Tagged

Our good friend Marla decided that we should be tagged/tasked with the following items. Since Diane is the key blogger and she is in Salt Lake with Robyn and Avery, she said I should respond to Marla's tag. A little background on Marla. She was one of my young single adults when I was bishop. She and I became good friends. We still e-mail each other so we can stay in touch and Marla can let us know what is going on in her life. Marla reminds us of Hilary Swank with her mannerisms and how she holds herself. We decided this after Diane took me to see PS: I Love You. During the movie I kept trying to think who Hilary Swank reminded me of. It was Marla.

Rules: Answer each question about yourself, then tag 5 people by posting their names and leaving them a comment on their blog.

10 Years Ago: Ten years ago we lived in the great town of Placentia, Orange County, California. Someone asks us where Placentia is and I tell them it was near Disneyland. We always reflect on how we could hear the fireworks every night in the summer between 9:30 and 9:35 p.m. It was great. Placentia is a great place to raise a family. The Placentia Stake has so many good people. On May 3, 1998 I replaced my good friend Bob Murdock as bishop of the Placentia 1st Ward. I had the blessing of being his counselor and executive secretary for a good part of his service. I learned a lot from Bishop Murdock. Robyn graduated from high school in 1998. She started her BYU career in the summer. Michael was all of 13 years old. I had the opportunity to attend scout camp with him. I loved it. The Laurel class came over and planted our front flower bed. I cried when I saw what they did. A few of those young women who served us I later had the opportunity to send on missions.

Things On My To Do List Tomorrow: Go back to work. I’ve been home sick for two days and it has been miserable. The doctor said I don’t have the flu but I do have a nasty cough and feel kind of crummy. Tomorrow night I plan on being in the temple. Diane has been two times this month and I haven’t been once yet. Diane is in Salt Lake taking care of Robyn so I thought that would be a good way for me to spend a Friday night without my wife. It doesn’t get much more exciting than that around here.

Snacks I enjoy: Seeing as I love food and love to eat, this is a tough one. My morning snack at work is the Trail Mix bars you get at the grocery store or Costco. Since we don’t have a snack machine at work I have to bring in my own. When someone brings in the Krispy Kreme’s I have to help myself to one of those. One time I completed a fully scientific evaluation and study of Krispy Kreme donuts. I wanted to know which were eaten first, the standard glaze or the chocolate glaze. I was certain it would be the chocolate, at least that was my theory. On two occasions I purchased two dozen glazed and two dozen chocolate the individuals I work with. The study was clearly the glazed donuts. The two dozen glazed were eaten at about a two to one ratio. Diane and I like to also eat the raw almonds. They are a great snack.

What would I do if I were suddenly made a billionaire: I would pay off my kids houses. Somehow we would figure out a business we could get into where we could all work together and sustain us. Diane and I would plan out the year for trips we would like to take. We would have to have a house here in Tennessee, one in Salt Lake, and one in California.

3 Of My Bad Habits: Pepsi says it all. I do settle for Coke when Pepsi isn’t available. I love chips and salsa at the Mexican restaurant. I did say the “D” word last summer when I slipped mowing my lawn and landed on my leg.

5 places I have lived: I’ve only lived in four places. Salt Lake City, West Valley City, Utah, Placentia, CA, and Brentwood, TN.

Jobs that I have had: My first job, besides mowing my parents lawn, was at Fred’s Burger Chalet. I was the pearl diver or dishwasher as most people call it. By the time I left I was the night manager making a whopping $1.75 an hour. Considering I started at $1.20 an hour I thought I was really making the big bucks. After that I’ve spent all my life in the automotive world. I worked at Mate’s Foreign Cars. This was a Peugeot, Citroen, Land Rover, and Alfa Romeo dealer. I then worked at Randy’s Datsun which became Clark Datsun in North Salt Lake. Eventually Bob Clark sold the franchise to Jerry Seiner. I was the first Nissan Master Technician in the state of Utah. I then had an opportunity to work for Nissan North America on their technical hot line. Moving to Southern California was a blessing beyond measure. You could say I’ve had the training manuals I’ve written published throughout the world.

Things most people don’t know about me: My life is pretty much an open book. Diane and I agree that we do most things the hard way. For instance, going to the University of Phoenix was definitely NOT the easy thing to do, but somehow we got through and lived to tell about it.

Seeing as I don't blog a lot I have to go on Diane's list of people to tag. Of course Kimberly, Robyn, Michael, Tina, and Jeremy Murdock should tell us a little about themselves. As a matter of fact, I think Vivian should also pass on a few words of wisdom.

Happy Valentine's Day to all of you.
Diane,
ILYSM

Mild Temperatures/Mean Tornadoes

When the outside temperature is in the high 70's in the month of February, and there is a cold front moving your way......watch out! When those two conditions mix with each other the result can be deadly! Yesterday they did, and it was! Although the sirens went off several times last night, the tornadoes passed by us without leaving destruction in our neighborhood.

This was my choice....either I watch Fox News for the election results or I watch "Stormtracker" as tornadoes were being tracked coming in our direction. It was actually a hard choice at first, but as the weather became more severe, the tornado watch won. I was glued to the television wondering if those big red cells were actually headed our way. At about 8 p.m. the sirens started blaring and the news people began giving warnings to everyone from county to county to take cover. They would say to turn the volume up on your television and go to your safe place. That way you could still listen and know when all was clear in your area.

I went to sleep with the television on and the blinds open. I don't know why I thought having the blinds open would help. I just felt like I needed to see the lightning before I heard the thunder. Our neighbor called asking if they could seek shelter in our basement, if necessary...so I also left the back door open just in case. So...with the television on, blinds open, back door unlocked, and only one eye shut...I looked over at my D.H. and wondered how in the world he could sleep through it all...but he did! At least one of us got some sleep last night.

People around here say they'd rather have tornadoes than earthquakes. As for me, the jury's still out on that one. I will say it's a good distraction on a bad election day.

All kidding aside, these tornadoes left a path of destruction. Our prayers are with those who have lost their homes and their loved ones. We are counting our blessings.

The Best is Yet to Be...Happy Anniversary!

Today we have been married for 31 years....yes 31! Where has the time gone? Look at the faces of these two little kids who had no idea they were going to grow up and marry each other. Here's my anniversary wish which can be summed up in these words written by John Lennon...

Grow old along with me

The best is yet to be...

When our time has come

We will be as one

God bless our love

God bless our love

Grow old along with me
Two branches of one tree
Face the setting sun
When the day is done

God bless our love
God bless our love

Spending our lives together
Man and wife together

World without end

World without end

Grow old along with me

Whatever fate decrees

We will see it through
For our love is true

God bless our love
God bless our love

Happy 31st Anniversary!

I love you!

I didn't want Diane to have all the fun so I thought I would add my tribute to Diane.

Hi honey,
Why is it when I think about you I have to smile? I guess because you bring so much joy into my life. When looking back on time I wonder where the years have gone. Yet I so look forward to the future with you. 31 years ago 31 years seemed like a long time.

At 51, 31 years isn’t long enough. You bless my life in so many ways. You greet me at home almost every day. You feed me and keep me going. You look after my health as much as I let you.

You continue being my best friend who I share everything with. You are the joy of my life who make every minute worth living. We don’t know what eternity will be like, yet I know I want to be with you. Thank you for being my friend, my lover, my partner in life, the mother of my children, and the woman of my dreams. Oh how I love you. I truly do love you so much (ILYSM).

Thanks sweetie for a great 31 years and for another 31 or so together here in mortality.

As Buzz Lightyear said, “To infinity and beyond”.

Happy Anniversary sweetie
I love you beyond measure
Bob