Home Improvement, Bongos and Birthdays

Sept 27 was my Friday off work. I got the big (and dumb) idea that I wanted to use the extra leftover gallon of paint from my hallway to paint the garage. There were just a couple of problems. 1) There wouldn't be enough paint and 2) It was too expensive for a garage anyway. I ended up buying some not so cheap but as cheap as I could find primer, then tinting it a tannish color which really turned out to be a pinkish color. It tickled me that I could be the only person in the U.S. to have a pink garage and nobody could be mad about it except me. I took a break at 11:30 to go watch Karen play her congas at the Sunshine Terrace with Petersen's little blue grass band. They sound really good, especially the drums. I even got to play a few songs on the "citrus." Tonight I went to an Aggie football party at mom's and watched the Ags beat San Jose something like 40-12.

On Saturday, Karen came over and helped me all morning prepping my garage for paint. We peeled off much of the old deteriorated joint tape and remudded. I noticed Karen didn't even get any on her hands while I "used" my hands to spread the mud and even had blobs of it down my neck. I'm sure I had the most fun though.

                                Karen scraping off the old tape

Kathi looking surprised and stupid. This is before I really made a mess.

It was too nice of a day to be spending working inside so Karen and I took her dirt bikes for a ride to the Quarry
up Providence canyon and then up Millville canyon. The more I ride a motorcycle, the more nervous I seem
to be. I was glad it wasn't on mine. I spun out trying to follow Karen to the top of Prov canyon. She had to
come help me get unstuck. That was my first wreck. The second crash was trying to come down Millville
canyon on the steep rocky trail. I was using my legs to steady myself and when I used the front brake the tire
just spun out and I went over, impaling my chest on the handlebar. I quickly got up hoping that the driver of
the truck I had just passed hadn't seen it. About 10 seconds later I did it again only this time I went over
the bike and slid down the road a few feet. This time the truck driver did notice, got out and asked me if I
was okay and if my brakes worked. I was so embarrassed. I eventually made it down all the way. A lady
on a four wheeler told Karen that "her husband" (me) had fallen over and might be hurt. She also yelled at
Karen for passing her. Karen, while her heart is in the right place is always getting in trouble. I ended up
with a few scrapes and lots of bruises. I always get excited though when I can take spills like that and make
it home without having to make a trip to the ER. We made it home in just enough time to quickly shower
and make it to the LDS RS broadcast. It was really good but I couldn't help noticing how President Monson
is aging. What a sweet man he is! 

Sunday was Amanda's 21st birthday so I decided to surprise her and Jon and I showed up at their Sacrament meeting. She played the piano for the Primary program. That's always my favorite meeting. I found out later 
it was Nolan and Ezra's today as well. I had brought some rolls and a frozen lasagna for lunch but the power
 was out so Jon fixed cans of soup on the camp stove. After lunch Amanda, Jon and I rode out to visit Justin's family. Ezra always greets me with squeels and hugs. Nolan is much more serious. We were sitting there with 
Nolan sitting across from us asked, "So...will you 3 be spending a few days here?" It just was so funny the way
 he said it...so serious. I got to spend some quality cuddling time with little Lucy and rocked her to sleep. She 
is so dang darling and sweet! On my way home I stopped to see Daren. I left a bottle of pears on his porch and doorbell ditched. He took it in. I left another one. This time he looked around and found me hiding. He and his 
family had all been sick and he let me know they don't eat pears. He has been working hard on his latest
 halloween creation....a standing corpse. I didn't stay long but at least got a hug out of him. 

Amanda's birthday loot