What a Dog Does

@ Willow Creek

Last evening I officiated two girls Freshman semi-finals basketball games.  I haven't officiated too many 9th grade games all year.  It was certainly enlightening to say the least.  The girls certainly try very hard and are coach pretty well.

I just wished they would have a rule that you couldn't full court press all the time.  Many of these girls struggle to dribble and there ability to pass effectively also comes into play.  When I was in California there was some sort of rule regarding pressing and I recall it made the games much for fun to officiate.  If it is that much more fun to officiate I would conclude it would be that much more fun to watch as a fan.

Yesterday we, my partner Stacie and I, were treated pretty well.  The administration had some cold drinks and other snacks for us.  It is so nice when we are afforded such snacks.  Makes one feel good when administrations for a little bit beyond.

A parent tracked us down to say thank you for officiating the game(s).  He said he knew it was a tough task and said he wouldn't want to do it. 

It is frequently unsettling when you leave the court area, gym and school following games.  I just never know what sort of response I am going to get.  I often wished I could just blend into the crowd but I am always pulling or toting a suitcase containing my uniforms and related stuff.

Temples, Temples and Heavenly Bodies

This morning on the way to work I decided I would take a different way home not through Park City and Salt Lake City, not through Provo Canyon but up over the Aspen Loop.

You drive up past Sundance Ski Resort. Just past Robert Redford's gate (I have a picture but it is not that glamorous) I come across the following:

Well I had to stop and take a picture, because I have an Eleanor and I wished I could just turn down that road and see her, Eleanor is my granddaughter

This Picture was on the day she was blessed

Isn't She a Heavenly Body?

Eleanor Marie Deschamps

I love where I live, Utah is Great! The mountains of Utah are heavenly and temples of grandeur

This past year had been a wet one in Utah so the mountains are still green, very green

I must have passed about 100 cyclist on the drive, some heading down hill....

I stopped to take this picture at the top and a cyclist was coming up the hill, "I said it is all down hill from here", He said "I sure hope so this is going to kill me" Given the 8,000 foot peak and the Utah Valley floor is 4500 feet, that makes it a 3,500 foot climb ALL uphill. Not a flat spot in the 9 or 10 miles up hill

This is looking out towards the west towards the Utah Valley

Though the mountains are beautiful and something I enjoy being, I stopped by on my way home and took a picture of another temple The Lord has had created which is just as beautiful and much more precious than any mountain

The Mt Timpanogos Temple

American Fork, UT

I am going to have to make that trip again soon. The next time I will take a better camera my cell phone camera is OK but I think I can take some better pictures

Rich vrs Money

On Thursday, 7/30 I attended the funeral services for The Elder Member of my most family. Uncle Dick, (Richard Washburn Young) was married to my mother's sister Edith Harvey Young. I had the fortunate opportunity to have Uncle Dick visit my home more than some of my other cousins. My home was my Grandparents house, as I was reared by them after my mothers death. Aunt Edith and Uncle Dick would come to Blanding, and with them came their children, and we would drive to Mack to visit them.

Dick and Edith had 7 children, 5 girls and 2 boys and they came in that order. There family was just the opposite of the Cornwell's we had 5 boys and two girls. The Cornwell's and the Young are pretty close, age-wise and emotionally, at least I feel it. We shared many similar life experiences which I will note later

During the service the Young's mentioned several times they didn't have much money, boy you could have fooled me I thought they were Rich and still do. The Richness today is the joy of a close family who seem to have no guile just like their father. At the service I took some notes about memories I had of the Young's. I will list those and comment on a couple of them.

My List:

Water Truck and conserving water

The Old House

The New House, trips to it

Cook-out in the desert

Beckies Graduation from HS

Nate's Wedding and reception at the Young's Home

A summer noon meal and not asking for water

A large garden

Neta spending the summer at Grandma and working at the store

Kathy spending a winter with just Amy and I (1974 I think following her mission)

1980 driving to Becki and Devan daughters blessing in a blizzard

Ricky's death

There are many more memories I have of the Young's but those are the one's I noted.

I always looked forward to going The Young's'. Though they may have not had lots of money, they carved our a very rich home, not big but of so large enough to foster love of family.

One thing things the Young's and Cornwell's shared was the tragic loss of a brother. Ricky drowned at a pond near there home. As I recall it was near or on Scott's 8th birthday, Ricky was 10 if memory serves me. I know this was a tragedy to the Young's, but today Eidth and Dick can now further rear there son Rick.

Uncle Dick left this world a Wealthy, Wealthy man. He left a legacy of a life filled with Rich blessing that I will never forget and a family that loved him more than any man could ever hope to expect. I family I love and admire.

Thank You Uncle Dick, you old cowboy you!

If anyone would like me to elaborate on any of my notes I will happily do so.

Stripes

I stopped last night at the local Sam's Club.  I was wanting to just head home but the gas gauge said I wasn't going to make to home without some fuel, So I had to stop. Once there I figured I better see what was inside.

I started searching for Otter Pops, along the way I got a drink of Tang from one of the Taster people, and then I found the Otter Pops, and got in line.  

Once in line the gentleman stuck up a conversation, "Where are your stripes tonight"  I thought for a minute like I should know him.  I said, "I got some Blue in the car"  He then said that his daughters played basketball at Timpview.  Then he said he thought I did a good job, that when he saw me walk onto the court he was a little relieved, that I wasn't some rookie or some poor official. I said thank you as he was finishing his purchase.  The clerk said you must be used to getting yelled at. I had to admit I was but that I still did it because I love the game and the responsibility of being a Referee.

P.S.  I love Tang, who couldn't love it, the astronaut's drank it in space

P.S. II  I love Otter Pops

The memories our children

I got a text Yesterday from my son Nate, it went something like this...

"Dad, Fernley always reminds me of you"

The story, When we first moved to Nevada (about 1993/94) I was assigned to go work a High School Basketball, it was a Saturday so I took Nate along with me, he would have been about 12 I think. Well at some schools to show some appreciation to the officials they will give us a voucher to get something at the snack bar, some schools are pretty appreciative or maybe just trying to bribe us with Hot Dogs and Drinks. Well at Fernley they gave me a voucher and I recall my partner Jerry Gribble got one too, and I think we both gave ours to Nate. I am not sure what he got, but the memory was embedded in Nate's mind about Fernley, Dad and Snack Food Vouchers.

I know one Saturday Jen and Nate were forced to go with me when I did a game at Nixon, which is a small school operated I think by a Ute Indian tribe. I would sure be interest to know what Jen and Nate remember from that trip. I think I took Jen on a long trip to Hawthorne, I wonder if she remembers that trip. Jen also went we me a time or two to watch the State Championship games in Reno. Jen was and is always fun to be with. Today being with her might involve a game and she is always trying to beat you and badly, with a large dose of Love.

Chants of Three Two Run No Matter What

Did another tournament this weekend. So today have chants running though my head. No I am not talking about chants that one might hear at a monastery, but chants from the dug-outs or benches of these girls. Some of them are quite entertaining. Much different than baseball at this level. The boys are quiet and methodical, the girls are expressive and open.

On a dropped 3rd strike by the catcher(She must catch it and hold onto it for it to be an out), the batter may attempt to obtain 1st base if 1st base isn't occupied prior to the pitch, and if there are two out it doesn't matter if 1st base is occupied. So on these occasions the girls are reminding the girl at bat, when she has the 3-2 counts to "Three Two Run No Matter What" or if the catcher drops the ball try to get 1st base.

Well yesterday I had a lot of 3-2 counts, so today I have the chant running through my brain.

Sometimes the girls get the count mixed up and try to get first on a 2-1 count thinking they have two strike instead of just one.

Today I am very tired something about standing out in the sun for 6 to 8 hours. So today I am feeling it.