Fireworks and Basalt Rocks

 Oh hi cowboy Joe,

How was the farm? We got a couple of pics, you are looking good, plus, it’s the first picture I’ve seen of your comp not pulling a face.

This has been probably the most patriotic week I’ve had in my life. Not the fake, stupid, Maga kind of patriotism that is all scared and exclusionary, but the old kind that means you are happy to be and participate as an American. It started last Saturday with the air show, which you already heard about. Wednesday night we went to aunt Patti’s for her traditional cook out. Artie made some pretty good burgers and hotdogs on the griddle, there were lots of good side dishes too, including aunt Stella’s potato salad. After we went up to the fireworks. I can’t tell you if they were any better or worse than years before, but it was fun. I do think it was more crowded this year though. I did really miss you.

We stayed up late that night. Artie took the boys on a super late night burrito run, and they also watched a movie after. The rest of us just chatted till about 2 or so. We got up relatively late, about 8 or so. Mom helped with breakfast, which was really good. After we took a drive up to Kamas to drop Artie off at some fancy resort his company is buying or has bought. It was really fun and aunt Patti bought us a bag full of gas station treats. We finally got home and chilled out for a while, we were tired. But that night there were fireworks late into the night. I was too lazy to go watch, but I do like the sound of it.

Everyone was home from work on Friday. I worked that day, but it was nice to have everyone around. Saturday morning we got up to go on a rock hounding adventure. Mom is planning on having Ben give her kindergarteners a lecture on geology and rocks. So we went back to Pahvant Butte, the place where we went with uncle Tim and Jordan when Jordan dropped the muffins. Mom made breakfast burritos, I dropped half of mine in the car and got overly grumpy over it. The drive down was fun, and we drove up to the top, it was fun. Bens like a narrator of the formation of the volcano, of lake Bonneville, and of the composition of the basalt rocks. We ate the same hamburger place we ate at with uncle Tim and Jordan that time.

When we got home, mom went to do a shift at the temple, I went to go wash the car. Then I got home and was feeling guilty about not making progress on painting our bedroom. Mom keeps dropping hints about it. I have to admit that the portion I did get painted looks worse than before I started. The ceiling will need another coat, and I could only reach about two thirds of it because I was too lazy to move the bed. I suspect I’ll have three or four more sessions just on the ceiling. I hate painting.

Today was church. Ward missionary week is this week, so I’m trying to get things ready for that. Our ward does pretty well with that. 

Coming up this Friday is Billy Joel, so we’re looking forward to that. I wonder what your situation is. I assume that by the time I send this you know your transfer fate. You’ll have to let us know. 

Well kid, I love you.

Pops