Unkie Jotz

I managed to migrate south for five days or so. Wade was desperate for me to come down and resetup the computers that were returned from the feds, and I needed to register my truck and get the emissions tested. So Sunday I drove to Mom and Dad's and spent the night.

We had a lot of fun Sunday night going through my box that Mom has been sorting from all of her other boxes. I found all kinds of old school assignments, certificates, and reports. I especially enjoyed looking at my old report cards and Iowa tests. I really liked going to school way too much. I think I didn't miss a day from 1st grade to 5th grade. I remember in 4th grade being rather sick and puking on the bus. The bus driver, none to thrilled with having to clean that up, was adamant that I go to the office and call home to leave school. She wanted to escort me, but knowing that the Iowa test was that day I somehow convinced her that I could find it ok on my own. After which I promptly went to class anyways. I only had to leave once during class to make an emergency stop at the bathroom to puke again. It was either in the middle of a test or just after it ended. I can't remember how I managed to take the bus home and have the driver see me again. For some reason getting in the 90 percentiles was so enjoyable to me.

I also found a letter from Mimi, my great-grandmother, that was dated 15 days after I was born. I think the postage on it was something like a 17 cent stamp. Oh how times have changed. I bet most of the kids don't remember Mimi, but I do. I remember going out to Buckeye for family reunions every Christmas time. Mimi was on oxygen at the time. I believe we always got stockings out there with all kinds of nuts and fruit in them. I remember Aunt LaRae's farm and the old Free Mason Lodge where we'd have the party.

Monday in the early afternoon I got to the office in Scottsdale. But I got the bug that's been going around sometime the Thursday previously and wasn't feeling too well so I didn't stay long. So I went to Sister's new house. Rebekah was cute as always, and Isaac loves his bowling for sure. Nathan is as precocious as is his nature. Fortunately the bug was already at Sister's and the kids were sick or had it and Dwayne was sick already. So I didn't feel bad staying with them.

My stay was all too short. It didn't help that every night Rebekah would ask, "Unkie Jotz, are you staying tonight too or do you have to go?" Even Isaac calls me Unkie Jotz now. So I got to play with the kids a lot and tuck them in every night. One morning Nathan was not feeling good and was fussing. He wouldn't be consoled whether his dad held him or put him down. I was feeling pretty rough and a screaming kid wasn't helping me out either. So I got up and snagged the boy. I calmed him down a little and we had a little nap together. At first he was laying on top of me, then I managed to get him to the side. For a bit he even was on my chest at a 90 degree angle. After a couple of hours I woke up. As soon as I started to stir he got up and proclaimed "All done!". I think that was the first sentence I've heard from him. After our nap he was a lot happier and so was I.

I didn't pass emissions the first time, I had a vacuum leak somewhere in a fuel line return for some sort of emissions. Dwayne and I found the problem. A little 2 inch section of hose. Very lame indeed, but the offending hose was replaced. I also replaced the windshield wiper pump and installed a backup camera so I can see behind me while in reverse. Also we got a new computer for Sister by trading my time with Wade for one of his extra ones. It helped everyone out as he is hurting for money right now so he didn't have to pay me in cash, and Sister got a new computer since her's is giving up the ghost and is pretty old anyways.

After a quick stop to Grandma's I rushed off driving most of Thursday night so I could make it back to Provo for a noon meeting on Friday. I listened to Truman Madsen's Joseph Smith lectures on the way down and Andras Schiff's lectures on Beethoven's piano sonatas the way back. Both very enjoyable. I'd tell you about them but I'm sure nobody is interested in that stuff but me. There you have it, now if I could just kick this cold I could get back to normal.