Friday the 13th

I need your advice - what would you have done?

First, I should tell you that a) I don't get easily offended, b) I'm not a demanding and picky person, and c) I don't have high expectations of people I don't know.

I splurged on a pedicure today because I felt I sorry for any poor soul who had the misfortune of looking at my scaly, crust-infested feet.

I strolled into the shop and asked for a pedicure. The man that greeted me grunted and head-nodded toward the polishes - indicating that I should pick one out.

Okay then.

I picked one out and looked for my greeter to know which seat I should go to. The greeter was gone - maybe he spontaneously-combusted - not sure. So I looked at one of the ladies that worked there. She was slouched in one of the pedicure chairs, watching tv. She head-nodded for me to sit in one of the chairs to her left. As it was only a head-nod, and not an actual finger-point, it was unclear to me which chair she wanted me to sit in. My bad. Then, horrors of all horrors, I asked her to tell me again which chair she wanted me to sit in. She didn't answer me.

Here is where I felt the first inklings of irritation. Did she not hear me? Was she ignoring me?

I stood awkwardly and then just sat in a chair - the one furthest away from her.

The lady that did my pedicure came and sat down at the foot of the chair and started filling the tub with water. Since she didn't even look at me, I'm sure she didn't notice that I'm human and would be burned by the literally scalding water she filled the tub with. After she grunted for me to put my feet in the water, I committed the unpardonable sin of telling her it was too hot.

Remember B from above? I'm not picky. I would normally just put up with the hot water if it was a little on the hot side. In fact, I like hot. But, this was devilishly hot water.

So, without skipping a beat, she turned off the hot water and poured cold water into the tub. I wasn't about to tell her that it was now too cold when I put my feet back in. No, sirree!

Still without looking at me or even acknowledging that she was aware of my perplexed existence, she busied herself with my feet and I turned on the chair massager.

I was not expecting a grand conversation full of heartfelt exchanges - but a "hello" would have been nice. A smile would have been cool. Pfft.

Did I walk in on a argument between the workers there? It's Friday the 13th - were they all just having one of those days? Did I walk in with a scowl on my face that set off the whole bad experience? Do they just not enjoy their jobs? I had to laugh at this theory because, really, they have to work with people's feet all day. Especially my feet. How can that be fun? Still, if it was me - I would want that tip - a nice tip - and force myself to be pleasant.

These were the sorts of things I was thinking about while she was vigorously working on my feet. Then I realized I was just being ridiculous by being so curious about the whole thing. Why did I have to sit there and analyze possible reasons for their behavior? I hate that I over-analyze things. And I hate that I analyze my over-analyzing.

Then, they all started talking to each other in a language I didn't understand. All of them were chatting and laughing.

I went back to analyzing. Okay, clearly, I didn't walk into an argument and they aren't having a bad day. They are just being rude!

I silently fumed in my massage chair and thought of the way I would leave without tipping. Would I just not tip and then leave? Would I say something about the poor treatment and then leave?

Then, she started massaging my legs. Then she dipped my feet in wax. Then she painted my toes.

Begrudgingly, it occurred to me that she was doing a really really good job, despite being super unfriendly and rude.

Here was my dilemma. She was unfriendly but did a really good job.

Do I tip or don't I? What do you think? What would you have done? What do you think I did?

Bird nest M.I.A.

This is a picture of my front porch (as I'm looking out the front door) taken on May 19.

You can clearly see a bird's nest at the top of the pillar.













More proof of its existence.











And this is the view from today as I went to see the nest's progress.


Huh?!











More proof of its non-existence.











I'm just wondering if I offended the little bird. Or possibly he packed up and moved out due to the SNOW we had this morning. Possibly the wind blew his home away?

A big mystery.

If you see some offended looking homeless bird wandering aimlessly around your neighborhood - send him my way so I can organize some type of bird humanitarian project to rebuild his little abode.

Thanks.

Child Labor

The kids are home for the summer and I get to enjoy the fruits of their labor.

"Hey Connor, after you sand and stain the fence - I need you to weed the yard. Faster! Faster! You're losing daylight."

"Elora, don't forget to smile while you are taking down the broken trampoline ring. Then I need you to wash all the windows and paint the kitchen. Work! Work!"

Creature and Bear (yes, she's there too) are hunting in our backyard savannah. Check out their impressive stealth-like approaches.

Hey, this grass is getting far too long. Looks like someone will have to mow it. Who to choose? Who to choose?

Time for Creature to have a break. He's all tuckered out. I can't say I blame him after all the hard work he endured today. Catching bugs is certainly not easy. Rest, dear one.

"CONNOR - WHY DID YOU STOP SANDING?! Stop slacking and get busy!"

Child labor makes me so very happy.

Bryce Canyon and Capitol Reef

I'll try not to be too sappy - but can I just tell you how much I LOVE Southern Utah - Bryce Canyon National Park, Capitol Reef National Park, and Zion National Park in particular?!

When I first married Todd, he didn't understand my obsession for the Utah desert - slowly, through the years, he sees what it is that I'm drawn to and even likes it now when I drag him down there.

If you have never been to the red desert, make a plan to go sometime because pictures just don't do it justice - especially MY pictures because I am not a great photographer. This place is just down right perty, I tell ya!

I have a lot of memories in Southern Utah. My family vacationed there frequently when I was young and I loved being with my extended family - the super fun Boyacks (aka "BoJacks"), the Burnsides (game loving party animals that they are), and especially Grandma and Grandpa Stevens with their warm and cozy trailer and stove that made the very best hot chocolate! Ah, memories. I'm a lucky lucky girl.

And here begins my narrative. Ahem.

Connor and I arrived at Bryce on Wednesday - it was COLD - and being the naive and trusting individuals that we are - we didn't think it would actually SNOW in June, so we didn't bring coats. I'll never make that mistake again.

This is the path to the rim of Bryce.













We met a few friends on the path who were enjoying some meditation and tai chi. Connor started talking to them in a really high-pitched girly ("hi friendly little deers") voice and they ran off. They were pretty ticked. As was I.










I was embarrassed and whisked Connor off to the rim, scolding and sputtering at him under my breath.

And here is the view from the rim! WOW. Just wow.









We always make it a habit to visit this cemetery. My pioneer ancestors lived in Cannonville and Georgetown (now a ghost town) and some are buried here.













Seth and Lydia Johnson's graves, my great-great-grandparents.

An abandoned home and farm in Georgetown. I would love to find out the history of this home.

On Thursday, we took a jaunt up the beautiful highway 12 to Capitol Reef NP.

Near Capitol Gorge.










An old pioneer school house.

We have plans to go next month again and cheer on my bro while he runs in the Bryce Canyon half marathon. (Yes, I had originally intended to run in this race, but not surprisingly, I have not trained at all sufficiently. So - you can expect a "laziness" rant about that in the near future. Goodie for us all).

As always - it was a fun trip!

If you look closely in the pictures - you might see slivers of my heart. DOP!! I promised I wouldn't delve into sap territory. Oops.

Road tripping with a teenager

My 15-year old son and I went on a road trip to Bryce Canyon (my beloved) for his graduation from junior high. We talked about really annoying important things like video games, future dreams, Matchbox 20, getting his Eagle scout rank, girls, and his ability to create harmony in our home.

He said really sarcastic and cynical kind things like "Mom, why are you singing?" "you are the best mom in the world" and "the Native American music you are listening to is very annoying cool."

He really enjoyed our motels, particularly the one at Capitol Reef National Park because of the wireless internet and swimming pool splendid view from our room.

It sucked was fun eating out with him because he played with the salt and pepper shakers and knocked over his water which spilled all over me and into my purse was so polite and refined.

He was a really curt and gruff great conversationalist. When I asked him how he was enjoying his trip, he acted as though it pained his very soul to utter more than three words launched into a lengthy discourse of the positive attributes of the trip.

We have wanted to go on a trip together since he was ten years old. He was a distracted teenager warm and tender-hearted son who was anxious dreaded going home because he would rather be with anyone but me me than with his friends (yeah right).

Here are the only a few pictures he let me take of him:

Actually, Connor, you were totally fun and I loved every minute I spent with you! (But that's our little secret).

To Nurse or Not to Nurse

I need your opinions.

For as long as I can remember I've wanted to be a nurse. I've been once again mulling over the thought of going to nursing school.

The sight of blood doesn't creep me out (vomit's a different story but maybe I could get past that) and I thoroughly enjoy helping people. Besides, I think there is something inherently rewarding about being a nurse. I think living your life by trying to ease the suffering of others lends a certain contentment at the end of the day. Also, there is a huge shortage of nurses and I worry about the future of our country's healthcare. I have more time on my hands now that my kids are older. Okay - those are the pros to being a nurse.

Here are the cons (and there are quite a few).
*I'm old - 38
*Doctors - they have a reputation of being rude and demanding to nurses
*It will take at least two years to get the degree - the faster programs are considerably more expensive.
*Patients dying
*My dad and husband need my help with their real estate business (maybe I could do this on the side?)
*Do I have it in me to go back to school?
*I'm old - this seems to be a big hang up for me

So what do you think? Should I go for it and ignore the fears or are the fears trying to tell me something? Please give me your honest thoughts. I can take it... =)

Josh Groban

I asked Todd to stop by Deseret Book on his way home from work yesterday to pick up a cd that I wanted. He came home with a Josh Groban dvd that was filmed at the concert we attended last August. It came out a few weeks ago. I just have to say that it was the best concert I have ever been to.

Here are two clips from it. The first is of Josh Groban singing "In Her Eyes". The second clip is from a guest violinist - Lucia Micarelli. She is unbelievably talented. The first part of the song starts out pretty slow - but you need to watch the entire clip - it is sooo good. No one has posted the dvd version on youtube so I found a clip that was taken at the actual concert. Actually, I think this clip is from the same concert a few weeks earlier - but the same performance. Enjoy!



You really need to watch this entire clip - it gets good! Trust me. =)