Regional Conference

Today we had one of those regional conferences broadcast from SLC. Pres. Packer was the concluding speaker. There are many stories of people meeting Pres. Parker in an airport or other places when he was less than warm and friendly. His remarks today were full of humor, stories from his past, and as warm as a beloved grandfather speaking to his children. He counseled us not to live in fear in these troubled times but to pay our tithing and follow the gospel principles.

He briefly talk about Satan coming to earth with is angels. He said that Satan's angels use the same wavelengths in communicating to us as Heavenly Father's angels do and so we must be very careful that we are not deceived by them. That is all he said on the matter. I drew my own conclusions that if any of our inspirations are going against known doctrine or the brethren then we must know it is not of God.

I found very little difference in the inspiration of a televised conference than if we where being taught from our own pulpits.

Love Dad

The End is Near

We have little hope left but to make our street a gated community. Mervyns is closing. That was the canary in the coal mine for our part of town. The former Wendy's, Burger King, and Long John Silvers are now taco shops. The former Bashas is a Food City. We do still have dollar stores and payday loan centers.

Actually 3rd street is one of the nicest cul-de-sac streets in the whole area. Hold on to that thought.

Errol

Pear Harlequin Jelly and Choke Cherry Syrup

This week I had a nice visit with Julie had John. They were down for Rubys baptism. Julie brought us some home made Pear Harliquin jelly and Choke Cherry syrup.

I decided a handwritten thank you letter was in order. I told Julie how much I appreciated the home made preserves and that it brought back memories of home and Mom.

I went on to say that it does not matter how old you get sometimes you just want to go to your Mom and Dad and tell them you are having some problems. I didn't realize that I was overdo for a good cry but it happened after I wrote that sentence and it was a gusher.

I finished by saying that Mom and Dad probably already know of our challenges and are part of a prayer circle on the other side in our behalf.

I appreciated Elder Wirthlins conference talk about how all of us have or will have challenges but we need to focus on our many blessings and find humor where ever we can.

We do that most of the time.

Love Errol

Why I was "B" student

Why I was "B" Student in High School and for that matter in Collage as well

The reason I was "B" student is because I wasn't an "A" student. I wanted to be an "A" student. My sister Julie was valedictorian of our H.S. My sometimes girlfriend Patty Child was an "A" student. My good friend Lamar Walker was an "A" student. If you were on the honor roll they published your name in the Star Valley Independent. I was determined to make the honor roll but it just didn't happen.

If you were a "B" student and member of the national honor society you got to wear a nice white sash over your robe at graduation. I was determined that I would at least wear the white sash at graduation which I did. I also spoke at graduation as senior class president.

The Call line of our heritage has sporadic genius level members. This has shown up in some of my children. As to economics, our one son who barely graduated from high school for lack of interest now makes more money than any of the rest...

In a non related memory from collage I was required to take one chemistry class for my major. This class was taught in one of the amphitheater classes with ever rising rows of seats. The seats we first sat in became our assigned seats for the semester. Most of the students were nursing students, thus were female. I found myself between two of these BYU coeds. The one on the right was of cover girl variety, with skirts that could have at best barely met BYU standards while she was standing. In sitting position there was a lotta leg showing. I can only guess what the view from the professor’s pit was. On my left was a coed who, to be kind, was of the very plain variety and she had bad breath, as well.

When taking a test we would lean over the 12 square inch pull up desk top and I had my choice of a model’s legs on one side or Miss bad breath on the other. Maybe that is why I was "B" student in collage as well.

Errol

contract driver

A couple of weeks ago I got a 50% raise. Mind you 50% of nothing is not much but in this case it actually is something.

 

My route went over 30 hrs. so I am now intitle to health,dental,vision,life,disablity, insurance as well as 24 paid holidays,sick and personal days off. That is over a month of paid working days off in my  9 month work year.

 

Since I had no health ins. at my age this is really quite a big thing. Although I don't work in the summer the benifits are in force in the summer.

 

That along with getting an A.C. bus within a few week period was quite overwhelming for this semi retired guy. Dad

A.C. Bus

 Well it is mid Sept. in Arizona. The weather has modified and we are once again able to put away suicidal thoughts and remember why we live in this southern desert. Some of my students have even started wearing sweater to school in the morning.

 

Monday I went in to get my bus keys and the dispatcher gave me a new set of keys and told me my bus was parked in a different place. I was almost afraid to think what this meant. I boldly went out to see if I had been promoted or demoted. It soon became apparent that I was parked in the newer air conditioned section. My bus was last years model with only 17,000 miles on it and a big white A.C. unit on top. I had arrived.

 

I thought the receiving of an A.C. bus should have been accompanied by a little more fanfare. A group of bus driver forming a path waving their brake sticks over you or some store bought sheet cake or the like. As I thought through that a little more it occurred to me that some of those drivers would have been driving for years without having an A.C. bus and I have only been driving for months so they may be trying to hit me with their brake sticks rather than hail me.

 

I put on my sun glasses turned on the A.C. and drove out of the yard trying not to make eye contact with anyone.

 

I couldn't wait to see the reaction of my students. I had told them we had been promised a new bus because of this high mileage route. I did not tell them it was going to be an A.C. bus. Most were properly impressed with the newer style bus and they were really impressed as they noticed the cold air coming out of the holes in the ceiling.

 

After I got them all on board I asked them what they thought. I got a resounding approval. I then said there is only one problem that I see with this bus. As they could see and feel there was cold air leaking out of the holes in the ceiling and I would try to have that fixed by the afternoon run. That brought a resounding disapproval.

 

I wonder if I will miss seeing their red sweaty faces in the passanger mirror..........

School Bus on Fire----sort of

My bus has sort of been on fire ever since school started on the 10th. It has been over 100 degrees each day and high humidity. I am driving 95 miles a day now and I have come home each day dehydrated and exhausted.

 

This Wednesday I was on my first afternoon run with just eight students still on board when I noticed in one of the seven mirrors that I can look backwards in that brown smoke was coming up from the engine outside the rear window.

 

Seeking an expert second opinion I turned to the nearest student and asked if he saw the smoke. He did. That was good enough for me. I put the air park brake on,turned off the engine, and said "Everyone out." They didn't have to be told twice. They were out and orderly went  down the sidewalk 200 ft. and stood in a group. They had had evacuation training. I have not yet.

 

At this point I went on the dispatch radio gave my location and announced that I had evacuated my bus because of smoke coming out of the engine and I was now leaving. I was supposed to throw the mic out the drivers window so I could continue talking to dispatch without reboarding the bus but I forgot that part.

 

I went now to my cell phone to call dispatch. Connie calmly asked me if I had put the reflectors out in front and behind the bus. Hadn't got to that either. I'm thinking if the bus catches on fire I'm sure people will not run into it.

 

Soon the director of transportation arrives in a van. Next the head mechanic arrives in a truck and within 15 minutes a replacement bus had arrived for me to continue on with my route.

 

It turns out that the fan had come off the radiatior and the smoke and mist was just the cooling system blowing off steam and smoke.

 

Just another day in the life of a school bus driver.  Mr. B...