I'm biking in Little Red Riding Hood in two weeks with several women from my ward. I'm riding with Janie Rasmussen, Andrea Blad, Stephanie Magleby, and Eva Fisher. We've been riding most Saturday mornings together, and this morning was no exception. We planned to ride about two and a half hours, and we launched off early because the weather wasn't suppose to be good mid-morning into the afternoon. We started at 6:30 with overcast skies, but not too cold. We headed up the canyon with the intention of doing South Fork then biking for a bit along the Murdock Canal Trail. We only went up South Fork as far as the park, then turned to head back down. As we turned, it started to sprinkle a bit, but not really rain. It was very windy, so much so that several times during the descent I felt like I was going to be blown over. It was cold and still sprinkling when we got to the mouth of the canyon, but we weren't dissuaded and decided to carry on for a bit longer.
We shouldn't have. About 3.5 miles up the trail, it became to rain in earnest. We turned around to head home, but we were still six or so miles from home. When we got back, we were wet to the skin and very cold. We were somewhat foolish for being a group of bright women. It took really a long time to warm up. But it was fun to ride together and I am looking forward to Little Red in two weeks.
Janie and Stephanie ahead of me.
This picture does not do justice to the weather conditions.
Water was spraying up from tires and dripping off my bike helmet.
I could hardly move my fingers to take the picture.
After getting home from riding, we all went off to our good friend David Davies' funeral. He died on Sunday as the result of injuries sustained in a car crash. Kent has been heavily involved in funeral arrangements and making sure things came together as David wanted. Kent is the executor of his estate, and David had planned out everything he wanted to have happen. He wrote his obituary, his life sketch, the funeral program, what casket and flowers he wanted, as well as specifying that he didn't want ham at the funeral luncheon. I led the music and read a poem David had written, and Kent spoke. His comments were so sweet. In fact, the whole service was sweet. It was very uplifting to be there, and while we cried, it really is a tremendous blessing that he went the way he did. David had worried for years that he was going to contract some dread disease that would render him unable to take care of himself and he would have to be in a nursing home, so to go as quickly as he did was good. We went to the cemetery after the funeral and then back to the church for lunch. We were glad to give David such a fine send off. I'll include Kent's talk at the end.
The children and I did not stay for the luncheon after the funeral. I grabbed a plate of food and we went to Ava and Lyla's dance concert. I wasn't originally planning on taking Brandt, but Kent was wrapped up in funeral/Davies family stuff, there was an extra ticket, and I felt it would be easier to have Brandt with me than bored with Kent. We all liked the performance and Ava and Lyla both did a great job.
Although the weather was supposed to be rainy all afternoon, it was, in fact, quite sunny. We got home from the dance concert about 4:00pm, and it was beautiful out. Kent got home just a few minutes after we did, and we all went out to be in the yard. Kent had the church's microphone/speaker from a priesthood activity last night, and then children immediately wanted to do a performance. They came in and got the box of instruments, then demanded that Kent and I come watch. It wasn't a stellar performance, but we'll chalk that up to lack of practice or preparation. Brandt played a "cha cha" with sticks, sand blocks, and maracas, and Blythe same "Patsy's Train," a song she's learned in school. Brandt and Blythe were both very keen on giving us audience instructions, "no cell phones, no flash photography, emergency exits in the back." We were heavy on instruction and light on performance.
They performed in the garage while we sat in the driveway.
When the performance ended, we got to work in the yard. The yard is looking beautiful. All the rain has certainly allowed all the plants to thrive and things look amazing! I'm loving it. I trimmed the pine tree, taking off lower branches to give the bed underneath a bit more light. I'm going to plant some more things under there to give it a better look. In Kent's opinion, I trimmed a bit too much. We didn't have enough room in the green garbage can for all the limbs, but I'll fill but the bin again Thursday. No big deal.
Brandt also mowed the front lawn. Brandt has been asking to be able to mow (for pay) instead of having our neighbor, Porter Oyler do it. Kent felt he was tall and strong enough to do it, so Brandt has been mowing the front and Kent has been doing the back. Today, Brandt was out working in his Sunday shoes and black socks (left overs from the funeral--grrr) and his plaid shorts. He looked like a 70 year old man from Long Island mowing the lawn. Today he mowed his name into the lawn, stopping only when he had finished his "masterpiece" and wanted to show us his handiwork. We were impressed, but not so impressed to let him leave it. Kent remowed. I'm not paying this week.
Here are some pictures of the flowers in the yard. Everything is really, really beautiful!
peony, poppy, bleeding heart
berkwood daphne, something I don't remember, panies and English daisies
While not entirely complete, here is Kent's funeral talk.
Lessons I have learned from David Davies
1. The
Lord loves all his children:
When we got the
call about David's accident, my first
uncharitable response was to be critical of David's driving. My 7 year old daughter let me have it:
Dad, David Davies is heavenly father's creation
and he loves him. And he is your
friend. You shouldn't say mean things
about him!
2. It's very easy to judge, but why should
you?
3rd Nephi 14
2. For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged; and with what
measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.
3 And why
beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but considerest not the
beam that is in thine own eye?
4 Or how
wilt thou say to thy brother: Let me pull the mote out of thine eye—and behold,
a beam is in thine own eye?
5 Thou hypocrite, first cast the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast
the mote out of thy brother’s eye.
To look at David, it was easy to think of things he
might have done better.
He cut his own hair with varying degrees of
success. His favorite clothier was
Deseret Industries and he was his own tailor.
Some of his socks were probably older than I was. Occasionally people would give him a few
dollars as he stalked the aisles. He
would just smile and say thank you. He
was not prideful or concerned about what people thought of him.
3. People are not projects. Early in our friendship, because I am so smart, I tried to make improvements in David. It was arrogant of me and always frustrated
both of us. When I focused on his
admirable qualities instead of his shortcomings, our friendship was much
better.
David's Admirable Qualities.
1. David was
hopeful. Despite feeling rotten much
of the time, he constantly surprised me with his childlike good cheer. At lunch or on the phone, he loved making
puns and jokes. Even after years of various disappointments, he continued to try. He sent off his artwork to many many publishers,
hoping to get published.
2. David was
creative. He was always working on a
new drawing. He compiled books and
ultimately made thousands of cartoons. He wrote poetry. He loved beautiful objects, even broken
ones. Many of the things he bought were
broken and just needed a little work to be whole again.
3. David was
generous. It gave him great pleasure
to give some treasure he found to someone else.
He was eager to point out how the thing he gave you could be displayed
or used. If it was some tasty treat, he
always told you how he liked to enjoy it
4. David did
the best he could most of the time.
He loved family, and children, and desperately wanted to start a family
of his own. He served his parents in
their last days and was haunted by having to put his mother in a nursing home
for the last little while of her life.
But instead of forming his own family, he did temple work for
others. His favorite activity at the
temple was sealings, where he could represent another father or son as families
were given the chance to be together for eternity.
What
David now knows.
1.
There
is life after death.
2. God loves
him completely.
3. His mother has forgiven him completely for
putting her in a nursing home.
4. It feels wonderful not to be unwell.
5. If feels wonderful not to be fearful.
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