Putter Putter Putt Putt

I have to start this post with an observation and an apology.
This is the third post in as many days. Don't mind me, I just wanted to note that. I am supposed to write for 15 minutes a day what I am grateful,which has put me in a writing mood.
Now for the Apology:
The apology goes out to Lori Snow Olsen.
I was mean and cruel when we were younger. To have ever called you "Putter, Putter, Putt, Putt!" may have been humorous at the time, but I have found that I am much worse. Much worse. . In fact, I am supposed to be cleaning RIGHT NOW but wanted to stop and blog instead.
For the rest of you, when we were a young couple, Lori would seem to putter as she cleaned our home. She went from cleaning project to cleaning project.
You know, be cleaning the living room, take a glass (probably left there by me), into the kitchen, just to start cleaning the sink and then would decide to take the dish towels into the laundry room. There she would start the dryer, and look at the bathroom, which shared the space with the w/d, and start doing the mirrors. She would sigh and lament that it didn't seem like she was getting anything done.
I would call her Putter Putter Putt Putt. Lovingly, of course.
Let me be clear here -- this scenario is illustrative and not from actual memory.
To fix that, Lori created a song and a game. The song and game was "Clean Clean, Like A Washing Machine."
Now, you might think she made this game and song up to get the kids going, but if memory serves me right (which is getting dicey lately) she made it up for me and her. A 30 minute time limit was set and we would go around our home cleaning and singing and get 'er done!
Today I have cleaned most of my apartment -- Spring Cleaning -- and have to chuckle. I am worse than she ever was. I go from room to room to room to room. Good thing my place is less then 700 sq ft.!!
So, Please accept my apology.
Now, if I could only remember the words to that song....

Blow Out Through Your Nose

Lego Truck Wars with Aiden and Parker Olsen

I love that history can repeat itself.
My son and daughter-in-law are spending this weekend on their sixth wedding anniversary. Maybe 5th or 7th.  must be seventh.. Each year Cody spends time and doodles, photo shops pictures in a unique way as a gift to Kimberly. I see six on the wall, & I saw the one he is giving her tonight. I digress.
I wanted to give them a chance to get away, if they wanted. Caveat was they had to take Laney. Stranger Danger era. So, while they spend a night almost alone, I have had a time of my life with grandsons Parker and Aiden. Pizza, Movies, Lego Car Wars, and even baked chocolate chip cookies. Man things. What fun.
Here is History repeating itself.
Lori used to laugh and share the story about when she was a young girl her parents went out for the night. One of siblings, I think it was her sister, stuck pinto beans up her nose and breathed in. Panic! Can't breath! Call for help!
Well, while I was in the kitchen working on the cookies, smell yummy chocolate here, the boys were working on their assignment -- pick up the Legos so was could watch a movie. Panic voice. Crying, "Aiden stuck a Lego up his nose!" Bloody nose from picking at it. What is a Grandpa to do? Chuckle. :)
Calm down Aiden. Get in my lap. Blow real hard into the tissue. No, blow through your NOSE real hard. Chuckle. Let's clean up your face. Chuckle
You know, in some cosmic sense, I knew exactly what to do because of that humorous story Lori would share.
Jammies, a couple of stories, "Little bunny Fru Fru" sung, and prayers, the boys are sound asleep. Now in the quiet of the evening, I have a story to share with Aiden when he gets to be old enought to embarrass him in front of some girl friend.. Chuckle, chuckle. Why wait until he is that old. Chuckle Chuckle

Will this snow ever stop?

This on is kinda off the cuff. I'm sitting here in my apartment in good old downtown Salt Lake City watching the snow fall. April and snow aren't so uncommon bedfellows. I have been around long enough (old man reference) to have seen snow in April. And May. And June. And July.
I am grateful for the snow-pack. Regret I didn't get to the ski hills this year. But I have had a few experiences with late snow.
As a very young lad, I was with the Olsen and Kirkman clans in the Cedar Breaks park in July when it decided to snow. Between the two families there were  10 kids under 12. We had set up camp, and being the bright boys we were, Stephen and I had set up a big tent, with our father's help, right in the middle of what became a river (exaggeration here) after a freak summer snow storm. Wet, cold, crying ( the girls) we broke camp and found a motel that had a few rooms available. We speak of it today whenever we gather as part of the OK Family reunion. (Olsen-Kirkman)
I also remember the first year I had a job working at a Boy Scout summer camp. I had a job on the waterfront staff at Camp Steiner. Probably 1969. anyway, We were all ready to get into camp the week before the first actual week of camp, to set up, and prepare. The Council canceled the first week of camp because of snow. There was still too much of it to gain access. The camp is in the Unita Mountains, near Mirror Lake. Even then, when we did get into camp we had to shovel snow away from some of the cabins and sheds. As part of the waterfront staff, it was my job to help build the floating docks. The lake is glacier fed. Snow is it's only source. It was coooooooold! Loved it. I was only one of a few that qualified for their
Swimmers Buddy Tag the first week out!
I know there are other spring snow stories in my past, but I have regaled you with enough today. Enjoy the water this summer!!