Sunday, 29 June 2025
No wonder we’ve no bird seed left.
Monday, 30 June2025
It’s a Moose. Don’t panic!
Now here’s a joke, we must have had the dumbest cockers ever. But they are fun dogs with amazing character and great with kids.
Are Cocker Spaniels smart?
Cocker Spaniels are incredibly smart dogs. For obedience and working intelligence, the English Cocker Spaniel is the 20th smartest dog breed. They are easy to train, which means that owners should have no problem at all teaching them new commands. Also, as a working breed, Cocker Spaniels love learning new skills.
Can you believe it this 12 year old was sent home from school for wearing a union flag dress on the schools “Culture Day”. What a bloody woke and liberal society the UK is becoming. Headmaster should be sacked.
Tuesday, 01 July 2025 Bike ride down to the coffee shop in the morning with Michael. Wow, hot and sunny. For dinner we go with L&M to the Route 32 Bistro at Kamas for dinner. Fairly cheap, food was ok. Shrimp and grits was not anything to write home about.
Wednesday, 02 July 2025 Wow what a busy day. Lead an easy hike with Sharee for the Independence Day Party at Jeri’s. 36 on the hike, it really was like herding cats, too many. As usual there’s those that don’t bother or can’t comprehend the hike description and end up turning around. Lunch was very good but Mike and I had to leave early has Wendy had a flat tyre. So it was over to mikes to pick up the pump. Over to pantry to over inflate the tyre. Drive it to tyre shop. Leave them to fix it whilst we nip over to the lock up to pick up Mikes BMW. Then back to pick up car. There was a screw in it but they fixed it for free – how’s that for service. Then drop car off for Wendy. Followed by a Speg Bol for tea.
Europeans love to malign America, but did you know that Americans actually take most European critiques as compliments? Here are eight European criticisms that Americans will actually say “thank you” to!
1. You guys have enough guns to blow up the world four times over!: Heck yes we do.
2. You don’t speak any language but English: Because we’re winners. Appreciate the reminder.
3. You call football “soccer” and you’re terrible at it: Yeah, we’re not all gay. Thanks for noticing!
4. Nobody uses public transit: Absolutely. Isn’t freedom amazing?
5. You still believe in God: Thanks, pretty cool having the light of Reason.
6. You have military bases in every country: Aw, you’re welcome little bro.
7. Your portion sizes are ridiculous: We know, isn’t this 72-ounce steak beautiful? Brings tears to your eyes.
8. You don’t have universal healthcare: Yup, it’s pretty cool getting to see a doctor instead of waiting until you’re dead.
Keep the encouragement coming Europe!
Friday, 04 July 2025
Independence Day, so as usual we go over to the Oakley Parade, Mike and M&L join us. It’s an awesome small town parade. Epitomises all that’s great about America. How anyone can fail to be proud of America just amazes me. Flags everywhere and even 50 flags along the road in Oakley. So much better than PC parade as they throw out candy, we’ve a big bag full ready for when the kids come over.
Such a pity we don’t have parades anymore. Heaven forbid we should offend anyone.
In the afternoon we have a barbecue with friends.
Then it’s a quiet evening in once everyone has gone. Marianne invited us to the Glenwild Fireworks, always a great display, but it was at 2200 and there was a lot of heavy rain marauding around so we gave it a miss this year.
Sunday, 13 July 2025 In the morning we get 2 hours of Pickleball with Dave, Sarah and Mike up at Glenwild. Great court with free cold soft drinks – sure shitin in the tall cotton again. Forgot how good Pickleball is when you play with fun people who just enjoy it and don’t care what level you are. In the afternoon Wendy and I take a very hot stroll around the neighbourhood. Then in the evening we go over to the Blue Boar Inn again for dinner with Mike, Dreann and family. Food was as good as always. It was so warm we sat outside in the back yard. What a glorious evening. What a busy week ahead, Monday I lead an Easy Hike then dinner at Sarahs; Tuesday, it’s a bike ride with Mike, then Wendy actually has to cook tea and we’re off to a concert in the park with L&M; Wednesday I lead a bike ride, then it’s shooting followed by dinner at Sylvias; Thursday an easy morning with a stroll, airport run and Costco in the afternoon, then it’s Mike’s birthday party at Marrianne’s; Friday it’s a bike ride, bowling in the afternoon and TGIF in the evening; Saturday we’re going to the Pioneer day concert and fireworks at Charleston; Sunday dinner with Dan and Jo. Wendy’s forgot how to cook.
If only:
https://x.com/i/status/1945823805852582096
Thursday, 17 July 2025
Mike’s birthday tee shirt.
Bike ride. Airport run to take Carol and Angela to airport. Coffee shop and Costco whilst we’re down there.
Then in the evening Marianne throws a birthday party for Mike’s 83rd birthday. Great evening awesome food, wine and company.
Friday, 18 July 2025
And Mike’s other birthday tee shirt. We just couldn’t resist, so appropriate.
Saturday, 19 July 2025
Early morning hike with Mark and Joe up Charlies 9K. It’s an easy out and back with great views.
My very first corn dog smothered in honey.
And for dessert its a deep fried Oreo – awesome junk food.
How does a community of 436 souls – vast majority Mormon – afford such a free extravaganza. Events have been going on all day to celebrate Pioneer day.
Line dancing.
Charleston is a town in Wasatch County, Utah, United States. The population was 436 at the 2020 census.
The community was named after Charles Shelton, a first settler.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 1.9 square miles (4.9 km2), of which 1.7 square miles (4.4 km2) is land, and 0.2 square miles (0.52 km2), or 10.16%, is water.
In 1858, trapper Aaron Daniels moved to a place on the Provo River just north of where Charleston is today.
The first farmers put in crops at Charleston in 1859, and the first houses were built by George Noakes and William Manning late that year near Noakes springs. Manning and George Noakes were the only residents until 1863 when a few others moved in. In 1866, there were about a dozen families, and after that, the population began to grow even faster.
Sunday, 20 July 2025
There’s a Moose on our trail. Time to turn around.
Friday, 25 July 2025
Bike ride with Mike down to Kimble junction. Then ten pin bowling in the afternoon. In the evening we drive down to the airport pick the kids up. They’re all shattered.
Saturday, 26 July 2025
Grandkids are up at the crack of sparrows fart (0500). Plenty of noise and they’re hyper, but really great to have them. Jasper wants to go a bike ride at 0600.
After breakfast we let them have all the toys, mainly dolls and girly things, Wendy has bought for them from the Christian Centre. Awesome, a bedroom full. They’re so excited.
Sort out their bikes and then they’re all terrorizing the neighbourhood.
Mayhem, the kids have arrived. The UN have declared our lounge a trip hazard.
After lunch they all swan off down to walmart. I give it a miss.
Sunday, 27 July 2025 Fiona and I do Bub’s death march up Spring Trail.
Then in the afternoon Mike comes round for dinner with more candy for the kids.
Monday, 28 July 2025
In the morning lead a hike with Jasper and Kurt around Snowtop.
Whilst in the evening Mike comes round to babysit the kids whilst Wendy and I take Kurt and Fiona to the Blue Boar Inn for dinner. Awesome food and Swiss hunting lodge ambiance.
Tuesday, 29 July 2025 Mike takes us all to the Lagoon. It’s a theme park with a water park inside. Spend the morning on the rides. We take Esther on the kids rides whilst Mike and the rest do the white knuckle rides. Then in the afternoon we all go to the water park.Great place hardly any queues and a great mixture of easy rides for the younger children and plenty of white knuckle rides. An awesome 9 hour day, hot and sunny. Leave at 1900, exhausted.
Wednesday, 30 July 2025
In the morning I lead an easy bike ride.
In the evening Wendy and I go to the Oakley diner with M&L. As awesome as ever.
Awesome historic landmark. Great junk food.
Thursday, 31 July 2025 Off on an early morning bike ride with Mike and Jasper. Then the remaining adults go shopping whilst I look after the rug rats. In the evening Jasper, Beatrix, Kurt and I go to the Heber Rodeo and fair. Fair’s not up to much but the rodeo is awesome, especially as we get free tickets thanks to a kind lady in “Will Call” who gave us them free because they couldn’t process my credit card. Awesome. A great evening and the kids enjoyed it. Esther got a pair of cowboy boots because she was too young to go to the rodeo.
Never mind she’s going to the one next Thursday with Wendy and Jasper.
July 2025 has been a non-stop ride of hikes, bikes, BBQs, birthday shenanigans, parades, spontaneous deep-fried food consumption, and enough socializing to make an extrovert beg for quiet time. Here’s what we’ve learned: