Work Buddy

One of my Christmas memories when I was little was when my Dad took some of us kids to work with him on Christmas Eve. It was so much fun to run amok throughout the office. There weren't a lot of people in the office that day, so we had free reign of the 9th floor. Playing in the break room, making hot cocoa, playing with my dads paper weights, playing with the photocopier, etc. My dad also saved the empty paper spools from his adding machine, (pre-PC days) and I would give them a second life by using them as building blocks, boats, cars or whatever. It was made up fun all the way.

That memory was long forgotten until I spent the day with Simon at my work. He was so excited about every little thing. He made it so much fun. I think that's what kids do best.

Simon helping the fellas get the rig ready.

Stay in school, young man!

Hair Apparent

It’s been interesting observing how hair plays by its own rules. I didn’t pack a razor when I went out of town last month. I noticed that some of the hairs in my chin were a shiny light blonde, nearly a whitish blonde. I though to myself that I’d better lose that scruff asap. The other day I saw those same color hairs on my forearms. My forearms!? How weird is that?

I have also noticed that some of my regular hair that used to be assigned to the crown of my head is growing out my nose, eyebrows and, get this, my ears! The eyebrow reassignment bothers Rachel more than I me. The nose hair is personally annoying, and the caterpillars crawling out from my ears are driving me nuts!!

So this is what growing old is like.

Turtle Power

As work goes we are scratching anything we can. It’s not like it used to be, we have to look hard and get real creative to keep going. We picked up a job waaaay out in the middle of nowhere on Highway 93 between Wickenburg and Kingman. Where is Wickenburg or Kingman? Exactly my point.

I have a crew who are filling between the rock, (rip rap as it is called), in the drain areas. The little path along the side is for desert tortoises. The environmental impact study of this road improvement project found that this new road would endanger the desert tortoise should one need to cross the highway. They assume the tortoises will be smart enough to see these little trails and cross under the highway instead of over it. Brilliant!

We are getting paid by the cubic yard of material placed, the animal paths will account for one third of our total volume. In rough numbers the state is paying us tens of thousands of dollars to build little trails for tortoises that no one is really sure if they will be used, or even if the tortoises regularly migrate from one side of the road to the other.

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.