Undivided Attention

My crew and I have migrated to Bakersfield, Ca. With family so close it seemed appropriate that I should pay them a visit. As I was driving I was trying to think of the last time I was with just my mom and dad. Being number 8 of 10, and with in-laws and grandkids and life happening faster than expected, there is not a ton of personal time. I may be wrong, but I think the last time the three of us were together for longer that an hour was back in the eighties. So we were due.

I had a wonderful time. Sure it was not just the tree of us the whole time, Jeffery would pop in every once in a while, but I was very much relishing in the moment.

My parents are fun to be with. When I got there my Dad gave me some lunch options, peanut butter and jelly, mackerel sandwiches, or fresh local crab down at the wharf. I picked crab. He knows that I love shell fish and cannot even look upon such things in their unfresh condition back in AZ. So we had an enjoyable crab lunch with my Dad and both my Moms, Maureen and Ocean.

We got home in just enough time to take in The Big Game. This year Stanford had something more than pride to play for…but their ‘Luck’ ran out. Oh well, Dad still shard some old Stanford memories and it was still fun. Then what to good parents do? Watch another football game with their son. That’s right two games in the same day. I also had some classic Larry cuisine for dinner: Grilled salmon and Swiss cheese sandwiches and chili. My dad has three basic food groups: fish, cheese and chili. In my opinion it was just as good as the crab.

Sunday was beyond surreal; I got up and got dressed about an hour and a half before church. I looked at the clock and was not sure what to do with myself. I usually get ready early so I can get kids ready, set up chairs, do fast offerings, or something. I felt a little sad and useless. I did get some study time in, which made the time pass. After church I helped my Mom make dinner for the missionaries. After dinner then I packed up my things an headed back to work.

While I was driving back I as full of gratitude for such wonderful people I have for parents. I had an added measure of urgency to get back to my sweetheart and the kids that need me to pass on this love and affection and attention to.

Just a couple more days…

Score One More for the Golden State

I am in California this week getting a job started. I love California. Three generations before me farmed, cleared, and were raised in rural parts of this state. Some of those places like Whitter, Riverside, Fullerton and Escondido are not so rural anymore. However here in Hanford, Lemoore, and Selma it seems like time has not changed much in 50 or so years. I think it's cool. Not as cool as all the nice things I have back in Arizona, but cool.

Today I was reminded of one of the real jems of the Central Valley and the Central Coast. It is called Orchard Hardware Supply or OSH for short. When I used to work on the coast this was my store; if I needed it they had it. Much like the mandatory Tommy's stop whenever I'm in Southern California, when I happen upon an OSH I've gotta stop to take in the nostalgia and goodness of a well stocked 'ma and pa' hardware store. A trip to OSH makes you hate Home Depot. It is such a cool store. Hanford, Ca has one. The whole state of Arizona has none.

Long live OSH.

"It's 2am. Do you know where your butt is?"

"Meat Memoirs":

Last Saturday night after all the trick or treating was done and my little Mario Brothers, Link, and the cute little cat had come down from there sugar rush and fast asleep, the real party started for me. I even had a rubbed pork shoulder sitting in the fridge waiting for me to get this all nighter started.

What is the reason for such odd behavior? Well, I've taken up smoking. Smoking meats that is. I found a sale on pork butt that I couldn't pass up so I thought I'd give it a try. All of the things I read and saw on you tube said that it took 12-16 hours to smoke. It only made sense to start the night before so it would be ready about supper time.

So that's what I did. I got it started at 10pm. I stayed up with it making sure it stayed hot enough, monitoring the water bowl spraying the meat, adding hickory chips as needed, and getting it to a point where I could get some shut eye. I went to bed at midnight, but made a plan to check on it every 2 hrs through the night.

Everything seemed to work out through the night. In the morning I checked on it and it looked good! It started to get that good looking 'bark' or crust. I knew we were on track. I gave one more batch of hot coal and chips, flipped it, sprayed it and closed the lid for the last time.

I showered and got ready for church but I still smelled like smoke. It was fast Sunday and I decide to be bacon scented, what a dope.

After Church and fast offerings I pulled the pork out of the smoker wrapped it in foil and set it in the oven. after a few hours of 'resting' I chopped it and we broke our fast with it. It was more work than I thought, but it was tasty.




The bone came out clean, thats a good sign.


The pink ring around the edge is the smoke ring, I was pleased to see it that deep.


Let's eat!

Necessity Breeds Innovation

A couple of Halloweens ago, five or six, I had procrastinated carving pumpkins until the day of. Naturally I worked an hour or two longer that I had planned. I knew I was in trouble because I had 4 pumpkins with little faces drawn on them by four eager kids waiting for me. What to do? What to do? I rushed to the garage looking for an answer. I found it.

An old jig saw. Why not? I cuts straight, cuts curves and most importantly cuts FAST! I grabbed it and I have not looked back since.



I bought a new jig saw a few years back but I keep this old guy just for pumpkin carving.

Parenting Peril.... or Pearl

Saturday night Jake was on one. After having an afternoon and all evening with his friends, (sneaking in some girlfriend time he didn't think I knew about), he decided to throw a total tantrum when I asked him to get off the phone with his girlfriend and go to bed. I didn't react sharply with him. I told him to that we should take our conversation into my room and not in front of the kids. We talked for about an hour and a half about girls and proper relationships and all that kind of stuff. We cried a little and prayed a little. Even though he was still very frustrated and upset he managed to fall asleep on my floor and stayed there all night. I woke up at 5 the next morning to get things ready for church. After I got out of the shower I noticed that he had crawled into my bed, (the bed that was empty because Rachel was gone, remember?). I had an "awe schucks isn't he just so precious?" moment. So I let him sleep a little longer.

I continued gathering clothes and ironing and then I started waking kids up. I purposely woke up Jake last, but he didn't move. I came back a few minutes later and jostled him. He pulled the pillow over his head and mumbled, "I'm not going to church today."

"Beg your pardon?"

More directly and defiantly, "I'm NOT going to church today!"

Now, for the most part I'm a pretty even keeled guy. I have a loud voice and I may talk too much or speak out of turn, but I don't really get mad very often...hardly ever but I didn't have it in me to deal with this kind of behavior. I was ticked!

"No, you are wrong. I'm not dealing with this right now I don't have time for this and you better get dressed!"

He laid there motionless. So I grabbed him by the back of his shirt and his belt, picked him up and carried him to his room and tossed him to the ground. I was still ticked so I took my foot and gave him a shove to roll him over. then I stood over him and hollered, "There are two ways to motivate a mule, a carrot and a stick. I tried the carrot last night and now it's the stick. Get dressed right now or I will beat you!"

As I walked out of his room to tend to the other kids I was ashamed of my unrighteous dominion that I exercised against my son, but at the same time I was feeling like I delivered a pearl of wisdom that may become an instant classic and might need to be brought up in my eulogy.

I have since repented for my blow up and sought forgiveness from my son. Kids forgive easy, and I know that we'll both turn out alright one day.

And by the way, he got his church clothes on pretty quickly without any more discussion.

Man Day

Rachel is gone on a girls outing this weekend. I really like having her home and with me but I guess the gal has gotta get out sometime. I decided to take Thursday and Friday off and try to be the world's greatest dad but despite my efforts the kids and I were done the that charade by Thursday evening. Friday seemed to be pretty busy taking care of mom type stuff. I was out of control, the kids and all their commitments were running me! What is that about! Please!

When I woke up Saturday morning I decided to take control and seize this day. I made the kids breakfast and during breakfast I laid out the ground rules. The rules are simple: You do all the work that I have assigned you then you can do what you want. I left the two olders in charge with very stern counsel to have significant progress by the I returned home from Simon's game. Simon and I left. Simon lost his game, he played well so I took him to get a treat. When I returned I we pleased to see 'significant progress'. I sent Simon out to do his work. Then I proceeded to do the one task I would never get a chance to do under the Rachel Rules to a happy marriage. The one thing that I've wanted to do for some time, this would fulfill the only New Years resolution I made back in January, I set out to make Pastrami.

So for the second time ever I fired up the smoker, took my brined brisket rubbed all the right seasonings on it and let the miracle happen. As I reflect, the balance of my day was spent doing very manly things. I had a couple of football games on, I tinkered around the house doing simple chores like sweeping the back patio, fixing screen doors, oiling hinges...all just menial tasks that kept me close to the smoker and my games. Sure, I was still dad; I made the kids lunch, put band aids on their cuts, and ran them to their friends houses. But really it was kind of a guilty pleasure day for me.

Well, all the games are over. The pastrami is in the fridge cooling til morning. This wacky and surreal day is almost over. Admittedly, doing all the things I want to do is not as cool as I thought it would be. We just made a final sweep through the house to make sure it's not just clean but 'Mom clean' as we want everything to be just right for her return tomorrow. We sure miss her, I sure miss her.

My wife and kids are awesome. Saturday afternoon the ward music coordinator called in a bind needing a musical number for sacrament meeting. My idea was just to have Chip play a piece on the piano. This was the easiest and painless was to go. There would have been nothing wrong with except Rachel had another idea. Rachel lives so in tune with the spirit and so in touch with our kids that she knew what they could do and what would be good for them.

I will have to admit I was only overhearing the rehearsal from the other room where I was watching USC v. Notre Dame. Jakinstien was being a monotoned insubordinate pain, Chip would go back and forth between his assigned "If you could his to Kolob" and "My Name is Jonas" on the guitar, and Hannah was mostly sitting with the 'I'm dealing with ammatures' look on her face. I would opine from my seat in the other room how good it would be if Mom and Hannah would sing a duet, and after being rejected I could justifiably continue with my game because they didn't want my help anyway!

As the day went on the sounds from the front room became more harmonious. That evening we took the them down to the ward house so they could try it with the microphone from the pulpit. There was still some apprehension, but they sure had come far in a short time.

In the morning Jacob was beyond nervous. It is common for him to worry about things, but he had a double dose of nerves and anxiety. I told him to say a quick prayer, and he told me he already had, mom told him to already...of course she had.

Chip and Hannah deal with things more internally, so for an insensitive dad it is harder to tell what they are feeling but as the stood up from the pew to go up to the rostrum, they were showing signs of nerves. Then I got nervous. Nervous for what? They are where they are supposed to be doing what the need to be doing. They will not be judged on their performance, only their willingness and heart. Maybe I thought Chip might play another weezer song, I don't know.

They sounded beautiful. I will admit I was a little surprised, but I shouldn't have been. Rachel was not surprised, she takes her job as mother very seriously she knows that hard things bring great rewards. And she knows just how much she can ask of our children so they have opportunity to work and accomplish things that they didn't know they could. I'm so blessed.