 months arranged a walk in the canyons with a picnic along the raging waters of the wasatch. A lovely day was had by all!

We now await the return of the Cheesehead Elder only 12 days remain, this will make this one memorable day for the Dadoo.

Thanks and much love!

Pixar does it again

Sister Muffin and I caught a showing of Pixar's latest creation "Cars" at the Commons this weekend and it did not disappoint. It was wonderful, 5 popcorns on the Dadoo scale! Easily the picture of the year, that is if animations counted. The voices of Paul Neumann, Bonnie Hunt, John Ratzenberger and some guy by the name of Larry the Cable Guy quickly transform this flik from the computer monitor to the hearts and minds of the viewer.

We viewed the film, well it's no longer film, on the digital screen and the presentation was flawless. The dust from the road, the rubber on the track and the jesters of the cars was perfect. Even though we were on the 3rd row, there is no discernable grain, pixilation or other image imperfection.

Some may be tempted to pass on this one due to the G rating but see this on a digital screen before it's too late, you will not be disappointed.

Radiator Springs here we come!

the missing piece(s)

After much energy and dedication sister finished the barn puzzle, albeit the missing 4 pieces. Just what became of the missing soldiers? Small little hands looking for treasure? A jealous older Sis not wanting the younger to complete the masterpiece? Or maybe a mysterious puzzle piece burglar with a hunger for the loose barn puzzle pieces? We may never know... But I ask what price will bring the missing home? hmmmm?

tame the vicious beast

We have an unusual custom in our community that involves collecting whatever trash we can find within or around our homes and placing it in the street. Whoever builds the largest pile wins! Then as an extra measure some place an American flag nearby to make draw even more attention to this monument of suburbia. We take pride in planting trees, shrubbery, collecting old chairs and appliances if for no other reason than to cut and tear them apart and add to our pile.

There are two types of qualifying material, the man made material such as which we purchase at RC Willy and Costco and the natural type otherwise known as Greenery.

Where some have a tradition of planting an evergreen to decorate for Christmas, we Sandyites plant aspens trees so that we can have a constant supply of greenery with which to decorate our streets. To the left you can see a evidence of a former Quaking Aspen, the novice may think it dead, but oh, that is not the case, as hundreds of baby aspens are quaking under the soil to supply us with greenery for years and years to come.

There are other sources of green! The dreaded Tam is another source. To the right is a photo of an attempt to tame the vicious beast, which is only temporary as the Tam will return. Only the serious pile masters dare plant the tam and the aspen.

Only the serious pile masters dare plant the tam and the aspen. Nay you say? Well below is evidence of just what can happen to the novice.

Here is all that that remains of the home of the unknowing. Only a mattress is left of this homeowner. Remember they will devour you and your home!

Cows and chickens and fun, oh my!

This week our office had a company picnic at the Wheeler Farm. There are picnic tables throughout this 75 acre farm, which is located in the middle of Salt Lake county. We found a place under a shade tree and enjoyed an early summer day for couple of hours before taking a 5 minute drive back to the office. What fun!

All the barnyard animals are about, including cows, chickens, horses, pigs and geese plus the stuff they leave behind. Every day at 5 pm is milking time, and throughout the day one can watch the blacksmith, have a tour of the turn of the century farm house or ride the hay wagon around the property. In the winter there is even ice cutting on the ice pond, in the summer a liquid mountain stream runs right through the farm property.

When our family was young, we spent a lot of time at Wheeler, whether it was cow milking or getting scared to death in the Halloween Haunted Woods! For a number of children this might be the only place to be able to see where milk really comes from, it's not the neighborhood Albertsons!

Here is short history of the the farm. "It was founded in June 17, 1886, when Sariah Hankinson Pixton married Henry Joseph Wheeler and together they made their home on this seventy-five acre farm. Helping Henry run the prosperous dairy enterprise, Sariah and the six Wheeler children each assumed a portion of the chores around the farm. Everyday there were cows to milk, eggs to gather, and wood to shop. Churning butter, making soap, trimming wicks, and cutting ice were just a few of the many necessary tasks.

The Farm is a restoration of the turn-of-the-century dairy farm of Henry J. Wheeler. Maintaining the farm presents to the public the history of Utah family agriculture. It is a representation of the rural lifestyle in Salt Lake County from 1890-1920 and presents the best farming methods of the Progressive Era. Historic demonstrations and exhibits are just a few of the things that will take you back in time. Here you may discover the old time farm lifestyle once common for most families in Utah but which is now largely past and gone."

http://www.wheelerfarm.com/index.html

What will we do?

This week begins a week that is sure to be stunning season conclusions to 24 and LOST. Just as we lament their departure from the airwaves, there is hope, Monk begins July 7th. So don't make alternate plans for that 120 minutes of what could be otherwise production time, our favorite detective is back.

Apparently Monk suffers from 38 phobias but there are many more he is sure to discover, here are a list of those that begin with "P", for more see:

Monk-ish phobias

• Pagophobia: Fear of ice or frost.
• Panthophobia: Fear of suffering and disease.
• Panophobia or Pantophobia: Fear of everything.
• Papaphobia: Fear of the Pope.
• Papyrophobia: Fear of paper.
• Paralipophobia: Fear of neglecting duty or responsibility.
• Paraphobia: Fear of sexual perversion.
• Parasitophobia: Fear of parasites.
• Paraskavedekatriaphobia: Fear of Friday the 13th.
• Parthenophobia: Fear of virgins or young girls.
• Pathophobia: Fear of disease.
• Patroiophobia: Fear of heredity.
• Philemaphobia or Philematophobia: Fear of kissing.
• Philophobia: Fear of falling in love or being in love.
• Philosophobia: Fear of philosophy.
• Phobophobia: Fear of phobias.
• Photoaugliaphobia: Fear of glaring lights.
• Photophobia: Fear of light.
• Phonophobia: Fear of noises or voices or one's own voice; of telephones.
• Phronemophobia: Fear of thinking.
• Pocrescophobia: Fear of gaining weight. (Obesophobia)
• Pogonophobia: Fear of beards.
• Poliosophobia: Fear of contracting poliomyelitis.
• Politicophobia: Fear or abnormal dislike of politicians.
• Polyphobia: Fear of many things.
• Poinephobia: Fear of punishment.
• Ponophobia: Fear of overworking or of pain.
• Porphyrophobia: Fear of the color purple.
• Potamophobia: Fear of rivers or running water.
• Potophobia: Fear of alcohol.
• Pteronophobia: Fear of being tickled by feathers.
• Pupaphobia : fear of puppets.
• Pyrexiophobia: Fear of Fever.
• Pyrophobia: Fear of fire.

Sabres are on a quest for the cup!

The Buffalo Sabres have steamrollered the Ottawa Senators four games to one in the NHL Conference Semi finals and are on to meet Carolina in the next round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Go Sabres! Shoot and Scooooorrrre!

Fried Dandelion Blossoms

Yard work again, it seems that there are a few leaks in the irrigation valves, missing sprinkler heads and the ever present dandelions. A friend mentioned that he always applies a pre emergent before the 'lions" attack. I guess it's a little late for that. Where was that advice a month ago!

The fore mentioned dandelion is otherwise known as Taraxacum. It's common name is derived from the French dent-de-lion, or "lion's tooth" The English folk term is "pissabeds": due to the plants diuretic properties!

Each spring my family would go gather a "mess a greens" from the yard before the blossoms spouted and cook them up like spinach. I can't say if I ever tried them, however if you do I would recommend you stay close to the loo! If that doesn’t concern you here is a link to some choice recipes,

http://www.mountain-breeze.com/kitchen/dandelions/

Yum, Fried Dandelion Blossoms sounds pretty good!

Crazy

I have no idea where this is located, but it must be crazy!

Earl

Today I note the passing of Earl Woods, father of golfer Tiger. It seems that the talent and fame of his son has overshadowed the realtionship between the two. A bond born of the love of the father for his son and the respect of the son for the father....

"I make it very, very clear that my purpose in raising Tiger was not to raise a golfer. I wanted to raise a good person," Woods told Golf Digest magazine about his book, Training a Tiger: A Father's Guide to Raising a Winner in Both Golf and Life.

Summer, yea!

This past week has seen the transition of life in the Rocky Mountains from the snow and rain of winter to the sun and heat of the summer months. Retired for 6 months are snowblowers and shovels for the joys of hoes, rakes and grass cutting. The skiers trade the skis and poles and gather their collection of irons, drivers and sun block and head to the green and fairways. That describes my activity for the last week, what fun to discover those muscles reserved for this time and to greet and meet those of common interests.

Smoke (on/and ) the water!

This morning I was awakened by the sounds of sirens and a barking dog, at 5:27 am. I arose quickly to see what was the matter. Nothing next door, not a prowler in sight, could this be Jolley Saint Nick on this spring time day?

I dressed with haste as I was late to meet the morning walk and the good neighbors two. I sniffed the brisk air and the smell of smoke I could smell. The duo soon arrived out of them mist of the darkness with canine in tow, a fire they whispered we must follow up soon! And off we went after the flames as they grew. Oh my, we said what tragedy is due, such an early morning embers would not do!

The media was on the road, in the sky they too flew, darkness still kept a the dread site in clear view. We skipped right on bye, so many fire engines oh my! As we departed for our day back to home we soon flew, but not without thoughts of what if it might do...

Fire Damages House in Sandy

April 24th, 2006 @ 12:00pm

Fire investigators are on the scene of a large house fire in Sandy. At one point flames shot 50 feet into the air.

Witness: "Huge flames going up over the garage and it spread really fast." All the Sandy homeowner could do was watch helplessly as his home went up in flames. The fire engulfed the home, located near 1612 East and 9770 South, and there isn't an area that wasn't damaged.

The investigators are looking for the official cause of the fire. It may have started in some ceramic cooking pots on the back side of the home. The homeowner says he had a barbeque in the back of the house yesterday. He believes that's what started the fire this morning.

Witness: "My daughter heard it. She came running into my room and said the neighbors' home is on fire." Ken Becci, Evacuated Neighbor: "It went from flames that were five to 10 feet, to 50 feet in a minute to two mintues. It's a reality check, just how fast something like that can happen." Melissa Becci, Evacuated Neighbor: "Then I came outside and saw the flames. It just started getting bigger and bigger. It just got scarier."

The man who lives inside the house tried to put the fire out with a garden hose. That obviously didn't work. He got out of the house, called 911, and was not hurt.

Neighbors how had home on both sides of the blaze had to be evacuated from their homes as a precaution.

Around 6:00 am, firefighters were finally able to get a handle on the fire. By sunrise, reality set in. Dep. Fire Chief Mike Veenendaal, Sandy City Fire Dept.: "Appears the fire went up the back of the home. Got into the eves, and up into the attic area."

The flames spread to the garage, where they scorched two vehicles. Portions of the roof caved in. The sides of the home are blackened. A fire truck is still on the scene, ready to go if there are any flare ups. Damage is estimated at less than 100-thousand dollars.
http://www.ksl.com/index.php?nid=148&sid=222118

He scores!

A gorgeous day and just enough time to wash the car, run a few errands, buy a bird, fix the fence, climb on the roof, post a blog, follow the Sabres, file some tax records, ........whew, I'm not done... go for walk, eat some cookies at the Red Cross, update Function Fox, make some Sunday meeting calls, and.... and I didn't think I did much on this 3rd Saturday of April.

Such fun!

This photo is a year old but it does the trick. Oh, I also changed my settings to allow anyone to post a comment.

Here is a new twist!

OAKLAND, California (AP) -- A carpenter who keeps his clothes clean by working in the nude was arrested after a client returned home early and found him building bookcases in the buff.

Percy Honniball, 50, was charged with misdemeanor indecent exposure this week for the October incident.

He told officers he stripped before crawling under the client's house to do electrical work because he didn't want to soil his clothes, police said.

Honniball said Thursday that working in the nude gave him a better range of motion and that a skilled craftsman can work clothing -- and injury -- free.

"In certain situations such as demolitions where you are smashing rock you want to be clothed and protected because this rock can harm you," he said.

Honniball was caught working naked in Berkeley three times in the last six years and put on probation for violating a city ordinance. Honniball said he doesn't plan to do work in his birthday suit again.

Police said he apologized to the startled homeowner, but was fired. The homeowner paid Honniball for the finished work, but deducted $200.

"He kept out that amount to change his locks," Oakland Police Officer Jesse Grant said.

Life goes on!

The internet was down Monday evening or I would have posted an insightful comment or two as the clock ticked, and tocked towards midnight. We lived through it and rejoiced for another year!

Tax wars part deux

The battle continues, with my trusty assisitant sorting the reciepts, we have made more progress. 28 hours to go!

24

Finally, after 2 months, completed 24 today. Now maybe my life can be my own. That Jack Bauer, it may have been the longest day of his life, but it was the longest 60 days of mine!

Taxing taxes

Only 56 hours to go, I love this annual excercise in deadline management. Where is the bank statement, how about those mileage logs. So little time and so much fun!