Stop and Smell The Roses

My mother tells me that I like to drive.
Actually, I do. One of my favorite rides is along the Wasatch Blvd in Salt Lake City. It rolls along the mountain bank, and you can see the entire Salt Lake valley. This ride is really quite spectacular at night. You have a valley full of lights, colors and patterns.
I have learned the advantage of riding around town on a scooter. The smells. I get hit with whiffs of fragrance that can bring a smile to my face. I love driving by Lilac bushes in the early spring. I like this smell. Then, I have a nose full of Russian Olive trees as I ride along Van Winkle Express way. I am lucky that I don't have an allergy to this tree, like many of my friends.
Then there are food smells. My son lives right across the Rio Cafe on 33rd South. You can smell the barbecued pulled pork, especially when you drive by early in the morning.
The other day I was riding and was hit with the sweet smell of sweet breads. Cinnamon, sugar, yum mm.
My recommendation? If you don't dare doing a scooter, drive on the side roads, instead of I-15, and roll down your windows. Remember the old adage "Be sure to take time to smell the roses"!

Marvelous Day At Manti

The whole Jim Olsen and Lori Snow Olsen clan gathered at the Manti Temple to participate with Artimesia. It was a wonderful experience. I am sooooo proud of all my children -- They were all there, dressed in white. A humbling moment.
Afterward we took a series of family portaits. We took some whole family group shots, Lori with the Grand Kids, (And I HAVE TO SAY, I HAVE TGHE CUTEST GRANDCHILDREN IN THE WORLD!) (NO, REALLY!) We also took couples with kids. I wanted to document the moment for what is was, an historic event. I have posted the picture with all of us in a group shot. I am still waiting for the other pictures. It may be a while, as the photographer went out of town for a week. Bummer. Please don't publish this picture yet. Thanks.
After the Temple and pictures we gathered at the Rex Brown home, where Arti rents a room. The Brown's are on a mission, but Arti and their daughter, Cassie, take care of the place. We had Subway's, salads, chips and cookies! We had plenty to eat, in fact, i saw someone putting sandwich's in the fridge for another day.
Thank you Arti! You are special to us all, especially your Heavenly Father.

New Digs

I don't know what all you did over the Memorial Day weekend, but I moved out of my mother's basement. I KNOW, I caught some people really off guard. I had people placing bets that I would never get out on my own.
I am in a fairly cute one bedroom apartment in the Marmalade District of Salt Lake City. It is pretty clean, newer kitchen, acceptable carpet, windows in every room In fact, I need to buy some curtains, if you know what I mean. The building is owned buy a friend. The down was low, rent is lower than most properties I priced. I am gonna be happy as soon as every thing finds a place for itself.
Thanks to those of you who sent me suggestions as to how to make the transition easier. The best suggestion came from my cousin Robert. He's a PhD type in Georgia. He suggested I write a book with lists. That's good idea, cause Googleing did not come up with anything. I've always said that we all have a book inside us. I just didn't think mine would cover being divorced, ha ha

That's My Story and I'm Stickin' With It!

Have you ever needed a good "story" and you made one that was so good that you couldn't tell the truth from fiction?
I hope to do that in the hereafter when I am being interviewed by St. Peter about today (May 30, 2010). Tell me if you would buy this one or not:
"St. Peter, I can explain my activities on Sunday, May 30, 2010 like this... I wanted to enjoy one of the first real days of sun you all sent to us in May. So, following church, I put on some shorts, grabbed my shades and went to sit in the sun at the park.
Well, after a little bit these young men showed up at the park as well, and they brought some balls, bats, gloves, the whole thing. I thought the least I could do was enjoy the sun and watch the young men in their game.
Then I discovered someone had set up a grill and was cooking hot dogs, hamburgers, tacos, you name it, they had it. Then, someone set up a drinking fountain, and I was thirsty and hungry so, I took advantage of the situation.
After a while some angels sat down next to me for a few minutes. They were going to help the great conductor Frank Layden in leading a whole choir of participants in a good old song about home teams, and cracker jacks. \
By time the game was done, I had enjoyed the sun, made new friends, got hit on, and well, that's my story, and I'm stickin' with it!"
Oh, and if Lori reads this, 'open shirt guy' was there sans shirt! ha ha

Someone Should Warn 'Em

I really haven't mentioned that I am in the process of a divorce. After 32 years, I am facing life alone. I am moving into a new apartment after staying with my mother for a few weeks. (Thanks Mom!) And I am amazed at all the things I need.
I have a little furniture: Couch, bed, old dresser, office table and desk and a couple of side chairs. Nothing fancy. What I don't have are the little things that make a home. You know, pots, pans, dishes, silverware, dish towels, vacuum, iron and ironing board, spices, mustard, Ketchup, serving or mixing bowls, a pizza cutting wheel and on and on.
Someone should invent a "party" for divorcing men. A man's buddies should host a party at the neighborhood bar or pizza restaurant, ask their wives to get them some of the necessary items a man will need, wrap it up in a brown paper bag, and take it to the party. Kinda like a bridal shower.
Someone should write a book for divorcing men, or at least a check list of things to leave the house with, if possible, or what to purchase, and where to look.
For instance, I went to the local Thrift Store ( Deseret Industries) and I couldn't believe they wanted $1 a piece for used spatulas, spoons and tongs. So, I went to a knock off store - Tuesday Morning - and priced the same items. They were $1.99 each, but at least you could get a matching set, if that's important to you.
Come to think of it, maybe someone already has published this kind of list. Google, here I come!

Joe Vs The Volcano

If you have never seen the marginally successful movie Joe Vs the Volcano, this reference may slip past you. (If you haven't seen it, you will enjoy the 98 min.) And the end of the movie, Hanks and Ryan are floating in the middle of the ocean, on their unsinkable steamer trunks towards a huge smiling moon.
I was on my evening walk tonight, Thursday, May 27, about 10:40 p.m. and the moon was just beginning to come out behind Mt. Olympus. It was beautiful. The light glowed on some light clouds, the mountain a beautiful silhouette, what I view. I wish i had the camera equipment that could capture the moment.
Moon risings were something Lori and I enjoyed. We looked forward to some beautiful evenings watching the moon come up....
Then it hit me. With such a romantic scene, I realized why I was having a hard time going to sleep at night. It was blasting in my ear, "Love Songs After Dark" on FM 100.3. I was listening to love songs while learning to be alone. Bad combination. I would listen to relaxing CD's, but my clock/radio/CD player has been struggling.
Guess I will change the station and see if that helps me sleep! Goodnight you all!

I've Seen That Look Before!!

I was riding my scooter near the South Towne Mall and I saw that look again for the second time in my life.
The first time I saw the look -- An adult man with his eyes so wide open that you can not only see the whites of his eyes, you can see the red blood vessels and the uvula in the wide open mouth of "Oh No" -- when I was a missionary in Kenosha Wisconsin. I had dropped off three missionaries on the Amtrak train bound north for Milwaukee. I had been promoted to District Leader and was gonna get the car, go get my new companion and the two other missionaries being assigned to Kenosha. However, the old DL kept the keys to the car. I was stuck in the little town of Sturdevent, WI.
We radioed conductor about our problem. He called back and said he found the Elders, got the keys and would send it back south on the next Amtrak. I waited nearly two hours for the return trip. I was late and getting anxious - after all I was all alone, and that felt strange in itself.
As the Amtrak approached from the north, I became aware of a freight train heading north on another set of tracks. As the southbound train pulled through the station, the conductor threw me the keys from the front end of the caboose. I began to time my crossing of the four train tracks only to forget all about the north bound freight train.
I believe I was carried from the tracks by my guardian angel. I landed just out of reach of the engine. That is the first time I saw a man's eyes wide open and his mouth wide open in awe of an almost accident.
Well, the second time happened today as I was eastbound on 102000 South near State Street. A white Sierra pickup truck began to pull into my lane at the same location as I was. I swerved, he swerved back and it was a near miss. I saw it again, eyes wide open, mouth wide! As he eventually passed by me, he was apologizing.....
Lori was almost able to cash in my $500,000 life insurance policy.
I guess the question is, why would I never think of getting on my bicycle without a helmet, yet motor around at 35 mph with a ball cap on backwards.
I better go buy a helmet before my kids read this.