Thanksgiving Day

Christian, Shandra and keiki flew in Tuesday night for the weekend festivities. So nice to have them here. J. Lynn got to play all day with Tristan on Wednesday. Yesterday was the traditional meal, with one variation:  we "brined" the turkey for the first time. It won't be the last. So juicy!  All we needed was more family to make it perfect.

Dick & I

As I began reading the Cheney memoir, I became astounded at how much we had in common.  For instance:
1.  Dick's great-grandparents homesteaded in Nebraska.  He was born there then moved to Wyoming in his childhood.  My grandparents (Hastings) were born in Nebraska then homesteaded in Wyoming after marrying.
2.  Dick's grandparents were named David and Clarice Dickey.  I have granddaughter Clara (aka Clarice or some variation thereof), whose other grandfather is named David, aka Dickey.
3.  Dick's grandfather went broke during the Depression; so did mine.
4.  Dick moved to Casper (sited where the Mormon Trail crossed the Platte River) as a kid; my great-great-great-grandfather crossed through there on his way to the Salt Lake Valley.
5.  In high school, Dick was Senior Class Pres. and dated the homecoming queen, Lynne.  I was Senior Class Pres. and dated both the homecoming queen and Lyn.
6.  Dick went to Yale on a scholarship, got suspended and finished his degree in Political Science at Wyoming (Sep. '63 - May '65).  I got a scholarship to Stanford but went to Wyoming (cheaper after scholarship) in '64 and graduated in Political Science in '68.
7.  After graduation, Dick went to Wisconsin to work on a Ph.D. in political science, intending to teach.  I was accepted at Chicago for a Ph.D. in political science, intending to teach.
8.  Dick never finished the Ph.D., as he got sidetracked after an internship in Washington.  I never got started -- threatened by the draft, I joined the Navy.
9.  Dick counselled with former Wyo. Gov. Stan Hathaway when he was considering running for Congress.  Stan was the prosecuting attorney in Goshen County when my grandfather was Justice of the Peace there.
10.  When Dick ran for the House the first time, his opponent was Bill Bagley from Star Valley.  Bill had worked in my dad's store when I was a kid.
11.  While in the House, Dick served on the Joint Intelligence Committee.  I spent my Navy time in Naval Intelligence.
12.  Dick left Washington at the beginning of Nixon's second term.  I was at Nixon's second inaguration.
13.  Dick worked closely with Adm. Mike McConnell during the first Bush administration.  I served with Lt. Mike McConnell in the Pentagon during the Nixon years.
14.  Dick's gone fly fishing in Star Valley with my friend Paul Stauffer.

  I could go on, but you can see clearly that we were almost, like, brothers.  We probably even passed in the halls on campus.

  So then, I think, was Dick's life the road not taken?  If I'd gone to Chicago in Political Science after the Navy, instead of going to law school, might I have ended up having an internship in Washington, meeting a Congressman, working on his staff, then in the White House, and eventually become Vice Pres.?  Something to think about!

California Trip

We had a wonderful week in Oceanside/San Diego. Herewith a few photos to supplement Courty's marvelous post on the subject.  First, our visit to Sea World.  Don't believe I'd ever been before.  Shamu was great.

I didn't try to get any pix of the dolphin show -- too far away and obstructed view.  Had a better view of the seal show.  They were pretty fun, too.

Then the sea lion ...

... and beluga whale.

Finally, the penguins.

A couple of days later, we met Shan and keiki at Irvine Park.  Court and Betsy clearly getting along.

Tristan was happy to spend time with Tutu.

T in face paint.

Spent some fun evenings playing cards and ended the week with a couple of days on Coronado for meetings.  Sorry I had to come back to work!

Highlights from "Our Sacred Honor"

I'm halfway through the book and want to share a couple of gems.
 
From Ben Franklin -- his self-composed epitaph:
 
The body of
B. Franklin, Printer
(Like the Cover of an Old book
Its Contents torn Out
And Stript of its Lettering and Gilding)
Lies Here, Food for Worms.
But the Work shall not be Lost;
For it will (as he Believ'd) Appear Once More
In a New and More Elegant Edition
Revised and Corrected
By the Author.
 
I've not had many warm and fuzzies about Jefferson despite our visits to Montcello -- largely because my view of him was shaped by Adams' and Washington's biographers.  I pegged him as our first "politician":  two-faced, double-crosser, etc.  However, there was a sweetness in the letter he wrote back to Adams after Benjamin Rush's efforts had provoked a short letter from Adams.  McCullough excerpted snippets in his biography, but I didn't get the full effect.  A longer excerpt below:
 
    But whither is senile garrulity leading me?  Into politics, of which I have taken final leave.  I think little of them, and say less.  I have given up newspapers in exchange for Tacitus and Thucydides, for Newton and Euclid; and I find myself much the happier.  Sometimes indeed I look back to former occurrences, in remembrance of our old friends and fellow laborers, who have fallen before us.  Of the signers of the Declaration of Independance I see now living not more than half a dozen on your side of the Potomak, and, on this side, myself alone.  You and I have been wonderfully spared, and myself with remarkable health, and considerable activity of body and mind.  I am on horseback 3. or 4. hours of every day; ...  I walk little however; a single mile being too much for me; and I live in the midst of my grandchildren, one of whom has lately promoted me to be a great grandfather.  I have heard with pleasure that you also retain good health, and a greater power of exercise in walking than I do.  But I would rather have heard this from yourself, and that, writing a letter, like mine, full of egotisms, and of details of your health, your habits, occupations and enjoyments, I should have the pleasure of knowing that, in the race of life, you do not keep, in it's physical decline, the same distance ahead of me which you have done in political honors and atchievements.  No circumstances have lessened the interest I feel in these particulars respecting yourself; none have suspended for one moment my sincere esteem for you; and I now salute you with unchanged affections and respect.
 
 Perhaps I'll have to give him another chance. 
 
 Rush rejoiced in the reunion of the two old friends and wrote to Adams:
 
  I consider you and him as the North and South Poles of the American Revolution.  Some talked, some wrote, and some fought to promote and establish it, but you and Mr. Jefferson thought for us all.
 
 

Haleakala

I flew to Maui a couple of weeks ago on business. On the return flight, the pilot gave us a special tour of Haleakala.  First, the ridge above Ulupalakua Ranch as we circled around the back side gaining altitude.

The summit from the back side of the mountain.

A better view from above.

The back side of the mountain looking toward Hana.

It was a nice treat on the way home!

Betsy's Blessing

We spent the weekend of July 4 on Oahu with Christian and Shandra and the Clawsons.  Saturday we had a lovely day at Waimanalo Beach.

Here's 'lil Bessie.

Christian gave Betsy a lovely blessing after Sacrament meeting Sunday.  Then we took a few pictures.

It was so nice to spend time with the Clawsons again.

Monday morning we took four-wheelers on an excursion from Kualoa Ranch up Kaaawa Valley.  It was a beautiful morning.  "Lost," "Jurassic Park," and a number of other shows have shot at this location.

J. Lynn claimed to be scared, but she actually had a great time riding her machine.

A Few Pix from Our Trip

We've been back from the mainland for a couple of weeks now, but it doesn't seem like it's been that long. Here are a few pix from our visits to Great Falls Park, the Air and Space Museum, and Shenandoah National Park. Others (Court, Anna and David) have included more and better pictures, but these are special, as my camera was broken, and I couldn't see what I was getting!

Great Falls is a beautiful spot on the Potomac not far from the Roosevelt Bridge.  Hadn't known it was there, so had never been before.  Very pleasant spot.

Only took one pic at the museum -- the Blackbird spy plane, successor to the U-2 of Gary Powers fame.  Way back when, I was told the plane leaked fuel like a sieve while on the ground but sealed up under the low pressure conditions at high altitude.

Shenandoah Park was another place we'd never been -- at least off the highway.  The hike was beautiful, even though I didn't get so hot I wanted to jump in the cold water.

We had a wonderful time.  Thanks to the Taylors, Rob & Anna & keiki, Whit & Jim, & Court for making it nigh unto perfect.

Yellow Orchid

J. Lynn received this orchid as a birthday gift from a friend. Don't think I've ever seen one so bright and huge.

Two Down, One to Go!

I finished volume two last night.  Wish I remembered more of what I read.  I did note that TR and other higher ups always bailed out of Washington during the summers because they couldn't take the heat and humidity.  TR was probably the first "progressive" president, pushing for more government regulation of business, starting a conservation movement, etc.  He was also a strong force internationally, encouraging Panama to break away from Colombia when he failed to get the canal treaty he wanted during his first term, and sending the "Great White Fleet" around the world as a show of force in the Pacific toward the end of his second term.  He could probably have been easily reelected a second time -- and served a third term -- but for his decision that it wouldn't be right.  Interesting read.  After a break, I'll have to finish the trilogy.

One More Time

We had quite a storm -- lightning and thunder -- Monday afternoon and evening. J. Lynn was stuck at the Honolulu airport for an extra hour due to the storm. This morning we woke up to quite a bit of fresh snow.

Mauna Loa had even more snow.

Ah, April!

 The month began with a last winter storm of the season.

Now we have Jacaranda in full bloom.  (View from my office window yesterday.) 

Also, clear morning skies (this morning), with midday temperatures in the mid-70s.