Dadoo

A Moonless morning part 2

2011-12-18T21:51:00.000-08:00

Dec 10, 2011 Lunar Eclipse 6:40am

6:50 am

6:58am

7:07am, Faint Image in upper Left corner

Sunrise over Little Cottonwood Canyon 7:13am

A Moonless morning

2011-12-17T21:50:00.001-08:00

See the shadowed moon in the top left of this photo?

Wise Old Mr. Mountain Goat, more dangerous than thought

2010-10-17T08:14:00.000-07:00

Here in Utah we the Mountain Goat is a fixture on the mountain sides. Seldom seen, they like to graze the high mountain sides. The unwary hiker need to heed their furry fur and aloof hoofs.

Below read of the tragic escapade of a hiker das he trekked the mountains of the great northwest!

PORT ANGELES, Wash. — Rangers in Washington state suspect an encounter with a mountain goat killed a 63-year-old hiker in Olympic National Park.

The park service says Robert H. Boardman, of Port Angeles, was hurt Saturday as he hiked near the park's Klahhane Ridge and died hours later at a Port Angeles hospital. Officials did not provide any specifics on his injuries but said an early investigation indicates they were the result of an encounter with a goat.

Rangers tracked down and killed the animal, which will be analyzed by a veterinary pathologist.

The Associated Press.

More Amish news from Leon New York.

2010-09-13T21:12:00.001-07:00

Amish in the news... Again!

While we were in New York I asked Grandma about the Amish Teen who was arrested for "over driving an animal" see link here.

My mother then told about another incident that was all too scary. An armed robbery of an Amish Couple by a brazen robber who commandeered their horse and buggy and demanded that they hand over their wallet. When they told the robber that they "did not have a wallet" he fired a gun near the the shocked amish couples heads.

It seems that there is a local legend that the amish, who have well kept farms and a "fancy black horse and buggies" carry large amounts of $$$cash$$$ with them, especially since they do not work with local banks. Reason would tell me that their fortune is tied up in cheese, hay and horses!

Once again truth IS stranger than fiction.

Below is a video and two stories of the event and subsequent arrest of the robber...............

Local Amish shaken by attempted robbery

Updated: Tuesday, 13 Jul 2010, 7:15 PM EDT Published : Monday, 12 Jul 2010, 5:28 PM EDT

Luke Moretti

LEON, NY (WIVB) - Sunday morning, an Amish couple fell victim to a terrifying crime in the Southern Tier.

Tonight we're learning more about the case.

Usually Amish county in Cattaraugus County is picaresque and quiet. So when a crime like this happens in this small, rural - predominately Amish community - it raises eyebrows.

"Like the Old West when I was a kid. Bandits on the highway," said Leon resident Bill Scherman when describing yesterday's attempted armed robbery of a young, recently married Amish couple, traveling on a road by horse and buggy.

Scherman continued, "The car had gone down the road and turned around, and came back and pulled right up in front of them and blocked them right, stopped the horse and buggy."

Authorities say one of the men in the car pulled a gun on the couple and demanded money.

The Amish woman's father said, "They saw the flame coming out of the barrel." The woman's father did not want to be photographed but continued, "He had the gun right on them and he asked for the wallet. And then when they told him he doesn't have a wallet he just pointed the gun a little beside her, and he fired."

Authorities say the suspect vehicle is described as a tan full sized car, with 4 men inside.

Captain Robert Buchhardt of the Cattaraugus County Sheriff's Office said, "After about the third time of him demanding money and their wallets from them they explained to the people in the car that they did not carry wallets and they did not have any money."

News of the incident has the Amish in the area on edge.

"I thought it was terrible and I thought it would scare anybody. It would scare me, big time," said one Amish man who was traveling in the area with his family.

"Everybody in the community is concerned. Everybody hopes these guys get caught. We watch out for each other around here," said Scherman.

The suspects fled the scene empty handed. The young Amish couple was shaken up but not injured. Authorities in Cattaraugus County tell News 4 that they are working some good leads.

Arrest made in attempted Amish robbery

Updated: Friday, 30 Jul 2010, 11:24 AM EDT Published : Friday, 30 Jul 2010, 10:08 AM EDT

Posted by: Emily Lenihan

LEON, N.Y. (WIVB) - A Town of Leon man is being accused of attempting to steal from an Amish couple, earlier this month.

Donald Pfaffenbach, 29, is charged with attempted robbery. The Cattaraugus Sheriff's Office says, Pfaffenbach tried to steal from the couple, displaying a hand gun and demanding their wallet.

The Amish couple didn't hand over their wallet. The defendant fired one round, in the proximity of a horse that was pulling a buggy the couple was in.

The Amish woman's father said, "They saw the flame coming out of the barrel." The woman's father continued, "He had the gun right on them and he asked for the wallet. And then when they told him he doesn't have a wallet he just pointed the gun a little beside her, and he fired."

Related Stories

Local Amish shaken by attempted robbery

Attempted robbery in Amish country

Amish teen caught after chase on buggy

Usually Amish county in Cattaraugus County is picaresque and quiet. So when a crime like this happens in this small, rural, predominately Amish community, it raises eyebrows.

"Like the Old West when I was a kid. Bandits on the highway," said Leon resident Bill Scherman.

"I thought it was terrible and I thought it would scare anybody. It would scare me, big time," said one Amish man who was traveling in the area with his family.

Pfaffenbach has been remanded to the Cattaraugus County jail in lieu of $500 bail. More arrests are pending after the completion of the investigation.to the Cattaraugus County jail in lieu of $500 bail. More arrests are pending after the completion of the investigation.

Garlic Butter Mix

2010-09-13T18:39:00.000-07:00

This evening I was asked to do a final test of the Hires Garlic Butter Mix. So far it is only available in the stores but is about to be rolled out to grocery outlets throughout the West and on the Hires Big H website.

So I fired up the BBQ for some roasted corn, garlic bread and burgers. I whipped up some garlic butter with the Garlic Butter Mix or the "magic mix" as we refer to it in the Szymanski home. The recipe is 1 stick of butter to 2 tablespoons of mix. I buttered some home-made whole wheat bread and placed it on the grill along with the fresh corn. I placed the bread, garlic side up on the grill and closed the lid which melted the butter and then turned it over for just no more than 30 seconds with the butter side down. It was wonderful !

I also buttered my corn with magic mix spread which it gave it a rich roasted corn flavor and will add to my spread consumption. I'll give you my final conclusions tomorrow. BTW, we use the dry garlic butter mix as a rub on steaks, yum!

And dare I suggest Hires Garlic Butter Mix with peanut butter, I haven't tried it yet but when I'm daring, oh no !

Our August trip to Grandma's house!

2010-09-12T18:43:00.001-07:00

Aaron, Sarah and I took a trip to visit Grandma Szymanski and my sister's families in Western New York.

We had a relaxing and fun filled week visiting relatives and experiencing the local sites including a county fair, a real maple sugar "bush", an auction and flea market where they actually sold everything from chickens to rocks, a beautiful lake side community, the local Mormon ward which is located on the Seneca Indian Reservation, and much more!

Plus we cleaned up up Grandpa Szymanski's horseshoe pit, mowed grandma's huge 3 acre lawn, were treated to a picnic at my sister's home and played bocci ball, sampled the food at the Amish cheese factory, Timmy Horton's, Buffalo Chicken Wings, Mighty Taco and fresh fruits and vegetables from the neighborhood gardens! The week went by so fast that we look must go back again soon, next spring I hope!

Below are a few photos that I managed to take, I'm sorry I didn't take more.

We began our trip on Friday morning with a stop in Minneapolis. We waited for our plane to be loaded full of peanuts and pretzels to make our flight so much fun!

After we settled in we visited a local Maple Syrup sugar bush called Maple Glen Sugar House in nearby Gowanda NY. Very authentic...

A visit to the Chautauqua Lake community of Bemus Point. I nice lakeside community with plenty of walking paths on the lake shore. The lake is just North of Jamestown, birthplace of Lucille Ball.

We enjoyed a outdoor lunch at the Beach Club, yummi food.

The fun continued at the Erie County Fair, Aaron and Sarah dared enter this space ship, spun around for a few minutes until they were almost sick.

We also watched the goat judging, did you know that a female goat is called a doe! We also enjoyed the fair food including vinegar french fries.

Aunt Jan traded cars with Grandma, so we put the top down and cruzed the highways, hold onto your hat Grandma Szymanski!

After a week of non stop activities with the Szymanski's it was time for a little rest waiting for our return flight.

Thanks to Grandma Szymanski, Julie, Rick, Janis and our cousins. We hope to see you again soon....

A few pretty pictures

2010-07-27T21:20:00.000-07:00

The mom on a hike, Granite Quarry trail, note the leaves just popping out

I have collected a number of pictures on my phone and thought I would post them here from time to time before they are erased. All of these were taken from May 15-22, 2010.

Here are some spring photos from the gardens, love the tulips!

and more.....

and even more.

I will add more photo in the future!

We're Not in Kansas Anymore...

2010-07-25T10:42:00.000-07:00

Mayville, NY with Lake Chautauqua in the background

This is a photo that I found in the Buffalo News relating the events surounding a tornado that touched down near the Chautauqua Lake community of Mayville, NY. You can read the article below after I tell my little story.

As a young boy I recall having nightmares of tornadoes, which coincided with the annual TV showing of the Wizard of Oz. I need to remind you that when Dadoo was growing up, you could only watch a movie when it was shown on Television or in the Movie theaters. There was no way of recording the show off the TV, (other than my attempts to record the audio with my reel to reel tape recorder, but that is another post), this was way before VCR's!

So back to the story, I was so afraid to watch the beginning of Oz when Dorothy and her house are ripped from the foundation and sent twirling into the air that I would cover my head with a pillow during that scene. Still I didn't associate tornadoes with South Dayton, they just happened in Kansas!

Until....

One night when I was about 7 or 8 years old we had a huge thunderstorm, the whole house shook when the lightening hit and I would count the time from the flash and the sound of the lightening and multiply by 7 (the approx speed of sound) this would tell how many miles we were from the actual lightening. Boom! Flash! Boom! Flash! I have heard that if you are outside and you don't hear the sound you are in big trouble, maybe worse...

But anyways we had a big storm that evening and in the morning my parents told me that a tornado had touched down within a mile of the west of our house on old mud lake road and we were going take a ride to see there it happened. When we arrived there were huge trees laying on top of the houses and doggies were missing. I thought "Oh no, they have gone to Oz with Toto and Dorothy!"

After that Tornado the Fire Department began to sound a special siren that could be heard through the community to signal a Tornado Warning, a long steady tone lasting for a minute that makes your hair stand on end. So now you can understand my thoughts as I read of the tornado damage from Randolph and Mayville this article.

Tornadoes leave chilling imprint

Communities sustain severe damage but no serious injuries

Randolph, NY

Jordan was helping his friend Nathan Lamper remodel Lamper's Main Street house when the wind began picking up in the Cattaraugus County Town of Randolph. Jordan went outside to grab the garbage cans from the curb. As he did, a quick gust ripped them from his hands.

By the time Jordan grabbed a front porch post, a tornado was at his heels, picking his feet off the ground.

"Nathan was holding on to the door with the rain coming sideways," Brandy Gann said Sunday, recalling the chain of events that Lamper, her fiance, had told her.

What lifted Jordan from the ground was one of a string of tornadoes that ripped through the Southern Tier late Saturday afternoon. There were no serious injuries, but damage was estimated in the millions -- possibly as much as $5 million in just one of the effected communities, the Chautauqua Lake community of Mayville.

Mayville was hit first Saturday when a tornado came through at 4:48 p.m. with winds of 125 mph.

Randolph, located in the western part of Cattaraugus County, about 15 miles northeast of Jamestown, was the second Southern Tier community hit by a tornado. That twister, which was seven miles long and a half-mile wide, traveled 100 to 125 mph as it unleashed its fury over a 10-minute period begining at 5:25 p.m.

A third tornado traveling at speeds of 90 to 95 mph, struck the towns of Carrollton and Allegany, several miles southeast of Salamanca, for nine minutes beginning at 5:49 p.m.

"Three in one day basically within the same time period is pretty rare," said Davecq Sage, National Weather Service meteorologist.

Chautauqua County Executive Gregory J. Edwards Sunday said 20 homes in his county received anywhere from moderate to significant damage. Of eight commercial properties affected by the Mayville tornado, two were being inspected for demolition, including the Sword & Shield restaurant at 5695 East Lake Road.

"People are doing whatever's necessary to get their homes together," said Julius J. Leone, Jr., Chautauqua County's director of emergency services. Leone guessed that the total damage from Mayville could be as much as $5 million.

James and Lynn Kester, of 77 Morris St., Mayville, were playing pinochle with their son and his girlfriend Saturday when they began seeing debris swirling in the air near the house.

"We ran to the basement, just got the doors closed and it hit," Kester said, adding that the event lasted about 10 to 15 seconds.

In that time, a 40-foot limb from a maple tree was deposited in his backyard pool. A heavy plastic fence around the pool had only four of its original 16 sections remaining. Another tree had fallen across his front porch and the siding was torn in several places.

Betty Newhouse, of 72 Valley St., Mayville, lives one block away from some of the heaviest damage. "I saw a funnel full of debris, a flash of light, and then the power went out," Newhouse said. Her family took to the basement to wait out the tornado, which did not damage her house.

In Cattaraugus County, the tornado uprooted more than 250 trees and knocked out power in the Southern Tier Village of Randolph.

"You could build a house in the holes some trees left after being pulled up by the roots," said Chris Baker, Cattaraugus County's director of emergency services and fire coordinator.

Downed trees and power lines caused the town to block off about two blocks of Main Street in Randolph. Roofs were torn from multiple homes and commercial properties. Residents reported heavy damage at Landmark Chevrolet and at the town's Mobil station. There was also concerns over livestock.

"I know they had issues with livestock coming up missing. We're getting some reports of people finding the livestock in different areas and returning them back," Baker said.

As many as 100 calves were swept up by the tornado from Beavers Dairy Farm, according to several Randolph residents. One person said some calves were found as far as three miles from the farm.

It was in Randolph where Jordan was helping remodel his friend Nathan Lamper's home.

Sunday, Lamper's fiance, Brandy Gann, said Jordan is lucky to be alive.

Retaining his grip on one of the front porch's spindles as the tornado came through, Jordan jumped forward and gripped the steps when the wind died down. A few seconds later, the front porch roof fell. The roof protected him from flying debris, and only an upright treadmill and a metal brake bender kept the roof from crushing him.

Gann was sitting on what was left of the porch's crumbling concrete foundation as she spoke on Sunday.

"I just kept thinking that it's really weird that we're getting a tornado in New York," said Gann, who moved to Randolph from Kentucky 10 years ago. "It blew my mind."

work crews were busy in Randolph on Sunday removing damaged trees and trying to restore electricity to the town's approximately 1,300 residents. Multiple fire companies from Cattaraugus and Chautauqua counties have responded, while the local department of public works crews have been assisted by the county, nearby towns, private contractors and volunteers.

Baker estimated 200 to 250 people had been involved in cleanup efforts over the two days. "The cooperation of all the agencies working together in these conditions with a common goal has been just unbelieveable," he said.

The tornadoes that hit Mayville and Randolph were classified on the Enhanced Fujita Scale as being as EF2 on a scale of five. Only 25 percent of all tornadoes are EF2 or stronger, meaning tornadoes estimated at between 111 and 135 miles per hour, he said.

"I think it happened at a good time of the day where there was daylight and people were watching TV [to get updates], because there were no deaths and practically no injuries, and the lead time average was a half hour and as high as 45 minutes."

The National Weather Service aided the emergency preparers by putting a storm assessment package together and providing constant updates, first as the storm developed and as it happened, and then through the night into Sunday.

With electricity out, the Office of Emergency Services has attempted to go door to door in an attempt to keep people updated about what's being done in the aftermath. Anyone with unreported damage is instructed to contact the office at 938-2212.

Buffalo News By By Steve Brachmann and Mark Sommer

Alice

2010-07-21T19:50:00.000-07:00

I recently watched the Disney movie Alice in Wonderland, a Tim Burton movie staring my friend Johnny Depp as the Mad Hatter. I found the film to be engaging and entertaining.

While I watched the movie while donating platelets where one is strapped to a table with two needles attached to your arms for nearly two hours, I didn't come close to the heebie-jeebies, therefore I award it 3 stars!

So with the film still fresh in my mind, I noted that Disney is closing the classic Disneyland ride for the next few weeks for upgrades.

For the life of me, my mind is fuzzy on the ride, maybe some will comment with their personal memoriesof the attraction.

Here is the LA Times article that spurred my thought on this post

Disneyland's Alice in Wonderland ride closed to install safety equipment
The attraction is shut down temporarily after state inspectors note a lack of handrails for maintenance crews.

One of Disneyland's oldest attractions, the Alice in Wonderland ride, has been closed since last week while workers install safety barriers recommended by California work-safety inspectors. Park officials said they hope to reopen the ride in the next few weeks.

Disney officials said the Anaheim park voluntarily closed the ride July 15 after California Department of Occupational Safety and Health inspectors pointed out that it lacked handrails needed for maintenance crews who work on an elevated segment of the ride.

The Cal/OSHA inspectors were in the park on a separate matter and did not order closure of the ride, Disneyland spokeswoman Suzi Brown said. "We like to have all of our rides ready for our guests," she said.

The ride, which opened in 1958, takes guests on rail-guided cars that resemble caterpillars into a dark tunnel that features glowing characters from Disney's 1951 animated version of the Lewis Carroll classic. Toward the end of the ride, the cars roll outside, along an elevated rail segment with no handrails or barriers to prevent maintenance workers from falling off.

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Brown said park workers would install scaffolding or barriers along the elevated segment.

In 2000, a 15-year-old Arizona boy suffered a broken foot and leg on the ride when his foot was pinched between a guardrail and the car in which he was riding. The ride closed for about six hours. Police said they believed the boy was dangling his leg outside the ride.

Earlier this month, Disney's California Adventure Park temporarily shut its newest attraction, World of Color, after a July 7 earthquake near Borrego Springs.

Only hours after the 5.4-magnitude quake, Disney's officials said malfunctioning equipment forced them to cancel three of the night-time water, light and fire displays that erupts from Paradise Bay Lagoon.

Disney officials said they could not determine if the quake caused the malfunction, but the shows resumed the following night.

I fought the man and ...

2010-07-20T20:09:00.000-07:00

After 2 years of servitude to the Direct TV man, today I called to cancel our service. TJ answered the phone and said "how can I help you sir" and quickly before I could answer, "what is your name?" "Joe" I replied, "I would like to cancel my service" There I had done it and and there was silence on the phone and finally TJ replied, "why would you want to do that?"

Then I thought, oh I want to say I how I had been held hostage for 24 months of living with a substandard DVR without Picture in Picture with a remote that is slow as molasses on a cold Buffalo morning, and how they took down the the Versus channel and refused to let me out of my contract. And and, how I missed the Charlie Chat!

But.... I didn't say that, instead I said "I would like to be a free agent without a contract", Free to negotiate a deal like Labron James, Just let me out of CLEVELAND!

TJ offered me a free month credit after which when I could cancel. It's great to be a free agent. Now back to Deadliest Catch!

Here we go again!

2010-07-19T21:20:00.000-07:00

I found this article in the Buffalo News today concerning a young Levi E. Detweiler who is now in a bit of trouble with the law due to failure to stop at a stop sign and "overdriving an animal". What makes it even more interesting to me is that it is set in Leon, New York, the birth place of my father. Plus, since Aaron, Sarah and myself will be vacationing at grandma's it helps to get us acquainted with some local news.

LEON—An Amish teen who tried to flee police faces charges of alcohol possession and “overdriving an animal” after he crashed his getaway vehicle— a horse and buggy.

Cattaraugus County sheriff’s deputies reported over the weekend that Levi E. Detweiler, 17, ran a stop sign and refused officers’ attempts to stop the buggy. Deputies chased Detweiler for about three quarters of a mile, and when he tried an unsafe turn into a driveway, he crashed the horse and buggy in a ditch. The teen then fled on foot but was found later in the area.

The Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigation Bureau completed an investigation and charged the youth with possession of alcohol by someone under 21, overdriving an animal, seconddegree reckless endangerment, failure to stop at a stop sign and failure to yield to an emergency vehicle in the incident that occurred at about 1:30 a. m. last Monday. He is free on $500 bail.

How, when, where, what?

2008-12-31T09:15:00.000-08:00

Here are some photos which were among the many we sorted through for inclusion in the Granite South Stake's 25th Anniversary project. The 3 part set which includes a multiple photo DVD's and 2 hard bound volumes is now on our bookshelf.

I have included some questions for the viewing audience, how many can you answer?

Photo#1
Where was this photo taken, what character was he playing and how old was the budding actor?

Photo #2
What year was this photo taken and where?

Photo #3
Can you name some or all eleven individuals in this photo, the event and the year?

Photo #4
Where was this taken and what Szymanski children were at the event?

Photo #5
Who is this pictured with Aaron, what was the event and the year taken?

Photo #6
Name as many of the people in this 2005 photo as possible and who was Bishop at the time?

Photo #7
Name the age of young Sarah, the event and year?

Photo #8
What was the event, year and name the people pictured

Simon 'absolutely loved' Salt Lake

2008-12-22T21:32:00.000-08:00

It's hard to believe that American Idol is about to return to the air on January 13th.

By Scott D. Pierce

Deseret News
Published: December 18, 2008
Simon Cowell — the mean judge on "American Idol" — has absolutely nothing mean to say about his visit to Utah.

Simon (Cowell) says he 'absolutely loved' Salt Lake during 'Idol' tryouts
As a matter of fact, given multiple opportunities in a conference call with TV critics, Cowell did nothing but gush about his visit to Salt Lake City for "Idol" auditions in September.

"You know what? I absolutely loved it there," Cowell said. "I loved the city. I loved the air. And, most importantly, I absolutely loved the people."

Yikes. This is the guy who's never been shy about expressing his dislike for anyone or anything. And there have been times when he hasn't exactly showered praise on cities that hosted "Idol" auditions.

But, again, it was nothing but praise for Salt Lake City.

"We literally got all types there. It was exactly what this show is all about," Cowell said. "It was great fun. I was really impressed with some of the people (who) came through.

"And we even had an Osmond — and I liked him!"

While "Idol" thrives on secrecy, it's no secret that David Osmond auditioned for the show in Salt Lake City. And, as is obvious from Cowell's comment, it seems he advanced past the first round of auditions to perform for judges Cowell, Paula Abdul, Randy Jackson and newcomer Kara DioGuardi.

Reportedly, Osmond, 29, the fourth son of Alan Osmond, advanced from the Utah auditions to the Hollywood round of the competition, although Fox doesn't confirm such information before the show airs.

The eighth season of "American Idol" begins on Jan. 13, at 7 p.m. on Fox/Ch. 13. The episode featuring the Salt Lake auditions has not yet been scheduled.

The show continues through May, and Osmond and his wife, Valerie, are expecting their first child in April.

But it wasn't just the guy with the famous last name who impressed Cowell, although the most famous (or is that infamous?) of the "Idol" judges did sound a bit surprised that he liked it as much as he did.

"I thought it would be a bit more serious, to be honest with you," Cowell said, "because I'd only heard about the place; I'd never been there before.

"But I couldn't have been more wrong. It was really, really good fun. And it was one of my favorite cities."

Trader Joes

2008-12-21T20:35:00.000-08:00

There are Trader Joes all over the West including Southern California and Arizona. Our daughter took us to one near her home while visiting Phoenix this fall. The products available range from exotic fruits and vegetables, health foods, candies and drinks.

Utah has one similar store called Pirate O's located in Draper. It's a strange store with many rooms connected by narrow passages, it's worth the time to visit if you are nearby at 11901 S 700 E Draper, UT

What is a date?

2008-09-17T20:51:00.000-07:00

Today while touring the Palm Springs area I saw signs for "Date Shakes" It sounded kinda weird and then I realized I didn't know much about dates.

What is a Date? Well, a date is grown on a Date Palm. They are grown in Iraq, Morocco, Southern California and Arizona. This week we stayed at a resort just off Date Palm Drive, so Dates are or were an important agricultural product of Palm Springs. Dates can be eaten as is or may be pitted and stuffed with fillings such as almonds, walnuts, candied orange and lemon peel, marzipan or cream cheese. They are commonly used as a key ingredient in fruit cake. My Grandmothers loved dates and would make great date cookies. I'm afraid that there use has diminished greatly today and they are rarely found in the modern kitchen.

In an effort to revive the date and bring it back to light I provide the following recipe, bring on the date!

Drop Date Cookies

* 1/4 cup butter
* 1 cup brown sugar
* 1 egg -- beaten
* 1/4 cup warm water
* 1 teaspoon vanilla
* 2 cups flour
* 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
* 1/4 teaspoon salt

FILLING:

* 1 package dates (small pkg) -- chopped
* 1/4 cup sugar
* 3/4 cup warm water
* 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
* OR maple extract
* 1 tablespoon cornstarch

Cream butter and sugar; beat in eggs, water and vanilla. Stir dry ingredients in.
Boil the filling ingredients slowly until dates are cooked then thicken with cornstarch.
Drop cookie dough on cookie sheet. Put some date filling on top, then put a dab of cookie dough on top of the filling. Bake in 400° oven for 10-15 minutes.

We made it!

2008-09-15T22:02:00.000-07:00

After 12 hours of driving (it really was quite enjoyable) we made it to Rancho Mirage, near Palm Springs.

We began the day at around 8am (just on time for a scheduled 6:30 am planned departure) stopped in Beaver at the cheese factory, without getting any cheese, a first and continued with short stops in Street George and Baker CA. There were opportunities to recall trips of days gone bye including Bun Boy, its now a Big Boy and the infamous ZZYZX Click here to find out more than you wanted to know about the ZZYZX exit south of Baker. Other than being the last word in the English dictionary it was home to Soda Springs a spa and resort but never like our present hotel.

The mom will be posting an entry concerning our trip and how it turns out, I can say know that it is off to a hot start, it's 101 at 8pm! See ya, the dadoo.

It's Corn Time!

2008-09-06T22:03:00.000-07:00

I can't believe that fall is here, the long days of summer is fading to shorter days and cool autumn breezes. The other day at the PGA golf tournament, I spoke with a golfer from Georgia who was enjoying the great weather we are experiencing of late. He related how humid and uncomfortable it is in his home state. We do live in an exceptional area, and noooow it time for the return of the CORN MAN!

Yes, one my favorite celebrations is Halloween which leads to my all time favorite Thanksgiving. A unique Utah tradition is the Corn Maze or Corn "Maize" in some circles. I am not aware of another part of the country that does Halloween like our state. Possibly because of the number of young people who live here, or that we seem to have avoided the mischief and mayhem that accompanies Halloween in many other states.

I found that this Corn Maze is patterned after none other than our own David Archulta. Cornbellys Corn Maze and Pumpkin Fest begins September 21st at Thanksgiving Point. Hi CORN MAN!

Dog Town

2008-09-05T21:43:00.000-07:00

This week Response Agency we began a project to help raise funds to support the Best Friends Animal Society. Best Friends has been working towards a goal of "No More Homeless Pets". For over 25 years Best Friends has helped reduce the number of dogs and cats being destroyed from 17 million to 5 million.

National Geographic Channel started the second season of Dog Town which is kind of like a reality show for dogs and the care provided by the vets and other personnel of Best Friends. The season opener was on the pit bulls that were owned by NFL Football player Michael Vick. Vick is serving prison time for an abuse of animal charge

Best Friends Animal Society is located in Kanab Utah and has a nationwide network of groups encouraging neutering of pets and a huge ranch where unwanted dogs, cats, horses and other creatures.

It's a fun project, I'll keep you informed as we move forward.

More on 4

2008-08-26T09:13:00.000-07:00

It seems that Paula is none too pleased with the addition of Kara to the Idol format. I sense a cat fight in the making!

This from the fair and balanced Fox News:

"I am concerned about the audience and acceptance. Time will tell. We'll see," she said.

She also said producers hired the Grammy-nominated songwriter because they "wanted to try a change.

"They always tried for a fourth judge because it followed the format of the original show, 'Pop Idol,'" Abdul said. "We haven't had much luck with that working, but we're gonna give it another try."

Asked if she, Randy Jackson and Simon Cowell have sat down with DioGuardi to test their chemistry, Abdul replied, "Nope," and laughed.

What happens if she and Jackson vote one way, but DioGuardi disagrees?

"That's gonna be weird if it's a split decision," Abdul said. "I'm sure Simon will get to make the final [call]."

"It takes the fun out of all the hard work I do to push those kids through," she added.

DioGuardi begins her "Idol" journey Tuesday during auditions in New York. It will be the judges' first time together in one room; DioGuardi said she only just met host Ryan Seacrest on Monday morning.

DioGuardio's songs have been recorded by Kelly Clarkson, Christina Aguilera, Gwen Stefani, Celine Dion, Faith Hill, Carrie Underwood and Pink, among others. Her recent Top 40 hits include Stefani's "Rich Girl," Aguilera's "Ain't No Other Man," Clarkson's "Walk Away" and Dion's "Taking Chances."

A Fourth Judge!

2008-08-25T15:36:00.000-07:00

It seems that Paula will be getting a soulmate! Kara DioGuardi a songwriter will join Randy, Simon and Paula for this coming years American Idol. I can't wait for the new season.

The Golden Bear!

2008-06-18T09:31:00.000-07:00

Recently, Sarah and I had the great privilege of spending a few hours with the great Jack Nicholas, AKA the Golden Bear and LPGA legend Annika Sorenstam while attending the Champions Challenge golf event at Thanksgiving Point. Johnny Miller sponsors this tournament each year which pairs father/son, brother/brother, sister/sister and friends in a best ball tournament for a two day golf extravaganza.

Over the years I have carried on conversations with the likes of Sergio Garcia, Gary Player, Lee Trevino, Mike Weir, Jim Furyk Fuzzy Zoeller, Hale Irwin, David Duval, Tom Kite, and even the colorful John Daly.

The weather is usually quite toasty and this year we saw more of the same, Sarah put up with another of Dad's odd hobbies and was very supportive, she even received and nod of the head and a wink from host Johnny Miller himself. I still recall an exchange with Arnold Palmer some years ago when Aaron was a young lad of some 8 or 9 years old.

Harry Potter, coming to a theater near you!

2008-06-05T15:00:00.001-07:00

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince will be shown in theaters, November 2008. That's only a few short months away, even before the return of 24!

What is your favorite Potter Movie? I liked the 4th, Goblet of Fire, the tri-wizard tournament with Victor Krum and Cedric, oh my oh my!

Here is a list of the movies and a short plot summary, the last book will be broken into 2 movies and released in 2010 and 2011.

Vote for your favorite......

#1 Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone

Harry Potter is an 11 year old boy. At a young age, he was attacked by Lord Voldemort who killed his parents; his survival brought unknown fame to Harry. He was taken by Hagrid to live with his aunt and uncle. Eleven years later, in 1991, Harry enters his first year of Hogwarts along with his new friends Ron and Hermione.

#2 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

Harry, Ron, and Hermione return to Hogwarts for their second year which proves to be more challenging than the last. The Chamber of Secrets is opened, leaving students (and ghosts) petrified. Harry learns that he can speak parseltongue which leads to many students believing he is the heir of Salazar Slytherin. Near the end of the year Harry, Ron and their new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher, Professor Lockhart, discover the entrance to the Chamber of Secrets. There he battles the young memory of Lord Voldemort (Tom Marvolo Riddle) and his basilisk. During the battle Godric Gryffindor's sword appears out of the sorting hat (brought by Fawks), which we later learn from Dumbledore that the sword would have only appeared for a true Gryffindor.

#3 Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

Harry's third year truly begins when the Hogwart's express stops moving, a Dementor attacks Harry and is dispatched with the help of new professor, Lupin. The Dementor flees but not before it causes Harry to faint. A prisoner named Sirius Black has escaped from Azkaban prison, he was incarcerated there twelve years previously for apparently aiding Voldemort and the Death Eaters. Harry, believing it was Black who caused his parent's deaths, finds out at the end of the year the real truth.

#4 Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire:

Harry's fourth year begins with him having a nightmare about Frank Bryce being killed by Voldemort. At Hogwarts, there is a new professor, Alastor Moody, Hogwarts is hosting the Triwizard Tournament, a dangerous tournament between three schools of magic. Fleur Delacour, Viktor Krum and Cedric Diggory are the three champions. But Harry's name appears out of the Goblet of Fire making him a fourth champion.

#5 Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

Harry's fifth year begins with Harry being attacked by Dementors in Little Whinging. He finds out later that the Ministry of Magic doesn't believe that Voldemort has returned and is in for a hard year. Professor Umbridge, a representative of Cornelius Fudge, is the new Defence against the Dark Arts teacher, and the rebellion between the students of Hogwarts and the Ministry of Magic begins.

#6 Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

Harry believes that Draco Malfoy and Severus Snape are up to something. Harry falls in love with Ginny Weasley, Ron's sister. Towards the end Professor Dumbledore and Harry face an army of Inferi and return to Hogwarts to find that Death Eaters have attacked. The film is due for release in November 2008.

#7 Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
Harry, Ron, and Hermione's quest to find all of Voldemort's remaining horcruxes begins. It's meant to be Harry's final year at Hogwarts but Voldemort's rise to power prevents him from attending. The trio undergo a long adventure to destroy Voldemort once and for all.

Can anyone identify this photo?

2008-06-04T00:45:00.001-07:00

I have been trying to organize the many photos collected over the years and came across this one which appears to have been taken in a hotel. I think I know who these characters are, where was it taken and when?

There are many others that I will post in the future, some from the Ward history project that coincides with the Stake 25th anniversary and our very own family files.

Dadoo!

Rained out

2008-05-25T11:04:00.000-07:00

We had plans to hike Neffs Canyon over the holiday weekend however the weather went from iffy to bad, as a result we enjoyed a Movie/BBQ/Yardwork weekend. Below are some photos of Neffs which we hope to hike Saturday

Neff's Canyon is located at a lower altitude in the Olympus Cove area, I believe we hiked this area in the past for Geocaching in the early 2000's. I'm told that it is snow free and will result in some great views and lots of opportunity for calorie burning excitment, yum!

Is that Amish or Amish?

2008-05-25T10:48:00.000-07:00

I found these photos in the local Dunkirk NY newspaper, describing an annual auction of Amish furniture and other hand built items. The amish people do not have health insurance and as a result they accumulate large bills at hospitals for emergency care. The proceeds of the auction pays for these expenses. The auction is held in the same community as that of my sister Julie, many people attend from in and out of state as there are some great deals to be found...

"Six years ago, the Conewango Amish community found out they had racked up over $750,000 in hospital bills. Without health insurance, they were charged the full price for doctor bills and hospital care.

Cullen, who has spent time advising the Conewango Amish said, “We have health plans, the Amish are charged retail. We hire lawyers, they choose not to negotiate like this. They told me that they want the Children’s Hospital to make this money.”
Nearly 40 Amish communities participated in the sixth annual Amish Relief Auction at the Empire Livestock Cherry Creek Market. None of the Amish members interviewed would give their names and it’s against their beliefs to be photographed."

More Blanche

2007-09-24T20:51:00.000-07:00

I found more pictures and can't wait until the next attempt!

Lake Blanche, almost :(

2007-09-22T17:53:00.000-07:00

We gave it a valiant try, towards the end return hikers said "your almost there!", "only another 30 minutes" and my favorite "around the C turn and straight ahead" Well they might as well have said "go over the river and past the mountain that burns" because about that time the rain came came down and Szymanski's went home.

But if it was only that easy, the dadoo's puppies still ache from the pounding of the boulders and rocks along a poor excuse for a trail. We did return safely, bruised but still eager to continue our hiking experiences!

Off we go to Lake Blanch

2007-09-22T07:44:00.001-07:00

We are ready to go, well except for Sarah, who is primping before the trail. Sarah! Sarah! lets get going... Well see you all upon the return!

Harry Potter, coming to a theater near you!

2007-07-20T19:22:00.000-07:00

Lost, in Utah?

2007-07-15T21:07:00.001-07:00

While hiking at Solitude we ran across this site. I immediately identified it as "hatch". And thought, "is Locke nearby?" It is well secured so I couldn't gain entrance, however my mind went to back to the 2006 episodes of the countdown clock and those black and white video images of the "Others".

We have to wait another 7 months, February 2008 to find out what happens next. Will we be back on the mainland with flashbacks to the island or will we see a reversal of fortune with the Others as the good guys and Sawyer and Jack as the bad dudes?

I have managed to keep up to date by following the podcast and website of Jay and Jack. Check it out!

It's back!

2007-07-09T09:49:00.000-07:00

It's true the return of the Dadoo Challenge, check it out on the Dadoo Challange!

Fire cracker of a week

2007-07-08T20:29:00.000-07:00

It's been a hot July and we are just in the first week. So much fun to celebrate the birthdays, both Grandpa Smith and The Mom and Sister Susan is just around the corner.

On Saturday we celebrated with a hike and dinner at Solitude, a fun ride on the ski lift dropped us off on a cool"er" altitude. We walked the tree covered trail which led to another trail

....which led to another trail, we saw chipmunk-like animals scurrying around in the meadow, even deer but no antelope. There were pretty mountain flowers and the air was filled with the aroma of pine and new stuff, err like you would find in the mountain during early summer days.

Near the bottom we met a wedding party and finally "Creekside at Solitude" for a light outdoor dinner overlooking the lower mountain and lake. Such fun, Happy Birthday my love! I can't wait till next time.

Its summer time!

2007-06-03T20:27:00.001-07:00

I love the summer, and now it's upon us. Time for water fun, hiking fun, picnic fun and the like. The only thing that is not so fun is when it's over. But as I approach my 50th summer I think I'll just enjoy it.

1 Visit the Zoo - But don’t just walk through it and you’re done. Sit and draw the animals, figure out what they’re doing. Research where the animals came from and what do they eat. Have each child pick an animal to research and go back and visit the animal that their interested in several times. Try to come up with ways to raise money for that animal.

2 Visit the Museum -

* Art museum - Have them pick one of their favorite pieces of art and research the artist. Where did they come from and what other works of art are they known for?
* History museum - Research their favorite part of history and share what information they have learned. Build a model of that part of history.
* Science Museum - Find something that interest them in this area and have them research it. Build a machine or model of their interest.

3 Go to the park - Pack a picnic lunch, invite some friends and have fun.
Summer Fun Ideas

4 Go fishing - Dust off that old fishing pole and take them fishing. Learn the different types of fish that they could catch. What types of bait to use. Don’t forget that fishing license.

5 Go biking - Pack a small backpack with water, snacks, and drinks.

6 Go hiking - Hit those trails and start walking. Find some trails that you’ve never been on before.

7 Play a game - There are many great board games and for physical games go to the Great Game List http://www.funattic.com/game_list.htm

8 Plan a vacation or trip. Research together the area that you’ll be going and get feed back as to what everyone would like to see. Give them a journal and have them write down what they did that day. They won’t like doing it most of the time. When they go back the following year and read it they’ll remember certain events with fond memories.

What are your favorite summertime activities?

I KEA'd

2007-05-28T09:22:00.000-07:00

With the muffin in tow we adventured to the big blue building now glowing in the south valley. Parking nearby, nay I say it was off to the nether lands past the river that burns! As we approached the blue, visions of wally world filled our heads.

We had waited 2 years for this event our very own source of take home furniture, ready to assemble all packaged in neat clean flat packaging, just right for the average Utahn.

Past the entry gates up the escalator following the mass of humanity , until, until.... There is was, our very own LEKSVIK just perfect for the family room

DYNGUS DAY!

2007-04-06T22:55:00.000-07:00

Well another year and another Dynkus Day Celebration! The long winter months are behind us and the earth is yielding up the bounties of soft pussy willows and the cleansing of pure water.

My birthplace of Western New York has helped to preserve this joyous day of fun and mischief, a time to express ones love and affection, yes and also just plain fun.

These hearty souls have gathered some king size boughs and are ready to claim their victims. All in all it should be a great day for all, so Happy Dyngus Day to everyone!

Here are a couple of links to guide you to more Dyn fun!

http://www.dyngusdaybuffalo.com/

http://www.buffalonews.com/197/story/47992.html

Rember these dudes from the last post, Susan guessed "The dudes look like church dudes" Well she is correct they are none other than Brother Aaro's new Provo Bishopric!

What about these dudes?

2007-03-24T21:02:00.000-07:00

Today was a pretty nice day, pretty yes and nice I might say! We visited Grandma, stopped at the Pie for a pie, Costco for a radio and Staples for a Brother, oh, no one can complain about that.

We also stopped at the new Quarry Bend Walmart too for a Brother but they only had a Dymo , I was said since I still have not purchased anything at the new Sandy edifice. Last week when it first opened, our whole office went to visit. With the intention of having lunch, we decided to pass when we found a over crowded McDonalds. Ty advised us to walk quickly so as not to have our feet burned on the floor. He claims that Walmart is owned and operated by none other than the devil himself, so surely they have built the store over an area of fire and brimstone!

Aaron is now mentoring me on the fine art of GTD, so we went shopping for a label maker. This fine machine will now grace my desk and will be a key element in bring order and sanity to the office and home. The Mom said "I hope you remember to throw out 50 tons of crap! So I put a 3 x 5 card in my In box to do just that, start counting dear.

GTD is an organization system which really makes a lot of sense, it forces you to recognize all your tasks and then lets you work on them as you have the time. I like it and it seems to have worked well for the other brother.

At Costco, Sister Sarah received her very own Costco card. They checked her ID carefully to make sure she is indeed 18, a young face for sure but she is 18 and a darling girl for sure. We also picked up an Ipod player for my very own Nano. Aaron reminded me that this is the third time I have purchased this item, previously I have taken it back in hopes of finding just the right device, well it turns out that it is the right one, so there!

Oh and who are these dudes, well you tell me? Any Guesses?

A gift to the world!

2007-02-21T18:34:00.001-08:00

A Kitty and a mouse, by "The Dadoo....."

A Kitty and a Mouse
went for a stroll.
The Mouse ran to a house,
the Kitty talked to a Troll

Oh, Troll, who has more worth,
the Mouse or the Kitty?
Ahh, in the house on the fourth,
the mouse is not witty!

The truth of the matter
is only so true.
A Mouse on a platter,
for a Kitty so blue!

Bowling and discing!

2007-02-19T20:27:00.000-08:00

This weekend Aaron, Sarah and Dadoo participated in some fun activities, first after much anticipation, including 2 weeks of practice we joined the the Response Keglers and Zions Bank at the Jr Achievement Bowl-a-thon. We had a lot fun with the Bankers and knocked down a ton of pins, even a few strikes! Many $$'s were raised to benefit Utah Jr Achievement. Our new Response Golf Shirts are so stylish, we can not wait until league play begins in another month.

Afterwards Mr. Sun was out so we stopped by the Creekside Park Disc Golf course to toss the disc. Sarah is getting much better with her throw and was spot on with several throws. Our disc's are off to Sarah. This is just the beginning of the season and there is sure to be more opportunity to try our hand. Aaro is particularly looking forward to tossing his new glow in the dark disc, oooooooo!

Maybe we can find a course in Las Vegas!

Happy Valentines Day

2007-02-13T22:27:00.000-08:00

I do not have much to say other than much love to you all!

A kegle'n we will go

2007-01-30T20:34:00.000-08:00

Our company is in the "throws" of starting a bowling team, so much fun. It is the talk of the office (Has there ever been an episode of "The Office" on this subject, Scranton surely has a large bowling market?) and everyone is excited to play a part. We have even ordered bowling shirts to at least make us look like bowlers.

For even more fun the Brother has accepted the challenge to join us. We will first participate in a fund raiser benefit for Jr Achievement with the bankers on February 17th and then start regular weekly bowling the following month.

To the right is an example of the style of the shirt we will wear, except ours will have a big bold blub on the back and our names stitched on the front. Wish us well!

Ehhh...

2007-01-28T20:27:00.000-08:00

Yesterday, while Lesa went to visit Grandma, Aaro and I decided to go see a movie. And after a little negotiation Sarah consented to see Rocky Balboa. It was only later that I realized that Sarah was not aware that this is like the 6th Rocky movie. She was a good sport to go with guys to a boxing movie.

We met the Sharp's at the Commons as they were coming out of The Holiday, A chick flick for sure, but they said is was good. They commented that Rocky was supposed to be good too, whatever that means? Well I can say that it was good, the dialog was as expected in a Stallone film with plenty of ehh's, yo's and whatayadoin's. But it was pretty decent, with some blood and spit but no language or other yucky stuff.

I give it a 3 on the Dadoo scale of watch-a-bility.

24 Breaking NEWS!

2007-01-25T14:19:00.000-08:00

To all devoted 24 faithful, there is significant news from the 24 set, it seems that Graham Bauer may not be the only Bauer brother to be revealed in episode 5.

Can you guess who this might be?

I am speaking of Kimberly Bauer's "half" brother, none other than the blond haired teenager who we are briefly introduced as Jack's nephew, Josh. Rumors are that this is Jack's son, apparently from a relationship with Graham's wife, Marilyn.

There are obvious similarities between Josh and Kim. the blond hair and facial features no doubt played a role in casting Evan Ellingson into this role. It will be an interesting season, stay tuned

24 is the bomb!

2007-01-22T21:24:00.000-08:00

We are only 2 weeks into this years 24 and already Jack has befriended a terrorist, killed his buddy, witnessed a nuclear detonation and tortured his brother. Once again this is the longest day in good ole Jack's life!

This year is better since the brother Aaro is a huge fan, a 24 newby, and eager to join in the excitement of 24. 5 down and only 19 episodes to go.

I have one question to toss out here, wasn't Jack's brother in last year's season as one of the band of bad men who escaped on a plane to Europe? tink, tink, tink, tink........

Der Schnee

2007-01-22T06:24:00.000-08:00

Snow in Tucson!

"Winter Storm Slams Southern Arizona

Although the heaviest snowfall in Arizona on Sunday was in the north, snow also fell in downtown Phoenix and Tucson, which received up to 11/2 inches, according to the National Weather Service.

Glenn Jones, who lives on a small farm in Marana northwest of Tucson, said he was cold and wet and would be glad when it warms up again.

"I had chores to do today, animals to feed, to get ready for the week," he said. "I don't like to work in it. It's too cold. That's the reason I moved here -- to get out of it.""

Winter in Arizona, get your mittens out Emma!

Bunco busted

2007-01-21T18:21:00.000-08:00

The stage was set for an evening of fun and games for this troupe of young dice tossing hoodlums. Bright eyed and filled with glee, as the fateful day approached. Trouble was afoot and it was not good, nothing good comes from such activity.

Just fun and games? Shall our youth falter?

Well, either you're closing your eyes
To a situation you do now wish to acknowledge

Or you are not aware of the caliber of disaster indicated
By the presence of a evil dice in your community.
Ya got trouble, my friend, right here,
I say, trouble right here in Sandy City.

Why sure I'm a player,
Certainly mighty proud I say
I'm always mighty proud to say it.
I consider that the hours I spend
With a cue in my hand are golden.

Help you cultivate horse sense
And a cool head and a keen eye.
Never take and try to give
An iron-clad leave to yourself
From a three-roll bunco toss?

Well cool heads prevailed and the authorities ruled, no Bunco here, not in Sandy City!

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

2006-11-06T18:25:00.000-08:00

"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!

2006-10-25T21:42:00.000-07:00

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

2006-10-22T19:06:00.000-07:00

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

2006-10-19T07:39:00.000-07:00

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!

2006-10-16T20:05:00.000-07:00

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!

2006-10-05T21:39:00.000-07:00

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

2006-10-04T19:25:00.000-07:00

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

Welcome to Zermatt

2006-10-01T19:30:00.000-07:00

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!

2006-08-20T20:17:00.000-07:00

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

2006-08-20T15:26:00.000-07:00

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!

2006-08-16T20:28:00.000-07:00

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

2006-06-18T19:37:00.000-07:00

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

2006-06-11T16:17:00.000-07:00

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)

2006-06-08T20:14:00.000-07:00

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

2006-05-29T19:29:00.000-07:00

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!

2006-05-26T19:35:00.000-07:00

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?

2006-05-21T19:03:00.000-07:00

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!

2006-05-14T19:36:00.000-07:00

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

2006-05-07T18:25:00.000-07:00

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

2006-05-05T22:02:00.000-07:00

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

Earl

2006-05-03T16:14:00.000-07:00

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!

2006-05-01T20:08:00.000-07:00

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!

2006-04-24T19:52:00.000-07:00

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!

2006-04-22T19:33:00.000-07:00

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!

2006-04-22T09:09:00.000-07:00

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!

2006-04-18T20:34:00.000-07:00

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

2006-04-16T17:37:00.000-07:00

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

24

2006-04-15T17:40:00.000-07:00

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

2006-04-15T16:09:00.000-07:00

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!