More from Ronald Reagan:

"We can not play innocents abroad in a world that is not innocent." ... sounds familiar.
"No matter what time it is, wake me, even if it's in the middle of a Cabinet meeting."
"Republicans believe every day is the Fourth of July, but the democrats believe every day is April 15."
"Freedom prospers when religion is vibrant and the rule of law under God is acknowledged." ... amen !!!

Ronald Reagan, past 40th U.S. President passed. My first recollection of Ronald Reagan was watching "Death Valley Days", a telly program of the old west in the '60's... with him as host. History will be kind to him. I also recall a comment he once made when he thought he was off-mike before a speech: " I have signed legislation that will outlaw Russia forever. We begin bombing in five minutes. "... a link !!!... his disdain for the former Soviet Union ( U.S.S.R. / C.C.C.P. ) most evident.

Ray Charles has also passed...

The "Kid's" status: Phone installed, cold water hooked up, satellite TV hooked up completing the entertainment center ( VCR/DVD/Video Game console/Satellite TV ). Still using our shower/bath and relying on grandma, Gail, for meals. Richard needs to finish the propane hook-up for their hot water, heat, and stove. My Father-in-law has been cleaning his/Chrissy's pool in preparation of the coming hot weather. The pool's just a three year-old's stone's throw away from their home... I hope Richard and Chrissy lay down the law with my grandkids ( (7) year-old David and (3) year-old Ashley )... shudder !

David's parents purchased a larger motorcycle for David, my grandson, last week, a Kawasaki 60cc, that he's just barely able to handle. This makes the third motorcycle David has had since he was two years old ? Yup !

Gail's van developed a coolant leak on Tuesday, the day I had volunteered to help the Elders out in their ministry. I had to cancel, apologetically, mid-afternoon. It was hard enough to get Gail to allow me to use her van and then 'this' happens. Elder Talbot, kindly, said it just wasn't meant to be... and then he 'dropped the other shoe', an odd English/American colloquialism, meaning he then offered his own bit of news...

Elder Talbot has been re-assigned... I'm bummed again. Both mentors who introduced me to the Church now re-assigned, Elder Thompson just a few weeks ago. Though I personally don't like this policy of moving the Elders around every 6 weeks (+/-) I sort'a kind'a see the wisdom. Met Elder Lindsey (sp?) on Thursday when he and Brother Delaney dropped by to see Chrissy and Richard. Elder Lindsey is quite affable... he's from Hawaii and previously missioned in Stockton... he'll complete a good 'team' with Elder Green.

Stockton... one of my worst memories as a teen. I hated the area. My Father relocated the family there in the late 60's for two of the longest years I can remember... from the San Francisco Bay Area. The only fond memories of the place was bowling in the Junior High School league at West Lane Bowl... though we lived closer to Pacific Avenue Lanes; and the high scholastic level of my classes... on a par with what I had experienced in the Bay Area ( the scholastic level only to drop on relocating again ... sigh ! ). These were the days of busing kids all over the bloody place to balance the schools racially. I had lived such a sheltered life in Seattle and the Bay Area that I had no inkling of the diverse ethnic concentration differences between locales. I dreaded to get on the bus... even though the bus crowd was not ethnically mixed - it was sometimes rowdy. I would become fearful sometimes, probably for not much reason, and would, on occasion, walk home to avoid the stress of sharing the bus... a long walk that gave me pause to think and clear my mind of thisses and thats. Jung, Nagata, Eiler... classmates... good 'guys'... hope they prospered spiritually and worldly. I have a bad habit of leaving friends behind and not staying in touch.

Weather... 80°'s Fahrenheit predominate... a fair breeze on Monday through Thursday to cool things down a bit, albeit stirring up the allergens... two hanky days. Picked up some generic "Claritan D" on Friday to help with my breathing at night with the apnia mask. I've been ever so congested that I had to 'bite the bullet' and go the med route for a while so I can get a decent night's sleep.

Gail's Birthday... Gail, my wife, celebrated her 48th birthday by going with her parents and my Daughter's family to Lake Tahoe for a bit of pull-pull ching-ching. I was sort'a invited, but quarters were cramped as it was in the two vehicles with five adults and two children, and, coveting my peace and quiet ( and recent LDS affiliation ), I preferred to stay behind. Gail said she had an o.k. time, but came back with a terrible sore throat from inhaling the second-hand smoke offered up by the casinos... her voice still hoarse through Friday.

Gail's and my 13th Wedding Anniversary ( of our second marriage [re-marriage] )... no celebration: I wasn't able to set any money aside, for family reasons, as I have in the past for a brief getaway or dinner... maybe next year... ?

More house repairs... replaced a hose with a pin-hole leak from the hot water heater... coincidence ? We went without hot water for the better part of a week for one reason or another.

" The Missionaries "... bless them.

" Nightmare "... Very few 'tiles' to work with. Another warm-fuzzy poem by Bobby Nichols

" REMnant "... The same 'tiles' as before ( Nightmare ) ? O.K. A little bit of tweaking along the same motif as "Nightmare", but not as dark. Again... REM ( rapid eye movement ) a state of sleep conducive to dreaming... 'remnant': that which remains.

" Canvas Dynamique "... a Haiku: I, like most people, find beauty in the dusk and dawn skies. I love the way light and shadow will play on the various forms of clouds while the skies change, ever so swiftly, the colors dancing to time.

" The Brook "... a Haiku: The photo included a village nearby... but why ruin a nature poem with the mention.

" A Flower "... a Haiku: The first of many ?... a flower depicted.

" Gold Country "... a Haiku: The photo similar to a spot on the south fork of the American River where the Coloma "California Gold Discovery " site is... just down the hill, not too far, from where I live. The poem most easily rendered, though not likely memorable.

" Gold Fever "... a Haiku: Another photo of a stream/river with what appears to be the foothills of home.