September 27, 2009
Dear Rosalynde, Gabrielle, Naomi, Brigham, Rachel, Benjamin, Abraham and Christian!
Christian, I hope you have everything set for your MRI. I believe the insurance information went through to Uncle Tracey’s office with the updated fax number you gave me. I have purchased basically “catastrophic” health insurance, meaning that I pay a deductible of up to $3,500 per person, $7,000 per family (the premiums are lower). So I pay out of pocket most routine medical care. Our family has been blessed with very little “routine” medical care, but I am grateful for the “catastrophic” health care coverage – without which Jacob’s illness would have been overwhelming. And I am grateful that Gabrielle has good health insurance as well. In any event, I will have to write to Uncle Tracy to ask him to schedule the least expensive yet competent MRI that he can find.
For us in La Canada Flintridge, we seem to have had another typical late September week. The Santa Ana conditions (without the winds) have made it very hot here. I wish for the return of early August weather! I think it has been in the 100’s.

The air conditioner in Mama’s car has not been working. So she drives her car to seminary I the morning when it is still cool, but drives my truck in the day time when she goes to teach or has to go elsewhere. On the subject of cars, mama took her car to the smog check station (required for license renewal) and it did not pass. So she took it to Advance Auto to get it tuned up to pass the smog test. I hope she will get the air conditioner fixed at the same time. While on the subject of vehicles, we will soon be down to a two vehicle family. My lease on the Laramie expires on Oct. 5. I have about 200 miles left to drive, and I might not make the full complement of 48,765 miles. So I told Mama if she has to drive long distances this week, to take the Laramie so we get full use of the miles for which I have paid. I am not planning to exercise the option to buy it – unless I have a change of mind. The exercise price I think is currently above the fmv. I looked at a used Kia Borrego a couple of weeks ago, but it was not at the right price. So I guess I’ll be driving the Megacab for a while to work – although I will not be able to fit into my parking garage – I have to go down to the next block in the Macy’s parking structure. And finally, I believe Eva will take her written driving test next Tuesday, after which she can sign up for on the road driving training.

Even though it is a month away, I am getting excited about our Zions Narrows hike with Eva. Hopefully Mama, Benjamin and Christian can make it, but if not, Eva and I will have a great time. It will be October 23-25, with the hike on Saturday Oct. 24, and travel late Friday and early Sunday morning.

Do any of you remember the Hamburger Hamlet chain of restaurants? It features hamburgers (and other entrees) and double chocolate fudge cake. My client just bought the chain of restaurants this week, which has been keeping my quite busy for awhile. (I should have put into my engagement letter that I get free meals for a year!) So next time you are here, I will have to take you out to dinner there.

Friday evening, Mama sponsored a social for her occidental students. Mark Whitlock, who was at occidental before his mission, also attended. He said Mama is a great lady and really helped the students there. They were a diverse group, bright, and good kids. I didn’t get home until after 8:00 PM, but they had had pizza and other food. I am glad they came. I wanted to ride my bike, but it had a flat tire. So I changed into my riding clothes and went into the garage to patch or replace the inner tube. I fixed it up, put the tire and wheel back on the bike and went to ride. For some reason, the wheel warped, and the tire no rubs against the frame on every revolution. I couldn’t ride it. Instead, I came inside and ate. Saturday evening I took the bike to Sport Chalet to see if the bike person there can “true” the wheel so I do not have to replace it.

Saturday morning, I worked at my desk here at home for awhile, waiting for Eva to arise so we could play tennis. However, she needed to sleep until 9:00 am. So I went to my office and worked until after 3:00 PM. I came home, looked at the score of the BYU football game, then I got ready to play soccer. It was lower 90’s by the time we arrived at the field, and it cooled a bit thereafter. We had a fun game. We started with about 17 (at 4:40 pm – when everyone should have arrived at 4:00 PM), but soon we had well over 30 players. So I stopped the game and divided the group into three teams, and we rotated in. speaking of soccer, I also played Thursday evening. We started with 10 players, and then eventually two more came. We made two silly defensive mistakes (keeper, mainly) and trailed at half 0-2. But we dominated the 2nd half and scored two goals to end the match in a draw. But we still have not won enough to make the “play-offs”. So my last game for the summer-fall season will be October 10.

After soccer on Saturday afternoon, Eva met me at the Cornish on tennis courts. We played tennis for another35-40 minutes before it began to get too dark. Eva is improving with each outing, as she is mastering both the forehand and now the backhand. Hopefully, we can do this every week.

I changed by running and biking time to the mornings this week. I will continue it until we have more daylight next spring.

I finished reading Robert Millet’s book, A Different Christ? The Christ of the Latter-day Saints. I have now started to re-read Joseph Smith: Rough Stone Rolling, which I did not finish the first time around. I also managed a few articles in Scientific American, National Geographic, The Atlantic (on-line – I did not subscribe – this comment for Mama’s benefit) and First Things.
That’s all for now.
Love Daddy