Labor Day Weekend 2010

September 7th is Brazil's "Dia de Independencia," when, surprisingly, Dom Pedro I, the Portuguese Prince Regent, declared Brazilian independence from Portugal in 1822 on the banks of the Ipiranga River. So today, the Brazilian flag flies at 760 North because of the soft spot we hold in our hearts for that huge, beautiful, and wonderful land.

This small personal Brazilian celebration caps off a weekend of wider Labor-Day celebration. Yesterday was a perfectly beautiful fall day with color now boldly showing in the mountains. It was cooler and finally just right for a fire in the back yard, and everyone gathered later in the afternoon for a wienie roast. After the fire had died out and darkness had fallen, as Uncle and Ann crossed the driveway on their way home, they noted that this was the best Labor Day in years!

Brasil! Terra Adorada

Fall fell

Kris at work on a project for the Young boys

Hot dogs all around

The cousins doing their best

Folks and food

S'mores

A nice light show as the sun went down

Squaw Peak

We missed all our TX, AZ, and VA family and hope that all y'all had a nice day.

That's all for now.

OXO

D.

Winnie 1998-2010

Winnifred

Today around noon, Winnie died. I don't want to be maudlin, but for those who have lost a pet that has lived with you for over 12 years, you know it is like losing a child or sibling. Winnie has been getting old, but has been healthy until yesterday. I took her for her usual four-mile walk; she was excited and anxious to go. As we passed the park, almost home, I noticed she was really panting a lot. I assumed that she needed a drink and a rest. By evening, however, she was still panting -- her breathing was shallow and labored, her stomach and chest were heaving. During the night she was not comfortable lying down. I found her sitting up on Kris's side of the bed in the middle of the night and sitting up on my side in the morning. She wasn't fussing, but just didn't want to lie down and her breathing was not improved. She followed us from room to room and wouldn't break eye contact with us. Her eyes seemed to be imploring for help.

I learned that dogs are stoic and don't register pain as we do, so there was no whining, but she was clearly hurting. We took her to the vet hoping they might find an infection, but he feared congestive heart failure or cancer. An x-ray didn't indicate a clear-cut case of congestive heart failure, so cancer was likely but inconclusive. She was comfortable at the vet as long as she was on oxygen. As soon as she was removed from the oxygen chamber her breathing became labored again. The first choice was a hospital stay for observation which would not be conclusive either. She would hate that. The second choice was unthinkable. We asked if she couldn't just go home while we considered the options. The vet said that would be cruel given her situation, so we were forced to decide on the spot. We decided that we would let her go. I held her while she was put to sleep and then brought her home where I wrapped her in her blanket. Stephen helped me dig a grave in the back yard and I lovingly buried her there. A large stone marks the spot.



Here is a quick retrospective of Winnie's stay with us:

Madeline and Winnie in 1998

Brand new

Winnie loved "walkies"

Post-bath embellishment (she doesn't seem pleased)

She was always up for a "run with the cousins"

Winnie was a yoga meister

Her "sweet spot" in the window

Yet more walkies with the family

A recent photo of Winnie at the park with the girls --
she would not be left behind

She was getting older and gray

The "queen of the women," at least one of them

"Little Red Dog"

Great photo from Chelsea Gibbs

There are those who didn't like her bark (often including me), there are those who thought she smelled bad, but we loved her in spite of that. We are feeling surreal today and very sad. We loved this little dog. If we don't get to be with her in the next life, someone will be in trouble.

This isn't the post I expected to do this week, but life is uncertain at best.

Love to you all (OXO)

D.

The End of August 2010

Month's end has been filled with lots of activities as school begins and folks are coming and going in every direction. On Monday Denise came to town and Hank and Colette hosted "compound dinner" at their cabin so we would have a chance to visit with Denise. It turned into a larger gathering with Brad and Anne and their BYU girls joining in as well.

Late Thursday, Mike, Linda, and Chelsea Gibbs arrived for a few days while Chelsea gets settled into the Elms prior to the start of school. They are very excited for the New York visit of Anna and family early in September. It has been fun to have them staying here and we enjoyed an evening meal together at La Capizza on Friday.

Saturday dawned a bit rainy and cool exactly as it did last year when we went berry picking at West Mountain. It was a beautiful morning, the picking was successful, and, following tradition, we had lunch at the Farmers' Market. Emily and family also joined in this year.

Yesterday (Saturday) evening we had a send-off dinner at P 712 for Tom and Katy who leave for Shanghai on 1 September. They will be teaching English with the China Teachers' Program that Jeff runs for the Church through the Kennedy Center at BYU. We are going to miss them a lot, but one of the upsides of their leaving is that we will be sitting one of their paintings. It is hung and feels like it belongs. Possession is nine tenths of the law, n' est ce pas?

This evening we gathered at Emily's for a wonderful lasagna dinner. Phillip tried his hand at making Lion House rolls which he happily shared. They were killer. We missed the Youngs, Hastings, and Katy Kathryn.

Such a great little cabin!

Denise, Kris, and Uncle

Scout with her opa

Holden is a stick guy just like his opa was

For a man who likes his meat cremated,
Hank did a splendid job at the grill

Mike, Chelsea, Linda, and Kris in Springville

A perfect morning for berry picking

Empty containers

Late-summer berry fields in Utah

Full containers

Fantastic tamales at the Provo Farmers' Market

Relaxing at the Farmers' Market

Farewell dinner at P 712

We will miss Tom and Katy . . .

And will take good care of their Kershisnik painting

Family Sunday dinner at Auntie Em's

School starts tomorrow and summer fun will be at an end. BUT . . . now the fall fun begins and soon it will be High Dickie Days!

That's all for now.

OXO

D.

Recommitted

You may remember that I decided to give up sugar last November. I have been faithful except for a period during the month of July when all the family was back under the same roof and it was extremely difficult to stick to that commitment.

Maren recently suggested that we look at some sugar-free treats that she discovered at Sprouts, thinking they might be something we would be able to eat (very thoughtful...no irony). The problem is that fructose is fructose no matter the source. So agave, chicory syrup, maple syrup, etc., are essentially the same, and the treats were, alas, no better than sugar treats. But that's not the point of this story.

In researching the ingredients in the treats, I encountered a rather long (1 hour 29 minutes) presentation on YouTube called Sugar: the Bitter Truth. Dr. Robert A. Lustig, MD, a pediatric endocrinologist from the University of California, makes the case that fructose is a toxin, pure and simple. It, unlike rat poison, is a chronic rather than acute toxin, and consequently is overlooked by the FDA and the population in general. I had to watch it twice to understand it (I still don't understand all the biochemistry completely -- I believe Rob would), but I have come away recommitted to leaving sugar behind.


Lustig shows why fructose is responsible for metabolic syndrome so prevalent in our culture and unhappily exported to the rest of the world with our diet. He debunks the notion that a calorie is just a calorie no matter where it comes from, and instead shows how the body metabolizes glucose vs. fructose and goes on to explain that when "God made the poison (fructose), he packaged it with the antidote (fiber)." That's why fruit is not toxic while sugar/HFCS are. (High fructose corn syrup and sugar are metabolized in the same way.) He reinforces the enormous value of fiber with the understanding that it has its own "drawbacks:" he wryly said you can choose "fart or fat." And he clearly demonstrates that the American low-fat diet is unhealthy

His clinic deals with obese children and uses an extremely simple protocol to treat them:

1. Get rid of ALL sugared liquids including chocolate milk -- real milk and water only
2. Eat carbohydrates with fiber
3. Wait 20 before taking seconds (by then satiety will have set in)
4. Exercise, but not just to burn calories -- the exercise is important for healthy metabolism

Bottom line: I liked his presentation a lot. I found it very cogent and I believe you will too if you have the stamina to watch it.

FYI: My weight has stabilized between 185 and 190, down from around 215, my blood pressure is normal for my age. My cholesterol was good before November and I haven't had it tested since. And I no longer have heartburn.

So I am recommitted.

That's all for now.

OXO

D.

Early August 2010

Here we are in the early part of August already. The nights are getting cooler and we will see color on the mountains by the end of the month. Nothing earth-shaking is going on, just summer life as usual. The plants are growing profusely, Uncle's hens are still laying, the honeysuckle vine is going crazy, the reduced-size family is gathering, and we are picnicking with dear friends. So all is right with the world.

1 dozen beautiful eggs from Ann, Stephen,
and their chickens

The family says "Hi!" to the Hastings and Young
cousins and to Auntie Katy

The Freestones and Ostergars at our
recent summer picnic

The trumpet vine is finally meeting
the measure of its creation

The promise of cantaloupe

We are just a few days away from
home-grown tomatoes

It's not much, but that's all for now.

OXO

D.

Three Birds with One Stone

Here we go with three posts in one:

#1: Those Amazing Beck Girls

On Saturday, Kris and I drove to SLC meet Grandmother, Carol Boynton, and her four sisters for supper. They are so darned spunky. They range from 93 years downward but are all going strong. They have so much fun when they get together. They read, watch DVDs, go to the movies, go to plays, eat out, eat in, eat chocolate, and laugh and enjoy themselves thoroughly. It was so good to see Grandmother back to her old self and feeling so good. She gave us (and herself) a bit of a scare in April, but now seems fully mended.

L to R: Bonnie, Raye, LaVee, Donna, and Carol

Dinner at the Olive Garden with the Aunties and Kris's cousins

#2 Happy Birthday to Emily

Yesterday, 2 August, Emily celebrated her 37th birthday. That says way more about us than her. Yikes! Jayson called and invited us to join them for the celebration at the Bombay House followed by birthday cake at their home. It was all delicious and very fun.

Those who celebrated looking happily
satisfied with an Indian nosh

The kek

Happy birthday dear Emily. We love you.

#3 A Rococo Morning

This morning as I gazed out the kitchen window at about 6:30 A.M., I noticed the light hitting the clouds above Squaw Peak. When I stepped outside I was greeted by the most beautiful sunrise that I have seen in years -- maybe ever. It was the kind of sunrise that inspired Boucher and informed many a rococo color pallet.

The Rape of Europe by François Boucher

Clouds over Timpanogos by a loving God

Rococo Sunrise

Sunrise over Squaw Peak

It was a tender mercy: Heavenly Father loves us!

That's all for now.

OXO

D.