Sunday, August 24, 2008

Harvey at Utah Lake

We wanted to take the RV out and invite Jeff & Christina and their family. Utah Lake State Park is only a couple of miles away and it also gave us a chance to take Lexie with us to see how things would work out with her. She did great but we could tell she was very warm and a little nervous. So we took her home that night and then came back to the RV to spend the night with Abby and Charlie.

I cooked ribs in the dutch oven for dinner. While they didn't turn out as good as expected, they were well received (as Charlie proves below).



We also roasted marshmallows, a favorite activity of camping. Some liked theirs cooked well done, others just wanted to play in the fire!

Reed's Birthday

We took little Reed out for a birthday dinner, in celebration of his big 04. We decided he might enjoy Cabellas, with all the stuffed animals, shooting gallery, and interesting, if not unusual, restaurant. He seemed to enjoy it.

Harvey Gets a Workout

In July we took Harvey to North Dakota to attend DeeAnn's stepfathers funeral. It's always a long drive so we break it up coming and going. On the way out, we stayed the first night in West Yellowstone at a very nice KOA campground just outside the city limits. The next day we drove the remainder of the way.

It was nice to visit with family. We also had a chance to see some of the Indian mounds outside of Mandan & Bismarck. I found them fascinating.



We parked the RV outside DeeAnn's Dad's house for the first few days and then up to her sister Vicky's home for the last night. That put us closer to Turtle Lake so we could attend the services for John.

Review - The Lost Sheep


I didn't think I'd read it so fast, but I just finished The Lost Sheep: My unlikely odyssey with Billy Blankenship by Jeff Call. Kevin Russell is a 11-year-old boy who tries to keep his distance from Billy Blankenship, the local troublemaker. When Kevin and Billy, in the same ward, get a new Primary teacher, she assigns Kevin to become a friend to Billy to see if this lost sheep can be returned to the fold.

Kevin soon learns his friendship has bounds, as he takes blame for some of Billy's shenanigans. As he gets in trouble at school, church and at home, he learns what is most precious in the world.

This was a very touching novel. It's only 178 pages but read extremely fast. It was touching to see Billy change and for his relationship with Kevin improve. There is also a very touching sub-plot as Billy befriends a new kid in class, Danny, who is deaf. Billy's father life is changed as a result of Billy and Kevin. It is a great story of redemption and repentance. Oh, by the way, it is definitely a LDS story.

I have no idea what to read next. I guess it may hev to be something to re-read or break in to some of the boxes at the library.

Review - Plague Ship

Since the library is not yet opened, I don't have access to a descent collection of books (heavens forbid I'd actually use the Provo library!). So I actually bought a book, Plague Ship, by Clive Cussler, the fifth novel in the Oregon Files series.

The series premise is that the Oregon is disguised as a derelict freighter but actually a high-tech, modern marvel of the seas that is used to undertake tasks governments can't really do legitimately.

In this novel, the crew of the Oregon comes across a cruise liner that has bodies lining the deck. After investigation, the crew discovers a lone survivor of what appears to be a biological chemical attack. But as the crew investigates further they discover the connection to the Responsivists, a fringe group dedicated to the premise that the world cannot survive the continued population of the world. Responsivists, as part of their membership in the group, are sterilized to prevent the overpopulation of the world. The are seeking the same with the rest of the world in order to save the planet from a sure doom. But, of course the crew of the Oregon has different ideas and seek to prevent the cruel attack on the world.

This was an enjoyable book, better than Cussler's last. Once again, I'd recommend it for an adult reader. The content of birth control may be too mature for younger readers as would be some of the more violent scenes and intentions of the book. But there is little else that is offensive.

Next up is The Lost Sheep by Jeff Call.