Wednesday, June 1, 2005

June 2005


June 4, 2005 - Letter from Mom and Dad on their mission to Cambodia
Dear Family,
Just a note about the property, you do need parking and turn-around space.  Between all of you, decide what to do with the minimum impact on Roger’s farming operation.  When we get back home we will see about a permanent graveled solution to the problem as well as a picnic pavilion, trees and lots of other things.  I have great plans on how to spend your inheritance.   

Another thing that comes to mind is the approach to the property off of Hwy 66.  I asked Wilkinson’s to fix it last year and it never got done.  I believe one load of road base and grading so that it drains away from the highway would fix the problem we have with potholes along the edge.  Get it fixed; there is money there in the account to pay for it and Gwen has the checkbook.

I can’t remember whom I talked to about getting the watering system going down on the property, I think it was Zac.  Anyway, there is a little twist knob on each of the zone valves that needs to be tightened.  Then in the box by the controller there are some little drain valves on the back-flow prevention device that need to be closed.   Four of them I think.  It just takes a quarter turn using a screwdriver to do that.  Then, there are four little plastic caps that need to be replaced.  I think they are in a little bottle inside the box.  Anyway, I know you will figure it out.  The key to turn the Richville water on is in the blue shed.  Of course you will have to re-attach the suction pipes that pull the water out of the hole in the ground.

Is there water in the hole in the ground that you can pump out of or will you have to use the Richville water?  Last year it did not come up until June 10th when they started watering the fields, but the creek has been much higher his year.  Has Roger watered anything yet, has he cut the hay?   Did he plant oats with the new alfalfa?  How is it doing?  Let us know, we are interested in what is happening there.  Wish we could be home for half a day to help get everything going.  Next year it will be a breeze for you.

Worrier that I am, I would like a to have a screen of some sort put in the pipe where it takes the water underground in front of Marks to prevent anyone from being washed into it.   Something like we have on the pipe down on the Welch ditch would be fine.  If you do something, I know it falls on Zac to make the screen.  Thanks Zac!!!  Any expense, Gwen has the checkbook.

Hope every one is fine.  Keep writing. 
Love Mom & Dad (Grandma and Grandpa)

June 6, 2005
Note to Mark:

I'll call Wilkinson's and get the road base project going.   We'll grab Zac and get down to the property sometime this week and get the watering going.  What night would be good for you?  Or if you are busy we can still get it done, it is sooooooo hard to get everyone's schedules to match.   You'll have to point out to Zac exactly where dad wants that screen, and we'll get him started on that.  As far as the parking - I wish Dad would have pressed the issue last year with Wilkinson's so it was DONE down there, and Roger could have planted around it - as it is now, I guess we could just disk up 20 feet along the bottom and hope this will work.  Let me know.  Thanks,  Gwen.

June 7, 2005
Note FROM Mark

Gwen:

I have no clue what dad is talking about when he mentions a screen...I've never heard him talk about it so I don't know where he wants or what he means.

It was Zac who was trained on how to plumb the well and sprinklingsystem.  This last time that I mowed you could tell that the ground was getting harder and looking like it needed water.  I can help out any night but Tuesday.  We really should get watering as soon as we can.  When you think about it it's amazing we haven't watered one drop and it's June 5th.

Regarding the turnaround, couldn't you just cut away with the lawn mower a section big enough to turn around and then keep it mowed?  It probably wouldn't get tromped on consistently enough to kill it, and
then it wouldn't be as muddy when it got wet.  When Dad gets back and finally decides where he wants it (which will probably be slightly different than where we put it) you'll still have hay growing and not
have to re-plant.  Why it wasn't done the day he had the road installed is beyond me ????

Email me back or call me with when you'll be down there.
Mark

Letter from Mark to Mom and Dad

Dear Mom and Dad,  
We just got finished hooking up the sprinkling system at the property and all went well with just a couple of hiccups.  It's hard to believe that it's June 8th and we still haven't watered down there.  The rain keeps falling frequently enough that it just hasn't needed it.  Although our lawn has needed it more than the Property, we've only watered a couple of times and have used the Richville Pipeline Water to do so. 

We had heavy, heavy rain again on Monday and Tuesday and cooler temps (it snowed for a bit Monday) and we probably could have stretched it our until next week but we figured it was time to get it done. All went well with the property water lines.  Zac did all of the plumbing with the pump, pump relay, etc. and we used a hose to prime the line.  For some reason though it just wouldn't take when you would shut off the priming hose and hope that the pump would do the job.  We turned on the Richville Pipeline water (after shutting the valve to the well) and made sure that the pump was at least working and that the timer was functioning.  It was.  We partially opened the valve and primed the line from the pump backwards toward the well.  We then tried again using the well and all went fine.  Zac seems to think that there was air bubbles somewhere in the line that were eliminated when we back primed it.  We shut off the Richville Water completely and are now completely operational from the well. A couple of questions regarding the zones and watering.  First of all, after playing with the controller, we determined that there are 18 zones.  Is this correct?  Also, do you have any tips or suggestions on watering.  I will be in charge of watering as we are doing the mowing and I'm close. 

We weren't quite as fortunate with hooking up my pump, but we're close.  Zac whipped together the electrical and we hooked up the plumbing connections, but when we tried to back-prime from the Richville Pipeline water, the pump wouldn't allow water to go through it backwards and down into the water line for some reason (at least that's what we believe).  Our pressurized Richiville Pipeline Water would go through the ball valve when we turned it, through the filter and into the pump, but it would not go out the front end of the pump into the black, flexible PVC in order to prime the line.  We tested it with the flexible PVC disconnected and proved that this was the case. Hmmmm.  We used a garden hose from the hydrant at the creek to prime from the well instead, and that filled up in less than a half hour. Unfortunately, in the process of reconnecting some fittings our connection of the white PVC that connects the PVC line from the ball valve to the filter (which was glued directly into the filter) came unglued and we were out of business to test the pump.  Bummer. 

Here is another question for you that I couldn't answer when Zac asked.  What purpose is the filter serving and why did we put it on? I couldn't remember, and I was wondering if you could.  Is it just to protect the valves and sprinkler heads from sand so they don't get clogged or damaged?  Zac thought that it makes sense to have the filter in front of the pump to protect the pump, he thought, but not that big of deal on the other end of the pump leading to the lawn sprinklers.  It really would be easier to repair without utilizing the filter and we are unsure if we will be able to re-glue the joint.  Big deal or not if we have a filter?  Will we be battling clogged sprinkler heads?  Also, is the pressure regulator functioning or even necessary any longer?

Well, at least we're operational at the creek.  We've realized what a job you've had in mowing alone.  Although it's not physically demanding, it is very time consuming.  Jaden has been doing a lot of mowing, Spencer has been up and mowed it a couple of times (he likes to mow and feels like he should help he says), and Carrie and I have probably mowed a couple of times each. The last two weekends we've had large groups down there and everybody had a great time.  There is enough space to turn around near the well (if you use reverse) and I think that we might be able to get cars in and out without creating a turn around.  We'll need to level some of the ground out down there with a shovel as it is quite bumpy, but it is pretty spacious actually.  If you can get cars to park on the shoulder you can get by all right.  We also mowed a section of the grassy hay at the edge of the southern tip of your planted grass (where we've shot trap previously) to allow for trailers.  Spencers group had about 8 trailers and it really looked like a campground down there.  We have just kept it mowed each time we mow.  The bathroom is operational, but how do you know when it is full?  We did what you said and put in the water mixed with RV holding tank chemicals, but after looking in it both Gwen and I couldn't determine what was full, kind of full, or maybe just a little full.  Any suggestions? The dam on the creek still isn't up, but they have turned up the Welch Ditch gate and water is flowing through the weir and ditch area you've created.  We've been watching the sticks and been keeping them taken care of....they really can dam up the ditch quickly!  The dam is spilling and we heard it should spill for the next two weeks.  I'm sure that will keep the creek higher, but when you look at the mountains you can tell that the snow line is going higher and higher each day.  All in all, it's not been too bad and we haven't had too many sticks to pick up.  We've used the kids to help out and they really are doing a lot of chores in our yard also.  Jaden is our 3-hour a day gardener and we pay him to help out, so he's been doing a lot for us.  We bought some purple petunias and he planted them in the whiskey barrels, and he does a fine job mowing.  He's even mowing our yard and doing great at it.

 Roger's hay and oats are doing fine.  The oats are probably 8 inches to a foot hight, and you can see the hay at the base of the oats.  I would guess that the hay is about 3 inches high.  Gwen said that he'll cut the first crop as oats and then the hay after that later on. Roger is in St. George watching the wrestling camp that Landon and Jaden are at.  I do know that he has not had to water his crop once yet.  It really has been a strange, wet spring, and unlike any that I can remember.  I'll write again soon.  I hope this gives you a feel for what we've been doing and how things are.  We sure miss you, but know that you are where you want to be.  Thanks for all that you do for us.  I love you guys.

 Mark

June 9, 2005

Dear Mark and Zac,

Mark, thanks for your letter.  It answered most of Dad's questions but
not all.

1-     Has Roger cut the hay on Aunt Barbara's property yet? 

2-     How deep is the water in the well?

Now to answer some of your questions.  There are eighteen zones.  I believe we set it to water thirty minutes per zone and then made adjustments to catch the spots that looked too dry or too wet.  I
can't remember how often we watered; twice a week I think when it was hot.  You will just have to experiment.

I had trouble getting the pump down by the creek to stay primed.  It required using the Richville water and sometimes a hose at the well end before it started to work all right.  You may find that you will
lose prime and have to do it again.  At least we had to last year.

Mark, as far as your water system is concerned, your pump has a back-flow prevention valve built into it so it is impossible to prime line down to the creek from the outlet end of the pump, you must do it
from down by the creek.  I think that I built a small line connected to the three-inch line with a valve on it that you can hook a hose to. You should be able to hook the Richville water from the hydrant over
to that line in the well and push the water up through the underground line to your pump, which you apparently have already done.  Your pump will allow the water to flow through it toward the sprinkler system but the internal valve will not let is go the other way.  Once you get it working it may take a day or two before it gets all the air out of the line.

Relative to the filter and your pump.  You may remember, we were pumping pretty dirty water out of your well there at the house.  The purpose of the filter was to prevent sand or other small things from
getting into your sprinkler system and clogging up the sprinkler heads.  When you re-plumb the connection from your pump to the sprinkler system, I would think seriously about rigging up a flexible
connection rather than the rigid PVC.  It may well be that the filter came unglued because of the vibrations in the rigid piping.  As far as leaving the filter off and whether or not it will clog your sprinkler heads, Lance Boyce or someone in the sprinkler business could give you a better answer, as I don't know.  The suction pipe down by the creek has a screen on it that will only allow only relative small things to go through.  Nothing that would damage the pump so the filter does not have to be on the intake end of the pump.  It could be, if that was more convenient, but the purpose of the filter was to protect the sprinkler system and not the pump.

If this doesn't answer your questions, fire off another e-mail and we will get right back with you.

As for the outhouse – as long as the solids are covered with water you should be okay.  Once you see things start to pile up it is time to call the John and Company and have them service it.  When they come they will suck out the tank contents, replace it with water and chemicals and re-supply your toilet paper (I think).

On another subject, Bruce wants to use that red handled PVC pipe cutter that I've got.  There are two places that it may be.  I think it is in the cupboard on the south end of the building, along with
some other plastic plumbing supplies.   If it is not there, there is a toolbox with a rope handle (olive drab in color) that has a bunch of plumbing tools in it.  It (the toolbox) may be in the building or over
at Jason's place.  Maybe Zac knows where the cutter is.  Give Bruce a call when you find it so that he can get it (829-3700).

Love Mom and Dad (Grandma and Grandpa)

June 10, 2005 - Letter to Mom and Dad on their mission in Cambodia
Sorry it's been so long since I've written. Today I am off of work tending Camryn.  Manda had a bunch of errands and appointments to run in Ogden. She only has 3 more days of school left, and then will go to Las Vegas for the weekend (next weekend) and then back to start work on Monday at the Chiropractor's office in Layton.  This will be here externship (3 weeks) then she will work there afterwards.  Camryn will go to Diane Clark to be tended and I'll pick her up when I get off work at 5 p.m. and Manda won't be home until 7 p.m. She works until 6:30, which is a pain, but oh well.

Camryn is sleeping now.  She's been down almost 2 hours (morning nap) so I expect she will be up soon.

I guess Mark sent you a letter describing hooking up the water down at the property.  I saw your reply, but not the letter.  If you can please forward it to me as I am keeping track of them in my journal. 

Zac got the pipe cutter to Bruce.  Bruce thought it was pretty amazing that in the morning they fire off an email to you wondering about the pipe, and there you are half way around the world, and by evening the pipe is on his porch!  He was pretty tickled.

Zac's lawn is coming up good, and he is working for Dave Durrant now, and he says that is okay.  sometimes I wonder if he will ever be happy in what he is doing.

Roger has been down to St. George watching Landon in a wrestling camp/tournament this past few days.  They'll be home tonight.  I guess Landon did really well, and won his weight group, which is 160 now, by the way !!!

He also competed in the UTE SHOOT last weekend at University of Utah (football stuff).  I think I may have sent you a slideshow to watch of this.  Morgan took 1st place !!!   Tomorrow there is a Stake YM/YW activity at the Stake House, but Landon can't go because he is taking the ACT for the 2nd time.  He'll probably take it all 4-5 times, and then they take his best score.

I planted 3 tomato plants dad!!  Are you proud??  I hope they live.   They have been in for 2 weeks, in walls of water, and then I'll need to go get some of your cages when I take them out, but I'm not taking them out for awhile.  They have survived so far !!

Well, I hear the little one waking up !!

Roger has not cut any hay yet !!  No one hardly has in Morgan it's been too wet !!!!!  They say it is the wettest spring in 19 years around here.  We are supposed to get more rain this weekend, and then it should clear up.  Did I mention that we got snow on Tuesday, June 7th !!  about 1/2 an inch.  It looked like winter outside !!!

Roger planted oats with his alfalfa behind Mark's house.  It is coming up good.  Mark was funny, he asked me when the alfalfa was going to start looking like alfalfa????   I told his that was OATS !!! and to look down at the ground underneath and he could see the little alfalfa coming up. 

Zac sure knows what he's doing with the water.  Me and Mark just stood around and watched  and did what he said. 

Gotta go

June 11, 2005 - Letter from Mom and Dad on their mission in Cambodia
Dear Family,  I wish we had some of your rain to help cool things off.  This is supposed to be the rainy season but they don't have too much rain anymore.  Anyway we have a couple of more months so it could pick up.  For those who have been asking about where we live and what our apartment is like, we have enclosed some pictures.  It really is quite nice and we are getting used to calling it home.  We are all truly blessed and appreciate more and more each day the privilege we had of being born and raised in America.  It is hard to comprehend how these wonderful people survive on what little they have.  May the Lord continue to bless all of us.
Love, Elder and Sister Dickson (Lee and Veloy)


  Pictures:  1307 - This is our kitchen (half of it).  On the wall behind the door is a wicker stand with our pots and pans and next to our little oven is a two burner hot plate. 
                1309 - Our spare bathroom off our living room.  It holds our cleaning supplies and extra drinking water bottles (5-gallon).  Notice the pump on the one bottle, this is so we can get water out to cook with and not have it go through the water cooler.
                1311 - Our frig is just outside our kitchen door with the water cooler next to it and then the kitchen table next to the cooler.  We have a combined living room and dining room.  The couch is on the opposite side of the room.
                1312 - Our family front and center.  Spare bathroom on left and washing machine on right side.  This is part of our living room.
                1314 - Our office.  Anyway this is where we keep the computer.  There is a closet in this room and it could be used for a small bedroom.
                1318 - Our king size bed.  We usually sleep on top of the sheets.  There is a nice big closet but you can only hang blouses and shirts in it, nothing long.
                1380 - Here I am in my new dress next to Chhay Mom, the seamstress.


June 16, 2005
This is a Note that Mark sent me after we had had words earlier in the day concerning the property, and taking care of it.

Gwen:

I'm sorry I was a little gruff with you on the phone there at the end today.  I was frustrated mainly with Jaden for not doing a good job,secondly for our ward for not cleaning up (we had left for baseball
and they left the property looking like total shit), and then I didn't take your constructive criticism very well, when that's all it really was.  Shelly is borrowing the chairs tonight for a Relief Society
activity in her back yard and we will help her get them cleaned up and put back away clean.

Regarding the property, I honestly didn't realize (or I had forgotten) how long it takes to mow and what a chore it is, especially when you mow both ends.  Even with our fast mower it takes about 2 hours if you do it all.  Mowing twice a week it's very time consuming and I'm laughing now thinking how I suggested that we mow and you guys trim, but's thats what I did say initially so I'm totally fine with how it's been so far.  We really need to get on a schedule though and be on the same page.  Trust me, taking a whole month in one chunk sucks.

I would suggest that you mow on Tuesdays or Wednesdays (whatever works best that week) and we take it on Fridays or Saturdays (whatever works best that week).  I will schedule it to water deep on Wednesday nights and Saturday nights beginning at dark, so that will be our unofficial deadlines.  I think we should both trim each time we mow. Doing it this way will eliminate overkill on each of us and it will make it even throughout the end of the season.  If you would rather that we take the weekdays if that works better I'm fine with that.

Gotta run.  Once again I'm sorry.
Mark

Sunday, June 19, 2005 – Father’s Day
Happy Father's Day Dad !!
I know it's evening on Father's  Day (Your Time).  Hope you get this before you go to bed !!  I love you very much, and hope that your health is doing okay.  We pray for you everyday ( mom too!).  The hay is down on Aunt Barbara's and Kendells, and our property, and Orson Harvey's.  It has not rained on it yet !!  Boy it sure has been windy that last couple of days though.  I took the walls of water off of my tomatoes, and am going to put them in cages today.  Our yard is looking quite good.  We have got the front part that used to be a mass of weeds, ready to plant.  But probably won't plant for awhile, as we need to get the sprinkling stuff in, an we don't have water in our hole yet.  We will I'm sure when Dee waters behind us, but he has hay down there too.  I don't think any farmer watered their alfalfa before first crop this spring!!

Amanda is in Vegas for a couple of days with her girlfriends from Arizona.  She is done with school now, graduating with a 4.0 and perfect attendance !!  Her official graduation will be in September.

Camryn is being a SWEET SWEET girl as we are tending her.  She has slept Friday and Last night, all the way through!!  And didn't bug Grandma at all !!!  We took some way cute picture the other day and I'm getting them together in a slideshow that we'll send the website link to you soon.

Zac and CJ are busy - watching their lawn grow (front AND back) getting the baby's room ready (painting, etc.)  They went 4-wheeling night before last.  They are friends with Traci Wilkinson (Stu and Judy's girl) and Derek Glass (Jake Glass's boy - Floriene Glass's grandson)  Zac is enjoying working for Dave Durrant (I think) - He doesn't say much.  CJ is liking her new job in Salt Lake too. She is hoping it will work into a home job by the time the baby comes, as she is on the phone 90+% of the time.

Landon is playing baseball, and just started his ED Net classes last week.  I hope he can keep up his enthusiasm for these classes, and his grades !!!  They are college classes, with college professors, which he really likes the professors - says they are much better than Morgan's teachers, especially when it comes to the math stuff.  He is taking Math 1010 now (summer) an will take Math 1050 during the school year next year.  We have to pay for the books, but no the classes.  They count towards his High School credits, and also college credit at the same time.  These credits will transfer any where he goes, IN STATE.  He is also taking Theater, Speech, Science, and an online strategies class.

Well, better go for now.  Hope you had a great day !!  We look forward to your journals each week !  We'll try to do better on our emailing as well.

Love Gwen and family.


June 21, 2005
Morning -
Well Roger is turning hay, and will be bailing tonight.  Looks like we've avoided rain while the hay is down. It was about 95 degrees yesterday.  Our yard is looking great, and my tomato plants are looking good! We got a baby skunk down in our window will last night.  Kept Manda up most of the night, she's a joy to be around this morning I tell you !!  Camryn is going to Diane's again today.  Everything went well yesterday.  I'm going up in them mountains near Jeremy Ranch road to look at a cabin.  Landon has Ed Net.  Zac is taking his little car down to get the timing belt fixed. We are tying a quilt in young women's tonight.

Evening -
 Well I checked my email, and this DIDN'T send this morning, so I'll add some disappointing news tonight.  It rained !!!!! Roger was able to bale our field, but Orson's and Aunt Barbara's got too wet.  Oh well,   it'll get done sometime !!  Rog stuck some steel posts down in the window well, and the skunk climbed out !!

(Actually it didn’t (written 2 days later)  - we also put a blanket down hoping it would climb up, and it didn’t,  finally had to shoot it with a .22
Love Gwen
Take care !!  WE love YOU !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Letter to Mark from Gwen:
Which lawnmower are we supposed to use to mow the property,  the one that you and dad bought, or our own?   Also - if it's the one you and dad bought, should we plan on bring gas to  fill it before we mow, or would you rather we  made sure it was full AFTER we mowed?  Please let us know.  We will mow on Wednesday this week See you later :) Gwen

Gwen:
The lawn mower is in the west end of Dad's shed, is full of gas, the height is set to what we've been mowing at, (and of course you should use it).  By the time you're done, the tank is almost empty and it
takes 3 to 5 gallons to top it's best to top it off when you're done. If we both do this with our own gas it will be equal and the gas I use for my lawn won't ever be an issue.  To mow the entire area that is
mowable it's about 1.5 to 2 hours.  Bringing your mower would cut that time in half I guess.

I trimmed on Saturday, and I think that we really only need to trim it weekly, but there is really a need to do general clean up and stick control.  There is also some general pruning of the branches that are
growing out low on the big trees that needs to be done in my opinion before it becomes a huge job.  I think that if we split up those two jobs and consistently did it on a weekly basis we could keep a good
handle on things.  Which would you prefer, weekly weed eating or weekly stick control and pruning?

I am picking up some fertilizer and will apply it on Thursday.  This should kill a lot of the weeds and thicken up the lawn considerably. There have been a couple of issues with the pump not staying primed
that I've been able to fix, but overall it's working and the watering is going smoothly.  The water still hasn't come up in the well, but what we're drawing from is being replaced almost instantly.  I've
monitored it when both my yard and the property are drawing from it and it looks ok.  I'm sure when they start irrigating it will come up. Regarding the flowers, if you're ever down there would you please
water the flowers if it looks like they need it.  I put a pitcher by one of the barrels and we try to keep an eye on them but sometime forget.

Call me if you have any questions or email me as I check it at least once a day.
 Mark

June 23, 2005
Dear Family, sorry we are so slow but all is fine.  I am still working on this weeks journal but thought I would get last weeks events sent and also a few pictures.  They are (0036) - Our second day in Cambodia, while going to a Vietnamese Village for food and clothing distribution, we had to ferry across this river.  The approach was very steep and narrow and the ferry very rickety.  (0058 and 0067) - Another Vietnamese Village for food distribution.  It was located on the banks of the Mekong River and the fishermen were fishing with nets.  Veloy is handing out packages of powdered milk at this village.  (0370) - Lee is being measured for a new pair of pants.  He lost weight and needed new ones.
Love, Elder and Sister Dickson

June 24, 2005  (Letter I wrote to my Aunt Dawna)
It's good to hear from you too !! We are keeping busy here also.  Roger in in the middle of getting first crop hay baled, and this rain keeps messing him up.  I'm working and trying to keep up with everyone - a funny thing that happened (Funny might not be the right word, as my nose is still twitching) a skunk fell down into our window wells at the front of our house.  We tried for 3 days to get it out by putting things down in there to climb up, but to no avail.  We finally had to shoot it (in the head) and boy it stunk up the place !!  Roger was the lucky one that had to climb down in and retrieve the corpse.  Manda has finished school and is now working for a chiropractor's office for her externship.  Camryn is going to DeeDee's the baby sitters, who is the same baby sitter that raised Landon.  She is awesome, and we are so glad she is taking care of Camryn. Zac and CJ are expecting a baby (don't know if you knew that).  It' a boy, and is due in mid-October.  They are working on getting their lawn and yard all in, and redoing two rooms upstairs, one for the baby and one for extra.  That will leave only one more bedroom that needs to be worked on upstairs, and then there entire home will have had a make-over.  CJ is working down in Salt Lake for IHC, as a pharmacy technician to homebound people.  Zac just transferred from Richard Brown Plumbing to Durrant/Slate Plumbing.  They are pretty busy too !!  Landon is taking EdNet college classes this summer, and hope to have his associates degree by the end of next summer after he graduates from high school.  He's also playing baseball 3-4 times a week, and then there's football camp coming up, and wrestling camp was a couple of weeks ago, and and and.............. you can see he keeps us hopping !!  Take Care
Love Gwen and family.

June 26, 2005 (from mom and dad)
Here we are once again with the happenings of this past week.  As you can see we are like the Engergizer Bunny and just keep going and going.  The pictures we are sending this time are:
1279 - Lee loves getting his hair cut.  You can see that the barber really gives him the works.  I do worry about that straight edge razor though.
1281 - Phat and his kongbei.  He usually always fills in when Brother Som can't take us because of his meetings.
1360 - Part of our ASPECA class.  (left to right)  Chea Map (Mup), Koam Sothea, Pel Sophorn, Duong Sok An, Heng Sokchea, Chhay Srey Peo (Bo), and Sam Kanha (Ganya - who has gone to France for a couple of months).
1394 - Our young Khmae teachers we are taking to Kien Svay.  (left to right) Saom Viseth (a student and brother of Piseth), Suon Sokhom (Sew-comb), Saom Piseth (Peeset), and Noun Rattana (Raw-taw-naw).
1403 - The home and grounds the Church is leasing for the Kien Svay Branch for their meetings.
1408 - Bananas growing in the back yard at Kien Svay Branch.  Brother Som and granddaughter Clare with the guard for the property.

Hope every thing is fine back home.  We love you all, Elder and Sister Dickson

June 29, 2005
Dear Mom and Dad
Here I am sitting at my computer, wishing for an email.  Then I think - I bet  they are sitting there wishing for an email too !! We have been really busy as usual. 

Landon twisted his ankle last week Friday in a baseball game against Northridge.  He was laid up all weekend, and we were really quite worried.  He kept it iced and elevated, and it is much better.  He got an ankle brace from Coach Hoopes, and is wearing it, and was able to play in the game on Monday night.  He is taking EDNet college classes at the High School, and was signed up for 5 classes, but dropped his science yesterday as it was just too much !  He still has Math 1010, Theatre, Speech, and Online Strategies, which is PSY 101 I think.  He went up for an interview with the Bishop last night for Baptism's for the dead on Saturday.  He got dressed in a white shirt and tie without me even telling him to (truth be told, I don't think I would have even remembered).  He's a good kid. 

Zac and CJ are doing fine.  Almost got the rooms all painted upstairs (the back room for the baby, and the little room at the side with no windows, which will be CJ's scrapbook room).  Then the carpet, and they will be set to go !!  Zac said the front bedroom (upstairs) will have to wait, as he is sick of it !!   Their lawn is looking great, both front and back.  Saturday morning Zac woke up to 5 inches on his back yard, and the neighbors (Lee's) were watering at about 1:30 a.m, and went to bed and "thought" that someone would take it "up the ditch", so they were inconsiderate as usual.  Zac was pretty hot !!  However it did not wash the seeds away, and it probably did the lawn good (maybe).
CJ is starting to show (I guess she's about 6 months along).  Everything seems to be going fine with the pregnancy.

Manda is doing here externship at a chiropractor's office in Layton, which she is NOT enjoying !!  She should be done by the 13th of July.  But guess what !! Carole, one of her teacher's a CCI, who is also an office manager for Dr. Barnett (a plastic surgeon) in McKay Dee Hospital called her yesterday, and said they need some help in their office, and offered Manda a job !!  We are all so thrilled !! 

Our hay situation is not good.  Roger still has baled hay in our field, and Orson's (It's off Aunt Barbara's)  Randy Clark cut back on the amount of hay he wanted, and Roger's so called friend from work, backed out.  What a jerk.  So here we are with a bunch of rained on hay that probably won't be sold, and Roger and Zac trying to get it in the barn (Landon was no help this past weekend because of his ankle).  It just keeps raining every afternoon for the past week.  It really pounded yesterday about 3:30 p.m.  And I was asleep (really hard) but Manda said it lightninged and thundered and rained last night. 

There have been major wild fires in Southern Utah, at Pintura, New Harmony, etc.  Between St. George and Cedar City.  They have had to close I-15 a few times.  No homes lost yet. 

Me and Landon will be going to a play "Fiddler on the Roof" at Salt Lake Community College to fulfill one of his Theatre requirements tonight.  Tiana is playing one of the little sisters.

Well, I better go and get ready for work..................  A newsy letter would be nice mom..............................

Take care of yourselves !!  (Dad you look too skinny in the pictures mom sent !!)
We really are enjoying the pictures.  Can you take one of your apartment house, on the outside from a distance (kinda like you did the church house) so we can see it?  Also, a picture of Som in his car that he drives you in, and hand the camera to someone and take one (full body length) of you and Dad together.
Love Gwen and family

June 29, 2005
Dear Gwen and Family, 

It's 4:44 am here, I couldn't sleep so got up and checked the computer.  Glad to hear about Mandy's job situation.  In many ways she is a chip off of the old block (you, mom, etc.).  Thanks for writing even though the hay news made me feel bad.  We do look forward to hearing from you so keep on with the e-mails.  Since you said you were hoping for something I thought I would send a short note even though it takes me forever because of my lack of typing skills.

Sounds like Landon is buried up but it is so good to hear how seriously he takes his Church opportunities.  He is such a great example to Mark's boys and others.  Tell him to keep up the good work.

I think you are right about Zac's lawn, as long as it doesn't wash it out it probably helps.  Unlike when J Golden buried my garden and a week later Jenny repeated it.  Flooded potatoes and corn never completely recover. 

I'll put mom to work providing the pictures you asked for.  By the way, I have gained back 6 or 7 pounds and lately I have felt much better.  Keep praying for us.  Well, back to bed.

Love, Dad 
Dear Family,

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