Hero and Loser

 Oh hi kid,

I’m getting a late start on this letter this week. The weather has been so nice today and yesterday with rain and sun. The grass is thick and green, all the trees are filled in. It’s that perfect May weather before the heat sets in.

I kept pretty busy this week both at work and at home. Work wise, everyone was in the office from out of town so there was a lot of energy starting the week. A lot of new people have started so everyone is kinda posturing and showing off and trying to be super professional. I think it’s more important to trust that the other people are professionals and build relationships. Not the fake kind, but something to build trust and teamwork.maybe we’ll get there. I have some big projects I’m making progress on, but I didn’t finish them last week, all that busyness brings a lot of little make work projects with it. On the fun side, I went to lunch with my friend Vince on Friday to this place called Grove’s market. They might be the best sandwiches in town. I got tuna but Vince got this hot pulled pork that looked amazing. The sandwiches are huge, our whole family could easily share two. Maybe we’ll go that week you’re home. 

Speaking of that week. Mom and I have had lots of ideas. Red Iguana for Molle, the Church history museum, SLCC, This is the Place, shopping. Aunt Patti is going to make pozele for you. But you may need some down time so don’t be afraid to tell us what you need and what you want to do, or not want to do.

This week I’ve nearly finished the fireplace and that wall. The fireplace is finished, minus the wood top which will be up this week. Maybe tomorrow. The mantle and wall are painted, the wiring will be done tomorrow. Things are looking pretty good. Now I want to finish the rest of the room, but at my pace, it may not get much farther than this before you get here.

Also this week I was kind of a hero and a loser mechanically. Thursday night Joe stopped at Domino’s on the way home and the little Jeep wouldn’t start. He called so obviously I dropped everything and went to go help. I didn’t have the wherewithal to take any special tools or anything, but I keep the 4Runner pretty well stocked so I wasn’t super worried about. I figured if I couldn’t get it going, I would just pull it home. As I got there he was eating his pizza in the car and chatting with mom on the phone. I asked him what was going on with the Jeep and he said it was completely dead. That was encouraging because I thought it narrowed down what the issue was. I had him pop the hood, reached into the battery cable and told him to fire it up. The look on his face when it cranked up was priceless man. Every once in awhile I feel like you boys might think I know what I was doing. Then on Saturday morning I went to go fix the crank position sensor on grandma’s little car. In theory, it’s an easy fix, but in reality, this little plug is on the bottom of her engine, behind the transmission, above the half shaft. I could either position my body to see the part or to reach the part, not both. I got the wire plug off, I got the bolt out. But the part was stuck in there. I did it at grandmas house so I didn’t have all of my tools at my disposal. So after 90 minutes all cramped under that little car I called it and gave up. I put it back together. Even though I didn’t get the part changed it ran well in the test drive. We decided to take it to a mechanic, but if the bid was too expensive, I would bring it home and try again. I feel bad about not fixing it, but at least it’s running. 

Today Joe got released from being first assistant in the priests quorum. He’s ready. Bishop said he needs to wait for his birthday to start being interviewed for the Melchizedek Priesthood, so next week I assume. Ty Marchant was called as the new first assistant. He’s a really good kid.

We came home and had a snack and then went to the cemeteries. As said earlier, it was a perfect day so it was really beautiful. We went to see grandpa”s first. His head stone is in and it looks really nice. On his headstone is an angel Moroni symbol signifying that he’s LDS. I probably shouldn’t be, but I was impressed by the vast majority of the stones there bearing that symbol. Then we went to see my grandma and grandpa in West Jordan. I make it a point to clean the headstones and trim the grass back. I just don’t want them to look forgotten. Then we went to see my parents, brother, and other grandma in salt lake. 

We stopped to visit grandma on the way home. It’s nice to have her to ourselves once in a while. Mom did mooch a pound of bacon off of her defying my “we won’t be the family that mooches of of grandma” mantra. Mom hates it when I say that out loud in front of family. We came home and had steak chunks for dinner. Mom does those so well, but my anti fat guy shots make it so I don’t feel like eating too much of them.

Tomorrow we have the day off for Memorial Day. We’re just going to dink around here, so message us and let us know when you can chat.

I’ll finish this up. Your probably already asleep. Love you kid.

Pops.