I remember when

I see Buffalo

Don't get mad.

Don't get mad at your husband, get drunk then drive your new Hummer through the pole. I will find you. Even if you try to hide the Hummer in your niehbor's house. (house mind you, not garage.)

Old to New

We have now gone from this old thing,

To this shiny new thing. Space saving and economical.

And the best part is when Falyn gets out of the shower I still have all the hot water I could want!!

It Is Coming!

Friday was one day too late.

Friday was one day too late for changing out the hot water heater voluntarily.
Shelly called me at about 10:00 and said “there is water coming out of the bottom of the hot water heater and it is flooding the garage.”(Note- Show spouse where and how to shut water off to house ahead of panic mode.)

Instead of installing a new tank we went with a Noritz tankless hot water heater.  Pictures and story to follow.

How Rare An Occassion

Stake conference this past weekend was great. I know that they are all good but this one was extra special. Elder Uchdorf visited our stake along with Elder Tenney of the 70.
I was able to hear them in 4 different sessions of conference; youth, leadership, adult, and general. They both were excellent speakers bringing the spirit ever so stongly with them.
Elder Tenney was mission president of the Spain, Barcelona mission during the 90's (naturally I had to talk with him after one of the meetings) and was a perfect compliment to Elder Uchdorf.
Turns out that they had worked together while in Europe. Elder Uchdorf was in the area presidency at the same time that Elder Tenney was serving in Spain. You could see and feel the love and friendship between the two of them.
Upon learning that an Apostle would be at our Stake conference our stake president contacted him and asked if he would be able to take some time to meet with the youth of the stake. He agreed to spend an hour with them on Saturday afternoon. (we found out that they don't normally do this anymore due to time constraints, he was 10 minutes late getting to the youth meeting from the airport)
Elder Uchdorf opened it up to questions from the youth and we had some very good ones. The final question asked by a young woman was "What were your emotions upon being called to the Quorum of the 12?"
He paused and said that that was a very sacred thing and that he did not normally share that experience, but looking out at us and saying that we are a small group (I say at least 150 were there) he would share with us that experience. And he did so. I am not going to relate it here just because of that, but you can ask me in person sometime when you see me.
Part of it though was an experience that he had had prior to that call during the week before conference. He and his wife had been out on their evening walk on the Wednseday prior to General Conference and had been discussing that very topic of who would be called to fill the vacancies in the Quorum of the 12. They assumed that whoever they were had already recieved their calls and that they and their family were in for a life changing event and as such needed their prayers. So they went home and prayed for them. Having no idea at the time that they were offering prayers of strength and comfort for themselves.
He was ever so gracious, staying to talk with and shake hands with everyone who had the desire to and of course many did, myself and my family included. Falyn noted that he not only took the time to shake her hand but took her hand in both of his, looked her in the eye and really spoke to her.
Priceless memories and testimony builders.

Angels Lead the AL West!!

Not bad for opening day.
Now I just hope that I can be saying that 6 months from now!

The Right of the People Peaceably to Assemble

My great grandparents Teal (grama Fortner’s parents) immigrated to this country in 1907 from England.  The Fortner side, a mixed lot by now, originally came from Germany in the 1700’s.  The Terrill side of my family goes back to the 1600’s and also came from England.  The Porter side came from Ireland.  You can also throw some Welsh in there for good measure.  And if you go far enough back in the Taylor genealogy you find French and Spanish heritage.
I say all of this just to show that by rights I can justly wave the flag of any one of those nations and claim affinity.
Despite the fact that I am proud of my heritage,(as I think everyone ought to be) I am even more proud to be American.
Old Glory is the flag I fly.
It is under Old Glory and the constitution she represents that guarantees me the right to protest and to peaceably assemble in this country, not another flag.
I believe that those who assemble under another banner not of this nation do their cause a great disservice and in so doing show great disrespect for the flag and nation that allows them to do so.
I stand by the words of a great past president:

   "In the first place, we should insist that if the immigrant
who comes here in good faith becomes an American and assimilates himself to
us, he shall be treated on an exact equality with everyone else, for it is
an outrage to discriminate against any such man because of creed, or
birthplace, or origin. But this is predicated upon the person's becoming in
every facet an American, and nothing but an American...There can be no
divided allegiance here. Any man who says he is an American, but something
else also, isn't an American at all. We have room for but one flag, the
American flag... We have room for but one language here, and that is the
English language... and we have room for but one sole loyalty and that is a
loyalty to the American people."
 
   Theodore Roosevelt 1907

I say we continue to welcome all immigrants for we all were at one time, and be proud of our past heritage but let us be Americans now, first and foremost.

Nieces and Nephews

Just a few pic's from my recent trip to the Great White North!

Dancing Queen!

I took Shelly up to the huge metropolis of Fresno on Saturday to visit the Saroyan Theatre. (of William Saroyan fame, native of fresno) We try to insert a bit of the arts once in awhile into our otherwise mundane lives.
There we saw the traveling musical "Mama Mia" performed. If you like ABBA music this one is for you. (I can still see myself dancing to this music, or at the roller rink as a youth) It has lots of there greatest hits wound into a cute little story. We thoroughly enjoyed it. Although, due to the mature theme, I would not take the kids to see it. (young bride-to-be reads mom's diary and sends 3 invitations to 3 men who possibly could be her unkown father. Without telling her mother.) It is truly hilarious.
Good acting, good singing, good music, and a day out with the wife. Hard combination to beat.


(now that's a great blog title for a straight man!)

A little Inspired

I walked into the office and was greeted by 2 gray haired gentlemen enthusiastically. Sitting down across from them I could not help but think that my whole life was spread out before them for the viewing. In the back of my mind I kept saying to myself, "I'm not the one!" over and over.
I could not help but wonder at the questions that might be asked. My main fear was that they would ask if I was some how confused and wasn't I supposed to be at the church down the street!
I soon learned that they were well versed on who I was and what my calling is. They asked about our strong spots and our weak spots throughout the stake. They had a genuine concern for the YM programs and how they were doing. So much so that they handed me a print out from SLC that gave the current stats for YM being appropriatly advanced in the priesthood.(the stake clerk said it did not come from him so they must have planned it.) I was left with the firm impression that they appreciated what I did and that I had more work to do!
What a relief it was when I walked out the door! I knew I wouldn't be getting a call that afternoon, I still had more to do with the YM.
What an experience, to sit down with 2 GA's, quite intimidating if I may say so.
Oh, and I did get 2 out 3 correct. I named my bishop and the bishop from Selma to be in the new presidency and they are. Sometimes I actually am a little inspired.

Got Lights?

Fall is a mixed bag for me. On the one hand I love the weather, on the other I know that the Autumn brings with it trouble and headaches in all it's different forms for my line of work.
I used to be able to just sit and enjoy a soft Fall rain shower and listen with ease to the thunderheads roll by.
Now when the Fall weather comes, I can see in my mind's eye the rain mixing with the dust and dirt that has accumilated over the summer on the insulators and the crossarms. Electricity begins to track through the muddy mix and burn the wood. Spots that have already been weakened through the years now burn through, break and fall. Arcing is seen, explosions are heard, and someone's lights go out.
Now I get up and make sure my work clothes have been washed and that I have an extra shirt and a pair of socks ready to go. This because I know that the phone is going to ring and it will be for me as my girls holler: "Dad! it's work calling!" Then I am off and running til who knows when.
Shelly asks if she should count on me being there for dinner and the answer is invariably, no. The girls go to bed that night and dad is not home. They get up and head off to school and dad is still not home. Someone's lights still aren't on.

Hello! perfect!

As you can see I have been doing a bit of practicing on uploading pictures. I think I have it down now. Hello! makes it pretty simple to get the job done.
Now to figure out the rest of the tricks to making this blog spot look the way that I want it. That should come with time.

Falyn's 15th B-day 

Pugslee & Wenzdae 

Farah, me, and Falyn 

Me and Pugslee, one of my two pugs.