Birthday Rocks!

If you are inclined to subtlety you will notice that the title did not say Birthdays Rock! They certainly may do, and this one did, but the point of the title is that I spent my most recent birthday climbing rocks in Arches National Park. Kris was in Arizona helping the Youngs usher young Beck into the world and Rob and Anna invited me to join them in Moab for three days of adventure. I was reluctant because I had stuff to do on Friday and there was nobody to dog sit Winnie. Early Friday, however, it struck me that I could zoom down on Saturday (Happy Birthday to me) and zoom back home that evening. Stephen was kind enough to feed Winnie her delicious dinner, which I left ready-prepared in the fridge, and I was free to roam. I left at 5:30 A.M. and arrived in exactly three hours in Moab. We piled into the Hastings van and headed for the Park. One of the absolute best perks of being and old guy is that our wicked socialist government gives you a free pass to all the national parks, AND, get this, everyone in your car comes in free, too! I know: a wicked waste of Tea Partiers' precious taxes, but LOVED by Commies like me.

We hiked ourselves silly. Most of the morning was spent hiking into Delicate Arch, enjoying it , and hiking back out by way of the petroglyphs. We had lunch in a beautiful spot between a couple of rock fins -- why does food eaten out in nature always taste better? The afternoon was spent driving about 8 miles in and 8 miles out on a washboard dirt track to Klondike Bluffs for a an almost 4 mile hike to see the Marching Men and Tower Arch. The hike taxed the boys to their limits, but, in the end was beautiful, and free from the hoards that descended on the Park during the day. Rob's Management was excellent and we avoided the crowds at every turn. On the way out we did a couple of drive-by sitings, and then returned to Moab where the Hastings fêted me with chicken-fried steak at Zax, kitty corner from their hotel. And what birthday adventure would be complete without an extraction? The trip home was made, once again, in exactly three hours to the minute, blessedly, without a tinge of drowsiness!

Birthday in the park

This little guy is the best darned socialist perk ever

On the ascent to Delicate Arch

The Hastings taking in the perspective of Delicate arch --
please note the young fellow with blond hair in the background

The young man, named Parker, pictured above, is Maxwell Ensign's doppelgänger. He is probably a year or so younger, but like Max in every way. His family was near us for most of the Delicate-Arch hike and he sounds like Max, walks and runs like Max, and effects an attitude like Max. Anna chatted with his mother and told her how much Parker reminded us of Max. His mother asked Anna if Max's hair was stringy and gross, too. Anna, ever the diplomat, did not answer yes or no, but said the hair was the same.

Parker the doppelgänger

Cairn: c-a-i-r-n, cairn

Petroglyphs

Alfresco lunch in the rocks

Lucy and Anna squeezing toward Sand Dune Arh

The snow-capped La Sal Mountains

The Marching Men and marching Hastings in the Klondike Bluffs

Tower Arch was well worth the hike

I popped Tucker's tooth

Good dinner, good day!

I had a great day and am grateful to the Hastings for the kind invitation. I loved the hikes and wasn't the least bit stiff this morning.

That's all for now.

OXO

D.

Happy Birthday Maren

Happy Birthday Maren! This is to help you remember the day you were born. It really helps, doesn't it? What? You can't remember the day you were born?

You can use this birthday-wish photo to help you compare pictures with Beck.

25 March 1981

I love you very much, Maren. I hope you had a wonderful birthday today.

OXO

Dad

Done and Done!

Tonight I finished scanning and retouching a lifetime of slides. That's 6,300 slides give or take.... I am happy to have them done, and I learned a few things. 1. My camera was often out of adjustment and lots of the pictures I took are crap. 2. Garbage in garbage out: if it was a nice clear, well-exposed slide the jpeg turned out well. If it was a poorly exposed photo, there wasn't much iPhoto could do to make it better. Overexposed slides corrected much better than underexposed slides. 3. I took way too many slides! It gets so you can't tell one Memorial Day gathering from the next and the repetitive ones got boring. 4. I LOVE digital photography!!!

I'm not sure by whom or how the images will ever be used, but they are ready and waiting. Included in this post is a jpeg from the first carousel, one from somewhere in the middle, and one from the final carousel before I switched to digital.

Scanning has been my life

Can you find Dickie at the LTM in 1965?

Most of the family in London, 1988

With Katy Kathryn on the Herefordshire Beacon in 2004 --
she was already digital at this point

One thing I know for sure: Kris will be happy to have use of the computer again!

That's all for now.

OXO

D.

Bye Bye Birdie

Last evening we drove through the rain and traffic to Pleasant Grove Junior High to see Madeline in Bye Bye Birdie. It was a really fun evening; the kids did a great job. Because it is junior high, it was a cut version and missing several memorable songs. Nonetheless, Madeline was great, born to drama as it were. We appreciate the invitation -- great fun.

Our old phone from the toy box made its stage debut

"He's in love with Kim; Kim's in love with him"

"Goin' steady..."

I mean, who wouldn't swoon...

...for Conrad Birdie

Cute as a bug's bum

The proud parents and sybs

Well done Madeline!

OXO

D.

Three and Seven

Today we celebrated Clara's 3rd (14 March) and Lizzie's 7th (10 March) birthdays. We met the Hastings and most of the Ensigns at the Murray rec center where all were swimming and playing in the wild and crazy water features. Subsequently, we proceeded to Rob and Anna's house for some grilling, eating, presents, and a birthday cake crafted by Auntie Em. We were joined there by Phillip and kids, Jayson and Madeline, and Auntie Courtney.

Anna and Lucy Jane looking way cute

Lizzy and her mom looking equally cute

4/6 of the Hastings family

Another 1/6: Tucker looking otherworldly

Anders at the wheel

Tucker gives Auntie Em a thrill

Anna's fabulous "aguamentation"
(Sorry about the focus, she wouldn't let
me take a second shot)

Two special sillies share a smashing sodden shower

The swimmers (and Kris)

The kek

We blew 'til we were dizzy

No shortage of puff here

A cornucopia of gifts

Those are two spunky lasses! I hope they enjoyed the party as much as we did. Happy birthday Clara Ivy Hastings and Elizabeth Tea Ensign. We love you tons.

OXO

Pop Pop

Hastings, Here

Yesterday, Sunday, the Hastings joined us for dinner. They have been in the area for Tucker's baptism and it was nice to see them again. Jim had already flown home to California, but Whitney, Todd and Courtney, Bill and JLynn, together with Rob, Anna, and their gang were all here.

Anna, Rob, Whitney, JLynn, Bill, Todd, Courtney and Clara,
Lucy Jane, Tucker, and Anders

That's all for now.

OXO

D.

Tucker's Baptism

William Tucker Hastings was baptized today. The service was attended by many of his family members, some of whom got to participate. I got to give a talk on baptism, Tutu JLynn was the pianist, Grandpa Bill led the music, Anna prayed, and Rob baptized and confirmed Tucker. After the service everyone gathered at the Hastings for visiting, food, treasure hunt, volcano, presents, and birthday cake. It was a splendid day!

Leading Families Can Be Together Forever,
Courtney's favorite

JLynn is the best accompanist ever, bar none!

Tutu helps Clara with her card for Tucker as Meg looks on

Cheeky-monkey business

The gathering of the clans

Rob, Anna, and family

Clara's low blood sugar momentarily did her in

Tucker and his dad

Phillip, Courtney, Whitney, and Jim

The fabulous volcano at the finish line
of the treasure hunt

Phillip and Jayson, who ARE brothers-in-law,
watching the action from above

The man of the hour

Opening gifts

Tucker is a great young man and we love him.

There are many more birthdays to celebrate this month, but that's all for now.

OXO

D.