Today I had a few thing to do around the house. I fixed a garden lamp and needed a little concrete at the base. No problem, a little concrete, some water and someone to mix it up.
The young worker worked so hard helping today I decided to take her out to dinner. Naturally mom came along. We walked downtown to get some pizza.
We then took a walk, or should I say a follow of Elizabeth as she found things that interested her. Things like lights dancing on the sidewalk.
Of course there was other things that interested her. I though back of the days when I was a youngster and I had the opportunity to look at the water features downtown.
Times may change. However, sometimes it is the simple things in life that give the greatest excitement. Then again, there is nothing like working in the yard with grandpa.
I was traveling back from Jacobs last track meet and the sky looked gorgeous. I had to choose an off ramp and get to a place that I could take a picture without all the city clutter as I was in Riverside. Luckily, by UCR there are some fields that work well to allow one to see off in the distance and get a glimpse of the sun setting in the West for the day. Sometimes you just need to stop, look, and appreciate what God has done for you.
Today I took off work early to see Jacob run his last Cross Country race in High School. First, I thought I would get an early start so I could be sure to make it there before what I thought his race time was. I had checked the schedule on the schools web site.
I got to my truck and looked at the keys sitting in the ignition through the window as the doors were locked. Luckily for me, Janet came to the rescue and my planning for an early start paid off.
As I was getting closer to the even i learned that Jacobs race start time was going to be an impossibility for me. I drove on through the freeway construction and traffic to finally get off the freeway. I took the highway to the east and was a few miles past any gas stations when my light went off an the bell chimed. Knowing my truck, that meant perhaps twenty miles at most. I kept on track to get to the race, which had started.
I arrived, found a parking spot and started looking around. Soon enough Jacob popped up out of nowhere. We talked and spent a few minutes together. We guided Emily in as she was on the same schedule as I was. I also sent Eric an address that he could put in his GPS to guide him to the race as well.
Jacob and I talked a little more and he was kind enough to pose for a picture with a smile. I actually got tree pictures in a row with a smile.
This morning I decided to break out a straight razor for the shave. The shave was great and I will go into more detail below. However, as I was preparing this post I looked at my last shaving post. Everything was the same, except for the brush. There must be something I like about the products. Now for shave details:
It has been a 11 months from my last shave and I had some extra time to shave with the strait razor today. I reached in the cabinet, while my sweetheart was trying to sleep, and did a little banging around. I picked up a few different shaving soaps and chose the one that was making the most noise due to the ceramic container. Additionally, I like Mitchell’s Wool Fat Shaving Soap. As for the razor, it was the Timor. I knew that it needed a little work and I had time so I chose to take care of a small problem on the edge. As for the aftershave, I really enjoy Hoyt’s so I quickly grabbed it.
The brush was the puzzling part as I picked up a couple of different brushes and could not decide. The Simpson Super Badger Chubby 1 is my usual choice for puck style soaps. I popped open the Kent container, a regal red cylinder with a padded top, and stroked the badger bristles. They felt stouter than the super badger brush I felt and had more flex than the Chubby 1. I thought that it would work well with the Mitchell’s. It was to be the Kent BP-4 for today’s shave.
Today’s shave started with grabbing a couple of stones that were given to me by an old barber. The edge had a almost microscopic ding in it. I really could not see it, however I could feel it. I carefully ran the blade on the stone that was slightly coarser a couple of times. I then ran the blade across my thumbnail to check it I could feel the aberration in the blade. It was ever so slight now, so I gave the blade a couple of more runs across the coarser stone. Upon checking the blade, it was good for the finer stone. A few strokes on the finer stone and the work with the stones was one.
The next step was the green side of the Timor hand held adjustable two sided strop. The green color is due to a treatment of chromium oxide paste. Then it was off to the Dubl Duck No. 50 strop. Several passes and everything was set for a great shave. I just needed some softened whiskers.
With softened whiskers, I started the process of creating a good lather with the Mitchell’s and the Kent brush. The Kent brush worked well with the puck soap and felt great on my face. With a nice later I started the shaving process. I worked the razor down with the grain of my whiskers to begin clearing my face of the roughness.
Once that was complete I applied another lathering of the Mitchell’s Wool Fat Shaving Soap. This time I went up against the grain. Being several months I had a little trepidation with using my left hand on the right side of my face. However, it worked out well. For the chin I did a little cross grain cleanup. That went quick and easy. The Mitchell’s shaving soap has a nice light fragrance. I cooled my face off with some cold water and then applied a hearty helping of Hoyt’s.
The whole of politics sometimes annoys me. Being mostly libertarian, I get tired of the back and forth. I think, just give me my freedom. However, sometimes there a kernels of humor within the back and forth that cause me to smile. From Breitbart
Tennessee State Senator Brian Kelsey presented HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius with a gift of Websites For Dummies during a Memphis ObamaCare event, evoking annoyed, constipated looks from the people around her.
Now I find that hysterical. I do not own Websites for Dummies. However, I own a copy of CSS for Dummies. I gave my wife a pin that says “You are the CSS to my HTML.” For those of you that want to know more or do not understand “You are the CSS to my HTML”, go to CSS Zen Garden and look at the different presentations of the same HTML. With the same information or HTML, it can be presented in many ways with changes in the CSS (Cascading Style Sheets) So if you do a little clicking, you to will understand the statement, “You are the CSS of my HTML.” As for healthcare.gov, I do not know of any CSS that could fix that mess.
As I received an email at work yesterday regarding our workplace healthcare plan, I shuddered. No, it was not being canceled. The co pay was going up. Additionally, there is a tax in the future if our plan is better than the Affordable Care Act. I thought of all the people receiving notices that their plans were being canceled. The answer was, buy a new plan, which will also cost more.
I pondered the reality of the health care mess and came across the post “The First Hustler Runs the Big Con” at www.creators.com As I read it, I thought over and over about the title of the article, “The First Hustler Runs the Big Con” and came to the conclusion, we have been conned. I just hope we can recover from the “Big Con” so my children and grandchildren can live in freedom.
Tonight was the broadcast, “A Century of Honor” celebrating 100 years of Service to God and Country. It is the 100 year anniversary of Scouting in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. The production was well done. It lasts about the same amount of time that a 5 mile hike does.
More people are killed each year by a hammer than a semiautomatic sporting rifle (known as an assault rifle to the uniformed). Why the big push to control the semiautomatic sporting rifle? I guess the gun control groups cannot debate a point on level or make a square argument. Fallacy and fiction may be a way of life in some people’s worlds. Perhaps they are full of gas and cannot stick to the truth. For me, my hammer and handgun seemed too sit on the workbench quietly and did not maim, molest, intimidate or assault anyone. This is just a random thought because a picture can be worth a thousand words.
Today was a day to clean up the garden a little. There were a few areas that the weeds had grown which needed to be cleared as well as pruning back the tomato plants that had grown out of control. If the tomato plants had fruit on them, I would leave them. However, out of control and no fruit and you get the pruning shears.
I had a little helper. As I hoed the weeds and put them in a small pile, my helper picked them up and put them in the trash can. She even got into weeding the garden as well.
Weeding the garden is considered one of the do’s. As for the don’t, stay away from the habanero. They are nice and colorful. They even taste good, if you are prepared for the fire. I was a little surprised when Elizabeth grabbed one today.
It was only a couple of days ago that she grabbed a nice red one and put it in her mouth as her mother told her no. She took a bite and got bit. Mom said she cried for about 20 minutes and was putting her hands in her mouth. Mom washed her hands and face. Even with that, when Elizabeth put a hand in mom’s mouth, she could feel the heat. After some peanut butter and some milk things were better.
So, do weed you garden and do not eat the habanero’s if you are not up to it.
Tonight for dinner I heated up the last of my home made black beans. Added some brown rice and yesterdays stir fry of onions, red bell peppers, a red jalapeno pepper and small cubes of zucchini. I placed the mixture in a large 12″ flour tortilla and spread some grated sharp cheddar cheese on top.
When I turned to put my dishes in the dishwasher, Emily kindly folder my burrito up. As I grabbed my Sriracha sauce from the refrigerator, I commented that I could squeeze some in my burrito. Emily said that she would help me out. I though she would unfold the burrito, squirt a little in and fold it back up. Much to my surprise, she liberally squirted it on the burrito. She stated, “Here dad, you now have a wet burrito.”
I sat down and began the process of eating dinner. There was more Sriracha than i was used to. However, it was good. I stopped to take a picture of the “wet burrito” and continued eating. My nose was running, my mouth was feeling the heat and some time after my lips were still stinging. Nonetheless, it was a great burrito.
Sriracha wet burrito
As a matter not note, the Huy Fong Foods Sriracha sauce is made locally here in Southern California from red jalapeno peppers. It is a great sauce and in December 2009, Bon Appetit magazine named its Sriracha sauce Ingredient of the Year for 2010. As for our household, it was the ingredient of the evening . . .
Somehow the monthly pictures of Elizabeth went away after she turned 12 months. She is walking and likes to look at things she finds. Anything within her reach is subject to examination. This past Saturday she was dressed up and I got a picture of her before she went on an adventure. Today Emily posted a picture of her at the park. With that said, I will need to stay on top of the picture posting of Elizabeth.
A few months ago Jacob was asking me questions on dates he provided leadership in scouting. We also talked about the service that he had done over time. He really did not elaborate on what he was filling out.
Tonight I went to a program for the National Honor Society (NHS) at Beaumont High School. It is a society to recognize and support the outstanding students. Juniors and Seniors at the high school with overall GPA’s of 3.50 or higher are eligible to apply for membership in NHS. This year 149 students met this GPA requirement. 21 returning seniors in the NHS program met the GPA requirement which left 128 eligible students. Of the 128, over half submitted applications and 29 student were chosen.
What makes the difference? The NHS Advisory panel takes into consideration the students’ written applications, their GPA’s and the teaching staff’s evaluation of their leadership, service and character in making its selections. During the presentation their were short talks on Character, Scholarship, Leadership, and Service.
So with all that said, I have a pretty good idea that Jacob was filling out an application for NHS. He has worked hard in high school and I have seen him over the years provide leadership, service and exhibit good character. Congratulations to Jacob and all the other students on their induction into the National Honor Society.
As for now, I have a picture of Jacob receiving his pin and certificate along with the group picture. I may have better photos in a couple days.
Better photos have arrived. Thanks to Mr. Cantrell for the photos.
Scott wanted to go hiking with me to the Aspen Groves again this year. We went last year the night before snow was to arrive. Today was the day as tomorrow night, snow is supposed to arrive. With snow comes wind and both tend to make fall leaves fall.
As we traveled up the highway to the Barton Flats area we noted the oak trees had begun to change colors. On the dirt road to the trail head we saw that the oak trees, with their orange and yellow leaves dotted the landscape sea of greens.
1N02 looking down on the Santa Ana River and Big Meadows
There were other colors available for those that looked. On the trail we found some blue flowers that were still in fairly good shape.
As well as some reddish vegetation which was in contrast to the green plants and yellow flowers.
Of course the real reason we traveled all this way was for the golden foliage on the aspen trees.
Aspen Groves – San Gorgonio Wilderness
Aspen Groves – San Gorgonio Wilderness
As I was taking pictures Scott found a rock to sit on. He said that he could bring a cot, lay down and just enjoy looking around.
Of course the view from the road brought us close to several black oak that were in the process of changing their colors as well.
Black oak changing into its fall color.
I am glad he enjoys the outdoors. However, I would rather hike around so that I could see more. One thing I learned while at Philmont Scout Ranch a couple of years ago was to stop, turn around and see where you were because you will be looking at it from a different perspective. How many times I stopped, turned around and look at a beautiful view that I would have missed had I not taken the time. Then again, if you are on a cot, you have plenty of time to look around and enjoy the beauty that God have given to us.
Today I have been contemplating a hike to Aspen Grove like I did last year. This year there is some concern if gates are going to be open, or if they are, will they get closed when you are on the wrong side of the gate. There is a storm coming in later this week that will bring snow, so like last year, it will be a mid week trip.
If the gate is closed, a 6 to 7 mile loop hike on and off trail will be the course provided I can get out of work early. I do not want to be caught in a place where I go off trail with the sun going down. If I do, it just adds to the adventure. As for tonight, the trail had enough light as I went out for an evening walk.
