A former member of the ward, Christine and Korbin Draper were in this morning to get a power of attorney notarized for him. It brought back memories of when I left for my mission. A mission is one of the most challenging things that you can do. However, it is also one of the most rewarding. I am wishing him well. He will be a good missionary.
This coming Saturday is the first in a series of meetings that we will have regarding the city’s budget. We have all kinds of competing interests chasing the all mighty dollar. In the midst of all of this is protecting the taxpayers interests. The trick is going to be to keep budget needs as low as possible, yet maintain and increase the availability of city services and also of maintaining and repairing infrastructure. This is going to be a real trick. I am not sure what the electorate will do with me in 2 years should I choose to run for a second term. I know I already have had disagreements with people that could mean that they will be gunning for me, if I choose to run. Ah, the life of a public official.
50 years seems like a long time. You know what, it is a long time. 50 years ago today I sat in front of a black and white TV, in a nation where there were only three channels and they didn’t come into every home. On this TV I watched the launch of the first manned orbital flight of a US astronaut. We had waited patiently for many weeks as time and time again the launch was postponed for one technical reason or another. Finally, today was the day.
It roared off the launch pad, and because of the numerous problems that the Atlas rocket had experienced no one was sure that this man would make it into space safely. However, John Glenn was safely rocketed into space and became the first US Astronaut to orbit the earth. This flight would open up so many wonders to this country, and we would also suffer so many disappointments and disasters.
We would see a man walk on the moon in 1969, just 7 years later. Yet to this day, we have yet to see a man walk on Mars or return to that moon that was so hard earned all of those years ago.
We would see the development of the space shuttle, and see up to 8 people orbited into earth orbit at any time. Yet, we would be disappointed with shuttle accidents such as Challenger and Columbia, and we would eventually see no way for an American to be sent into space. We have flown so high, and now we are flying absolutely no where at all. I am so disappointed in this administration in particular but also in all of those over all of the many years who have brought us to this place. So much wasted potential. Man must reach beyond the bonds of earth and reach for the stars. We must spread out so we cannot be eliminated by an accident on our home planet.
Tonight we watched, for the second night in a row, a Christmas light show in front of Chris’s house that ran for 20 minutes. What a work of art. I didn’t realize it, until I sat and watched it, about how involved and complicated it was, and how much it is a work of art. It is a work of art much like the work that an artist does in painting a painting. To decide what light comes on when and how all is choreographed is really a very difficult task and one that requires the artists touch. Well done Chris. It was fun.
We traveled Interstate 80 to Cheyenne to see two of my children. We went to see Chris and his cat Ramses plus the two newlyweds Michael and Katie. However, the real memory of the trip that I will carry was the pain from the trip. While my knee is healing, it was really painful to be sitting in the car in one position for 8 hours. The pain would radiate up my leg and my knee cap would throb. I don’t want to make that kind of trip again soon, and I will have to face it on Monday. Oh yuck. Well, that is life.
Today, even though it is cold outside, is one of those days that you crave during the middle of the winter in Payson. There is a beautiful blue sky with sun and it just buoys up your spirit. I hate winter. It is a necessary season. However, since I stopped skiing, and particularly now that I will never ski again because of my knee, it is not a time that I like.
We need the water that comes from storms. We need the snow for those green gardens during the midst of summer heat. We need water to drink and to use, but I hate this season nevertheless. There has been a hint of spring coming this week, and part of that is the gorgeous day we have going outside.
Well, I had my two month checkup yesterday with my orthopedic surgeon. I went into the meeting with a list a mile long concerning my pains, problems, and challenges. I was told that I was completely normal and that in fact I was ahead of the national norms when they looked at a lot of the things that I am doing.
Dang, I thought I was still struggling. All of the pain, sleeplessness at night, and other things are apparently completely normal. I don’t know what to say. I guess my 60,000 mile checkup found the automobile in good shape.
Years can differ by so much when it comes to the weather. Last year we were inundated by snow and that was just the way it was all year long until a very late spring arrived. This year is so different. We have had very little snow. Yesterday, on Sunday we did get a storm and the evidence of that storm is still around today. I worry because I am partially handicapped and just have had a artificial knee and as a result, I don’t want to fall and get hurt and hurt my knee. My, age sure makes a difference when it comes to the return of the winter season.
There was just not enough time on the weekend. On Saturday, I went to my PT appointment and then spent a good art of the day running messenger duty to my wife who was doing a big pre-wedding party for Katie Thomas. I then also picked up my dad, took him up to where I think my mother’s grave site is, and then took him to lunch. We had a nice time together. By the time at got back home in the evening, it was 6pm and the sunlight was gone for the day. So much didn’t get done at home, but I did spend important time with important people, namely my father. Still, the weekend went too fast.
There is a nice day going on out there. It is a fitting end to my first week back at the office. The major problem for me will be that they are going to be expecting me to work until 6pm again on Fridays. I am not thrilled by that at all.
That was the biggest surprise when I first moved to Payson almost 10 years ago. I was in on Friday and then realized that they work until 6pm, and since I was a branch officer that meant I work until 6pm. Regardless, it is back to that routine again. I am not happy about that.