8/30/2009

Dear Rosalynde, Gabrielle, Naomi, Brigham, Rachel, Benjamin, Abraham and Christian!

You have missed an exciting week in La Canada Flintridge. It is the kind of exciting that I would have liked to miss myself. It took a few days, but I think the fire has made the national and international news. The fire started small on Wednesday afternoon a few miles up Angeles Crest Highway near the ranger station. It did not appear to really flare up until Thursday, and then it started to attach La Canada. When I was at the John Ferraro soccer fields near the 134 -5 Freeway interchange on Thursday for my soccer game, I could see the fire seem to explode, with high plumes of smoke and red flames shooting high into the air. The fire was on the north side of the hill, so the mountain ridge glowed red from behind. The next day, the fire started burning down the hill. Since there was no wind (thanks be to God), the fire did not whip down the mountainside. Friday evening and night, the fire reached the base of the mountain next to the Johnsons and others in La Canada, including the Bishop. Saturday, the fire continued to explode east and west into Altadena, and west into La Crescenta and Tujunga. In addition, the fire is burning north through the mountains toward the antelope valley. Today, the fire still rages. The valley was covered with smoke. It was like fog. The sun made its way through the smoke only as a red ball. By the end of church, enough of a breeze had occurred that it cleared the smoke out of the valley. I do think that our clothing is likely to retain some smoky smell. We can still see flames tonight. But everyone in our Stake seems to be safe. One consequence of the fires and smoke is the cancellation of school tomorrow. La Canada High School has been used as an evacuation center.

Soccer report time. I wanted to be in shape for the game, after missing last week. I rode my bike to the Rose Bowl Monday evening, and ran Tuesday and Wednesday. So I was okay for the game on Thursday. In fact, I am probably in better running shape than anyone on my team. By the end, I was the only really sprinting from both teams, and I won a lot of 50-50 balls that I was not winning in the first half. Nevertheless, the game ended in a 0-0- tie. We were not too disappointed, since it was against the third place team. Then I sent out a notice on Thursday night for a Saturday afternoon game. Friday night, with the fires and smoke in the valley, I almost sent an email canceling the game. In fact, the smoke was no bad on Friday that I decided not to ride my bike to the Rose Bowl and back. But Saturday morning, the breeze had pushed the smoke out of the valley, and I decided to play. The temperature was about 100 degrees, but cooled a few degrees by 4pm. A slight on-shore breeze kept the smoke out of the valley. We had a good game, with about 13 people, but we only played on ¼ of the field, so we did not do all out running.

Saturday morning, Mama went to a CES training that lasted until she returned at 2:00 PM. But her responsibilities were not yet over. She then had to drive to Victorville in the afternoon to speak to a single adult conference. She finally returned about 9:30 pm in the evening. So she had a very full day.

But the best part of this week has been the arrival of Rosalynde and Naomi, with their new babies. At first, they were a bit reluctant to come to me, but that has certainly worn-off now. I think they are my friends now. One time when Polly wanted to cry, I went out in the backyard, like I did with many of you, to walk around. I sat in the swing, but that meant I was too comfortable, so Polly insisted that I get up and walk around. So I did, but I got a soccer ball and started kicking it into the net. That fascinated her – so I know she likes soccer. It is so fun to have two babies in the house again. I even held both of them like I used to hold Rachel and Jacob. I’ll attach a couple of pictures. I have enjoyed talking to Rosalynde and Naomi. This evening, Naomi took my big truck – the Megacab – to pick up her colleagues at the airport and drive them to Palmdale, where they have presentations this coming week. I told her that her colleagues would be very impressed when she drove up in the truck! So I think she will be commuting to Palmdale in my truck for a couple of days – reimbursed by her employer. She has enjoyed driving the truck, so Dave, you know what to get her for Christmas.

Eva has been recovering from her lingering bout of the flu, and then the fire came. So she has not yet been training with the cross country team. I assume that will come later this week.

At Sunday dinner, John Gardner, who had just returned from attending the Studio City ward with a friend of his who is a girl, and then thereafter attending the Glendale Singles Ward, told us about living in Sacramento. Then, when Rosalynde finished her conversation with John and her kids, we got into a discussion the necessary and sufficient conditions for exaltation. I told Mama that I would be clinging to her apron strings.

That’s all for now.
Love Daddy