Tools

I was staying with my daughter and son-in-law last week and we needed to adjust a few things on my grandson's new bicycle. We bought bike for his birthday and of course he was very anxious to try it out (more on this later). Anyway, I realized that my son-in-law has a very nice set of tools. However, tools are only as good as the person who uses them.

Alaska

After the party I flew to Fairbanks, Alaska. Fairbanks doesn't have the big mountains you see around Anchorage, unless you drive South to Denali. Since it was cloudy during most of my time in Fairbanks, I decided to take a photo of my rental car. They all have extension cords hanging out of the front grill, for that cold weather in the winter.

Then, on to Anchorage followed by a short drive to Wasilla. Below is a photo of Lake Louise. I stayed at a hotel right on the lake for a couple nights and enjoyed some very nice views. It's nice to have a job, even if you do have to travel. Problem is, I drink too much coffee at work, I toss and turn at my desk all day!

Hawk attack

Yesterday I was on the phone with someone from work and a large red tailed hawk just like this one, landed in the open space behind my house (maybe 35 feet from the back of my house). He had caught one of those pesky rabbits and was tearing it to pieces and eating it. Since I was on the phone, I couldn't get my camera fast enough to catch the action, so you'll have to settle for this rendition. At first I thought it was a Golden Eagle because it was so large (looking through the blinds), but after a closer look I realized what it was.

Who's done it wrong here, govt or business?

A number of years ago while travelling, I had the usual layover in Detroit. I went to my favorite shoe shine stand to find my friend Washington. He told me, it would be my last shoe shine because he was retirin' at the end of the month. I asked him why and of course I told him I would miss seeing him and miss talking about the Tigers, hoops, and his grand children and everything.

He said, "The City of Detroit decided to make me pay rent  for my little space here. They want $450 a month. I can't afford that kind of money!" he said, and then he went on, "After taxes, supplies, gas to get here, and parking out here, and everything else, I'd have to do over 200 shines in a month before I even started makin' any money. I'm too old to work for $3 an hour. So they just plain puttin' me out of business. Greedy politicians is what they are."

I felt bad for Washington because he was not really ready to quit. In my mind, he had been providing a great service for tired travelers at DFW. He wasn't in any one's way and he wasn't in a location where another vendor could take his place. He was a hard working black man, trying to make a living, removed by the uncaring Democratic leadership in that city.

When government gets too involved in the lives of businesses and people, you end up with situations like this everywhere. The unintended (and sometimes intended) consequences of things like Obamacare, heavy burdensome regulation, and union favoritism lead to these kinds of circumstances. This isn't really what we want is it?

Ephesians

For those of you who haven't gotten my Dad's book yet, here it is.  You can order it on Amazon by clicking on this link. I think you will enjoy it and find some refreshing approaches to a beautiful book in the Bible.

Kierkegaard on Christ

"Christ had the certainty that what He suffered was atonement for all, unconditionally for all, and the confidence that with his every step, his every word, "the scriptures were fulfilled." He was the Scriptures given life."

SK goes on...

"It is as if Christ said to the soul: How can you be anxious about me and become more anxious in my presence; I am in fact your very Savior. Believe me that I am. This is not an assurance, this is infinitely more than an assurance; I let myself be crucified for you; if this cannot convince you, then it is impossible."

Black Lake

On our hike to Black Lake last weekend, we found the creek cascading down a granite slab. We were really tempted to get in at the top and slide into the pool below. This would have been an unfortunate thing since the granite is really pretty rough. I think it would have torn up more than our shorts! That's one of the problems of places like this. You see something that looks really cool, and you want to do it, but... your brain is writing checks, your body can't cash!

All you have to do

My last camping trip looked like this. In Peru we had porters, cooks, and guides. We had everything provided. I doubt I will ever enjoy camping like this again. When you go here, everything is done for you, all the cooking, the preparation, the carrying, the labor, the clean up, and I got all the enjoyment. It's sort of like being born again I suppose. All you have to do is show up.

For the beauty of the earth

For the beauty of the earth,

For the glory of the skies,

For the love which from our birth

Over and around us lies;

Lord of all, to Thee we raise.

What you don't see

 Sublime. I don't know how else you can describe it. The views and magnificent scenery in Colorado are absolutely over the top. What you don't see in the photo below is the creek rushing down the rock with a delightful noise, or the wind blowing in the trees. You don't see the birds singing and smell the pine in the trees blowing in the air. What you don't see is the crisp air making bumps on your skin and cooling you off like no other air. What you don't see is the creator resting in His creation and enjoying what He's done. You only see an image, you only catch a glimpse of glory.

Black Lake hike

Our hike to black Lake yesterday was spectacular. It was five miles up to timberline to the lake with about 1,400 feet of elevation gain. We started at the Bear Lake parking area in Rocky Mountain National Park. I had done this hike two times before with Leon in January (some 20+ years ago) for purposes of ice climbing. The area certainly looked different in the summer.

We stopped and had lunch on this nice ledge by the lake and enjoyed the wonderful views and smell of the forest. We could see the fish jumping in the lake and a couple times I could see the rainbow trout swimming in the shallows on the edge of the lake.

The trail was well maintained by the Park Service but it sure didn't make the hiking any easier. This trail was moderate + I would say. We all had a great time during out 2.5 hour hike up and 2.5 hour hike down. I would highly recommend this trail to anyone in good shape, and say; "take your camera!"

Who will help the Rockies?

I wonder if this guy could help the Rockies? I doubt that any minor management changes in the front office will do much. Another trade maybe? Well to get someone good, you have to give something up and other teams are smart enough to know what you've got. For example, let's trade veteran Marco Scutaro to the Giants for a minor league player, and then play the Giants tonight and see how he does! What! How about finding another proven player?  Nope, too much money! What's left? Fire everyone?  How about "let's develop our minor league players!"  Nah, they're too much fun to trade away, like Matt Holiday and many others. How about a new manager?

I'm told the Rocks may be in real trouble tonight against the Giants. This afternoon, the pitching machine threw a no-hitter! We've been in the cellar so long, it's damp!

Why do we do, what we do?

I bought a couple of small finger dolls from this little girl on Taquile Island on Lake Titicaca. They are the little puppet like dolls you can slip over your finger and are made of Alpaca fiber. Anyway, my first instinct was to  get the best deal I could. But then I thought, 'what kind of ugly American would I be then?' Besides, her mother had just finished cooking lunch for me and my friends and was standing nearby. You could tell Mom was watching and concerned about her little one. I gave this beautiful little girl more than they were worth and we were all happy.

What a treasure children are, in all cultures. Where does that idea come from? Was it planted in us? Animals don't think this way. A horse does not show concern for his stable-mate. In the stable the heaviest and clumsiest does not give up his oats for the other or is in any way concerned about him, the way men wish to be treated. Why is that? We didn't just learn this from our parents, it's everywhere.

Ankle breaker

This is Butler Wash road. It is very close to where Nancy broke her ankle. She rolled her ankle about 7 weeks ago at the end of a nice hike up to procession panel. For those of you who have been asking, she is on the mend and exercising her foot now. She is in and out of a walking cast but mostly out now. She can't wait to get back to Butler Wash! She's standing over my shoulder and laughing right now!

When we went to the Doc in Blanding, I was cringing at the cost of health care. Of course obamacare doesn't address the costs, only who will pay for it. But I digress. At the doctors, Nancy got an x-ray, a really nice cast, lots of attention, and good medical care. The insurance did pay for it, or will except of course the deductable. Then it dawned on me why doctors wear masks. It's the cost of health care!

For those of you who've been to Bluff before you probably understand the soft sandy soil. It's pretty easy to slip or lose your balance and twist or break an ankle. I wonder if any of those Anasazi ever did this? If so, I imagine it would be life threatening. Doctors are amazing, they cure people faster.

My question is, "Do doctors who treat people for amnesia make them pay in advance?" Paul, what do you think?