Family. My family. 26 of us. From beginning to end, with different personalities, strengths, ideas, commitment, we are family and I am blessed.

Rowdy Boys....

So, I have two grandsons, Macrae and Rhett. Brothers. They are so fun, light hearted and sweet boys, yet, they are rowdy! They are the youngest cousins, and will be until Keith and Jenny have their baby this coming early November (Go KJ's bring it on!) and these two marauders are so, so funny! I can't wait to see them driving cars, and making their parents crazy!

I have 3 brothers. Rick was born 4/51, Tom 8/52, me 3/54, and Rob 9/55. Lets do the math; Rick and Tom, 16 months. Tom and Dan, 19 months. Dan and Rob, 18 months. I used to joke with my dad that we would have had another brother, but the doctors nailed the recovery room shut after Rob was born. Man, we were rowdy boys! My poor mom had no clue what all this manhood stuff was about. She only had sisters! And here, she had not 1, but 4 boys! 8 years after Rob came the twins; girls - Margaret and Marion. I like to think they were dessert after a very bad meal!

I don't think there was a single thing that one of the "boys" didn't get into, trouble wise, collectively or alone. Mostly, we were good sons, but we did like our shennanigans and pranks.

I am reminded of my childhood often, when I watch the sly and shifty eyes of Macrae and Rhett. They have that certain twinkle in their eyes that says, "Please, please, please! Turn your back on us! It will give us a running start!"

We're All Living on KOLOB Time...

"...The Grand Old Painter Died Last Night, His Paintings
On The Wall, Before He Went He Bade Us Well, And Said Goodnight To Us All..." (Paul McCartney)

I attended a funeral yesterday for Dr. Raymond C. Ellis. I knew Dr. Ellis for nearly 50 years. He was my pediatrician, and that of my kids. He was a brilliant, funny, a hard working and caring doctor, and a dear friend to all who knew him, he was like a brother to my father. He was 87. My dad is 85 this year. As I watch the old "guard" diminish and fall apart - men who were once robust, strong, pillars of power - I am struck by the fact of how very quickly this mortal life passes before us. More, what of eternity? How can it be? How do we equate time here? There?

I think we are all on KOLOB time. Kolob was revealed to Joseph Smith and he recorded it in the Pearl of Great Price as the star nearest to where God resides. Further, it was revealed to the prophet that time for God is 1 day to man's 1,000 years. So, in using the 24 hours in a day as an formula equal to figure this out, and if a man lives to be 100 years old, then he lives in mortality 2.4 hours of Kolob Time. Thats not really very long for a "probationary " state on earth.

No wonder it all feels so fleeting! So fast! And why people wander around saying, "where did the time go?"

It also means I am left with less than an hour to keep myself together, endure the challenges this life presents, be a gentleman, and do some good. In the end, I only hope that my family and friends know that I love them, care about them, and have no ill will toward anyone. I pray I may be as forgiven by anyone I have ever crossed or offended.

My time is short, I will make the most of it!

Ain't no socialist conspiracy...

Mountain Meadow Massacre Lives On

So, I am working alot in Utah now. And since I am not Donald Trump, nor am I Beyonce, I don't have a limo, and without a limo, who needs a limo driver. (Note to self: Get rid of the guy in my backseat who claims he is my limo driver. Drop him off at the next Maverick!) So, since I am my "own" wheel man, I have clocked about 8,000 miles here in Utah since the end of September. And here's what I now believe. (A) There was a conspiracy behind the incident known as the Mountain Meadow Massacre (MMM) (B) I am pretty sure I know who was behind it (C) Because the posterity gene pool of those involved in the MMM are here, today, in Utah, and do in fact live on. AND ~~ I can prove it. Today, and everyday in Utah, there is what I call the Wasatch Front Massacre (WFM). Pause, background now: In 1974 and 1975 I lived in Tustin, California. It was there that I learned that driving defensively meant you would die. No, instead I learned very quickly that survival meant that you used your car like a weapon. A pre-emptive strike is crucial to living an extra day in So. Cali. My time there pre-dates drive-by shootings, but not drive-by drivings! It was kill or be killed! Mad Max, the road warrior, was before me, every single day while I lived in Southern California. So, I do have a knowledge that pre-dates my thesis on WFM! My sensory perceptions on this topic were only re-awakened, not something I had to grasp or learn anew. Unpause, background now: So, here I am in Utah. And it doesn't matter if these massacre'ists are driving a measly honda civic, or a MAC truck, they are laying in wait, no actually, they are proactively readying to kill you in your car, as you drive, in your car, as you park, in your car, as you pull into a SMITHS foods, in your car as you go to a wedding at ANY temple, they do not have criteria, I am telling you, they will kill you any place and any time! I myself have been nearly killed 17 times. And, I mean 17 times a day. The predominant mental(ly ill) driver, these drivers use is this; "grandpa killed him some folks at MMM, why the HECK (as in Oh My Heck) don't I do the same to protect my road!?" These massacre'ists aren't even as cleaver as the MMM'rs, they don't doctor themselves up to look like indians, and they don't lay in the shrub in wait until its time to lurch and kill. No, they projectile themselves at you in the name of getting to class on time at BYU, getting to church on time at the ward house, getting in and out of a Costco parking lot; you name it, death from these WFM'rs awaits you momentarily. Instantly! All the time. Actually, I think its best stated as "All the FLIPPIN' time!" But hey, don't ask me to validate this for you, go to any pre-introduction of "who are the visitors here today in any Gospel Doctrine class" ~ and as soon as you stand up and tell these Mormon folks who you are, and where are you from, you can begin to hear the murmuring, "I wonder where he is parked?" You might as well have a big red targett on all sides of your car, especially the roof for those stomper truck types (gun rack, gun rack with gun in rack types) who want to rollover the top of you, and as they do so, they yell out their window, "Hey how do you like the way WE ROLL in Utah?!" Grrrrrr, dawgone, good fer nothing WFM'rs anyway. So folks take it from me, the MMM was real, and today, the posterity of the MMM'rs are now the WFM'rs and you better watch out every single moment you are in your car. They are coming to get you! Trust me, you may wish to add a rider to your insurance policy; "Guardrail Protectant". It is the wild west here folks! Good thing the Church is true!

Scout

Dear Scout, I miss you girl. What a terrific dog and friend you have been for almost 13 years. I still remember the Christmas morning that Keirra jumped out from behind the wall with you in her arms! I was shocked and surprised as never before, but most of all so happy! You were the greatest (a nicest) Val had ever given me, and never since have any gifts come close to you! You had the sweetest disposition. Musi taught you to bark. And you were like that movie the ugly dachshund, you didn't know that Musi wasn't your mother! It was funny to watch you as a puppy chase after her, and when she would go under tight places to elude you, you would follow and get stuck! So funny to watch. Keith sent over an email that sums you up prettys well. I will include it here now: Dear Boo Boo and family,It truly is a sad day. Our beloved Scout was a special member of our family. She had a kindness and a sensitive nature unlike any animal-friend that the Dyer family has ever had. From the very first time we met her in November of 1996 on a snowy winters evening in Ellensburg Washington, we knew that she was not only the cutest pup of the litter, but that she was the most tender as well. Scout became a loyal friend and faithful companion to each of us. She was so sweet to everyone, even to the Mus, which says a lot! For years she helped me with my golf swing by retreiving balls in the backyard for hours and hours. She loved that game! When she was young, she would catch the frisbee. Sometimes I would throw it over the old short fence on the south side of the house and she would gracefully glide over it to retreive it. She even taught herself how to jump/climb the 6 foot fence on the other side of mom and dads house by leaping into the air, getting her front paws over the top then pulling the rest of her body over. She was so athletic! She would conclude each work out session with a relaxing dip in "her" pond in the back yard only exposing the top of her head as she would submerge her entire body in the water. Before we had the pond, she would drink from the hose and flop down in the large puddle it created, laying on her side while drinking the water that she layed in. She was so funny. She was a great companion to mus and a great mentor to Midge. She taught Midge to be tough, to love the outdoors and to hunt, trades never possessed by our other dachshunds. Banks lake was never a bore with Scouty, always up to chase down a stick, ball, object, anything she could get her teeth around. Sometimes she'd appear with a giant log in her mouth, because she couldn't find anything else for u to throw. On many occasions, scout would swim out to u when u were done skiing because she thought u were in trouble and needed her rescue. Scout would play and play until her legs would tremble and she could hardle stand but would NOT stop until u told her that the game was over. Then she would flop down on the sand and lay majestically in the banks lake sun and silently observe the happenings around her. Returning home from school, Scout would always greet me with a sincere yet quiet hello as if to say "welcome back we missed you" and u could feel that she meant it. Scout was more than just a dog that would worry about what to eat or what toy to play with. She was considerate and aware of those around her. A perfect example was when she alerted Boo Boo of Midgey's fall into the freezing pool. And then there was her heric rescue of Boo Boo that followed shortly after.Truthfully I think that Scout was ready to pass on a year ago, but held on because she knew that Boo Boo needed her and he wasn't ready to say good bye. So she stayed with us for another year to give all of us, especially Boo Boo a few more moments to spend with her and to appreciate the good dog and friend that she was and will always be. It may sound like I'm talking about a person as I recite these memories but Scout was more like a person than like a dog anyway. Grandpa always told me that "dachshunds aren't dogs, that they are people." I agree with grandpa on that and tho Scout is a lab, she may be more like a person than any other dog that has ever been. Scout was a sensitive creature, a great dog and wonderful friend. We love her. She was a special part of all of our family. She will be missed. See Scoutie, there is so much love that you brought into our wonderful family. Thank you for that. You are missed. You always will be. You are loved. I look forward to seeing you in the eternities. Boo Boo

"jan gan bat paa huhng louh fo..."

This Chinese proverb is pronounced - "jun gum but pa hong low fa" - which means "TRUE GOLD DOES NOT FEAR BIG RED FLAMES" - Hmmmmm... So, let me so, what's that mean today? Economy; if you have skills that are in demand, you have value, or, if you have an asset that isn't over inflated, overpriced, over leveraged, out of trust, out of the mainstream, you have value, or, if you invest in companies that have real value, and they are creating a larger GNP (gross national product) rather than taking away from it, then you have value, and you will not fear any Big Red Flames. Integrity; If your word matters, if your word is your bond, if you believe in the Golden Rule (Do Unto Others as you would have them do Unto You) and, you do not seek the unfair advantage against others, you work hard every day, forgive others, ask to be forgiven, then you will never fear any Big Red Flames. I look back over the last 54+ years of my life and wish MANY TIMES that I had chosen things (made decisions) differently. I suppose I would still have chosen to be a "cut-up" and humorist. But I think I would have thought long about hard about the saying, "there is a time and a place for everything." Maybe. Life's laughter is a hard thing for me to sidestep. Most of you who know me, know I can be very irreverent at times. I don't mean anything by it. Sometimes things just pop out! At least I am not exclusive here, and I am willing to self indict. BUT, I *am* feeling life's refinement process helping me along. I *am* being tempered. When I was younger it was against my will. Today, I see the wisdom in all this. Keep it simple. Love more. Err on the side of kindness. Pray for your enemies, and forgive them. Pray that you will be forgiven too. You don't take anything with you when you live this mortal life, but you do take your relationships, your intellect, your "who you really are" self. Your things stay behind, your money gets argued over, your body decays, your teeth fall out, the tax man says "goodbye", and everything you stewed over is at end. Did you do all you could? Did you live up to your capabilities? Get my drift? Good. Then you are TRUE GOLD and you shall never fear the Big Red Flames! (Oooo, thats hot!)