I thought you were the mother...

"I thought you were the mother?"

That's a classic line from my story repertoire. It was spoken by twelve-year-old Rachel Goldbaum, the little girl who lived next door when we moved to La Jolla.

When Rachel uttered the famous (amongst us) line, Andie and Webb were four and two and Rachel dropped in (which would soon become a daily occurrence) to scope out the "new kids on the block."

The age difference didn't impede a wonderful friendship because Rachel's seniority was diminished by her down's syndrome. She adored the Knudsen kids and they loved Rachel dearly.

But on that first day when Rachel was curiously checking us out she wandered through our house asking Andie and Webb endless questions: "Where will you sleep?" "Where is the playroom?" "Do you have a dog?"

But the doozer was when Rachel came into the kitchen and I was moping the floor (on my hands and knees, mind you). Rachel froze, watched in silence for a minute, and then quizzically stated: "I thought you were the mother?"

Well, my kids looked flummoxed! In their world my behavior (scrubbing floors on all fours) was exactly on par for a mother's duties. But from what we quickly gathered, in Rachel's world, this didn't compute. For Rachel, the mother and the maid were not synonymous. It took some explaining for my kids to understand why Rachel was tripped up by viewing a mother cleaning.

I immediately worried that we might have bought a home in a neighborhood that was out of our league. If moms in this cul-do-sac don't do housework I'd soon be quite the anomaly.

Fortunately it turned out that Rachel's perspective was not indicative of all the moms on the block. Phew! And Rachel soon figured out that some women are the mom and the quasi maid too.

Rachel became a fixture, dropping in most afternoons, and we looked forward to her visits. Whenever our doorbell rang, 9 times out of 10 it was Rachel, standing with her hands behind her back, urging me to pick the hand that held the flower she just plucked from my front yard to give me (or give me back in an altered state if you want to be technical). So Rachel's question about my role (mother? cleaning help?) is understandable. Clearly she had some confusion over who owned the flowerbeds in our front yard too.

From holiday correspondence with our former Jewish neighbors, the Goldbaums, it sounds like Rachel Goldbaum is still happy, healthy, and thriving (she must be about 36 years old)! Or, as Andie might say to describe Rachel: "What a cutie!"

Science, Religion, & Truth...in Forbes Magazine!

Yesterday I shared a Clayton Christensen quote from the feature article in Forbes Magazine. During his health struggles Clayton learned turning inward only made him miserable; while focusing on others gave his life meaning and joy.

At the end of the Forbes article I was really touched when Clayton sneaks a testimonial of his religious beliefs into a business publication. It's short and sweet (very Clayton like) but gives the final word.

After all the discussion about his heart attack, his cancer, and his stroke, in the end, Clayton finds truth in his belief in a loving God who created him. I hope Forbes readers will notice the fact that while Clayton is a brilliant scholar, his crown jewels are not accolades in the business world but his gospel beliefs and his family.

Although Brent and I only knew the Christensen family well during our years in the Belmont Ward together in Boston, they are one of the finest families we've ever met! Following is the conclusion of the Forbe's article on Clayton:

"When I was at Oxford, each one of us had responsibility for three or four families in our congregation, which we call a ward. Another student at the university and I were assigned to look after quite a poor family.

I learned that their 10 month-old baby, Wendy, had been in the hospital for six months. She couldn't digest anything. Wendy had the body of a newborn, but her face looked like a 10-month-old's. They had decided nothing could be done. So my companion and I said let's go see Wendy, and we went there and understood the situation. I then had a feeling in my heart, which I feel came from the Holy Ghost, that in this case God wasn't trying to bring her home. Wendy was sleeping. So we put our hands on her head, and through the power of God and authority of the priesthood, blessed her. And she got better.

I don't view it as mystic. I believe that God is our father. He created us. He is powerful because he knows everything. Therefore everything I learn that is true makes me more like my father in heaven. When science seems to contradict religion, then one, the other, or both are wrong, or incomplete. Truth is not incompatible with itself. When I benefit from science it's actually not correct for me to say it resulted from science and not from God. They work in concert." - Clayton Christensen, Forbes Magazine, March 14, 2011

The Survivor!

Clayton Christensen is on the cover of Forbes Magazine! Forbes calls Clayton "the Survivor" after all his health challenges the past two years.

Clayton was already a diabetic (diagnosed back in 1982), then in 2007 he suffered a heart attack, followed by a cancer in 2008 and a stroke in 2010! Talk about a series of unfortunate events! In just three years!

The Forbes article is fascinating and details the diagnosis and treatment for each of these life threatening conditions. There are quotes from Clayton's kids, his friends, his doctors, colleagues at Harvard Business school, and other business partners interspersed throughout the lengthy article.

Towards the end there are two quotes from Clayton that I love! They are both classic Clayton and I adore the fact that they're found in Forbes magazine! Not the Ensign! In other words, Clayton is no chameleon; he's the same guy whether he's featured in a business publication or a church testimonial. His beliefs are constant and he isn't reluctant to share them regardless of the audience.

In the first quote (below) Clayton shares a great lesson he learned while going through all this hardship with his health. It's a lesson that would behoove any of us to take to heart. Anyone who would like to be happy, that is! I'll share the second quote tomorrow so you can absorb them individually.

"I'm an optimistic person. But for the first time in my life, with all my problems, I focused more and more on me -- and it was depressing, literally.

Sometimes I just wanted to quit trying to learn and speak and write again and just go into my basement and build furniture. I learned an important lesson from this. I learned that focusing on my own problems does not bring happiness.

God didn't say, "Okay. For those with problems it's okay to focus on yourself. And for those who don't have problems, I want you to focus on helping others. Even in dire times God does not exempt me from his commandment to focus my life on others, because it transforms hardship to joy." - Clayton Christensen, Forbes Magazine, March 14, 2011.

A Supportive Spouse....

Wallace Stegner is one of my favorite male writers. Two of his novels I adore are Angle of Repose and Crossing to Safety. Stegner was a popular English professor at Stanford but he actually graduated from my alma mater, The University of Utah.

Even if I hadn't already been a Stegner fan when I came across the quote below, it surely would have converted me! The Stegners are both deceased but in an interview years ago, Wallace Stegner was asked about the role his wife, Mary Page Stegner, had on his life. I adore his answer! It's a tribute to supportive wives everywhere. And it just may be one of the longest sentences I've ever seen!

So, below (with his characteristic wry humor) is what Wallace Stegner said of his wife, Mary, when interviewed by James Hepworth:

"She has had no role in my life except to keep me sane, fed, housed, amused, and protected from unwanted telephone calls, also to restrain me fairly frequently from making a horse's ass of myself in public, to force me to attend to books and ideas from which she knows I will learn something; also to mend my wounds when I am misused by the world, to implant ideas in my head and stir the soil around them, to keep me from falling into a comfortable torpor, to agitate my sleeping hours with problems that I would not otherwise attend to; also to remind me constantly (not by precept but by example) how fortunate I have been to live for fifty-three years with a woman that is bright, alert, charming, and supportive." -Wallace Stegner

Best! Picture!

I loved The King's Speech! An excellent movie and well deserving of the Oscar for Best Picture! Thank goodness the motion picture industry changed the rating from "R" to "PG-13" because I really didn't want to miss this movie. And I'm glad I didn't!

Who knew a film focused on a deceased king who stuttered could make for such compelling drama? Here is this reluctant King who needs to rise to the challenge of leading his country against the forces of Hitler and the Nazi regime. This was a gargantuan task for anyone let alone someone who hated public speaking and had a speech impediment!

Making a historical movie is challenging since the audience knows what happened. But the film kept me engaged and interested despite the predictable outcome. I thought the movie did a fantastic job of giving a glimpse of the Royal family during the 1940's.

Colin Firth's acting abilities were phenomenal! What a class act! I loved the relationship between King George (aka Bertie) and the Queen Mum (Helena Bonham Carter). What an impressive and supportive wife Elizabeth was. And, of course, the relationship between Bertie and his speech therapist Lionel Logue was wonderful too.

There is a famous historical quote (it's not in the movie) when Queen Elizabeth was asked if she would send her daughters away for the duration of the war and she responded: "The children will not leave without me. I will not leave without the King. And the King will never leave." What a great woman (wife, mom, etc)!

The impact of the actual speech given by King George in 1939 was immense. It gave the British people hope. To see a movie like The King's Speech win Best Picture gives me hope in the film industry to bring us quality entertainment! Great show!

"The moral of this story is listen to your mother." - spoken by The Kings Speech director, Tom Hooper, as he accepted his Oscar and noted it was his mother who found the script for him.

Play To Win!

The nominees for Oscar Best Guess for the 2011 Academy Awards were Paige, Andie, Anna, Webb, K2, and Brent.

Brent sponsored our annual contest and I had the lovely job to tally the results. This year winners are:

In 1st place, guessing 18 of 24 categories correct, and a repeat of last year's winner, the Best Guess Oscar goes to ... Webb Knudsen! $75 and 2 movies passes are on their way to our Grand Prize recipient.

In 2nd place, guessing 17 of 24 categories correct, the 2nd Best Guess Oscar goes to ... Paige Knudsen. $50 is headed to London for our 2nd place winner and one movie pass awaits her arrival back in the states.

Finally, in 3rd place, guessing 16 0f 24 categories correct, the 3rd Best Guess Oscar goes to ... Brent Knudsen. As the official Best Guess Oscar sponsor, and to avoid any speculation of tampering, Brent has elected to donate his $25 3rd prize to the Perpetual Education Fund.

Brent is quite surprised to garner the 3rd place award considering how few of the nominated movies he has seen. I'm even more shocked by his award since as Brent's usual date for movies I know firsthand about his tendency to nod-off during most shows!

Thank you to all our contenders! Every nominee did a fine job and assistance was even offered during minor glitches in getting the ballots disseminated (thanks Anna!). The Red Carpet fashion on site at the Knudsen Academy was not quite on par with the gowns displayed at the Kodak Theatre in Los Angeles. No surprise there.

My favorite moment at the 83rd Academy Awards were the 5th graders from Staten Island Public School 22 performing "Somewhere Over the Rainbow." I'll nominate their school choir for the best presentation of the evening!

Since our nominees did not need to be present to win, our 1st place winner emailed his acceptance speech: "I'd like to thank the Academy, Bob and Harvey Weinstein, Scott Rudin, my agent Kevin Huvane at CAA, Bernie Brillstein, Barry Diller, the gaffers, the best boy grip, and everyone who believed in this project and helped make it what it is. God bless. Good night." -Webb Knudsen, Best Guess Oscar acceptance speech.

The Curious Chemist...

"He always pulled you in the room and wanted to know how you were doing and what your future plans were. He was interested in every one of us and wanted to learn everything about our lives." -Howard Bennion's comment about his uncle, Henry Eyring.

Howard Bennion is a cute elderly man in our ward that my kids probably don't remember. He's 84 years old and Brent and I get a big kick out of his obsession with Apple products. As a former engineer, Howard's retirement hobby seems to be technology; he's adept on his computer, has the latest iphone, tons of apps (and unlike me he actually uses them), and emails his grandkids. The only thing Howard doesn't do is text message.

We gave Howard a ride to the Oakland Temple on Saturday and he kept us entertained up and back. I knew Howard was related to our Apostle and member of the First Presidency, Henry B. Eyring, so I asked him about that connection. It turns out that President Eyring (who Howard calls Hal) is his cousin which makes Howard's uncle the famous scientist who taught at Princeton, Henry Eyring.

Henry Eyring (the father of Apostle Eyring) was a brilliant chemist who is renowned for his studies of chemical reaction rates. Many expected him to win a Nobel prize.

When Howard reminisced about his Uncle Henry the first thing he noted was the interest his uncle had for all of the kids in the extended family (reread opening quote here). I found this touching, and beyond that, I think there is a great lesson here.

Professor Henry Eyring's interest in other people, his curiosity to learn all about others is a quality I notice in so many people I admire. It's an attribute that really impresses me!

It's particularly interesting relative to Professor Eyring because often people in science professions get a bad rap for aloofness or maybe they just aren't usually noted for their people skills. Clearly this was not the case with Henry Eyring since his nephew vividly recalls Professor Eyring's inquisitions and desire to know all about his nieces and nephews.

"Taking an interest in what others are thinking and doing is often a much more powerful form of encouragement than praise." -Robert Martin

With great power, comes great responsibility...

"With Great Power, Comes Great Responsibility." -the Spider-Man charge

When the Seminary material I'm teaching the youth on a given week collides with lessons I personally need it feels fortuitous, uncanny in a good way.

In class this week we studied Sections 109 and 110 in the Doctrine and Covenants. Section 109 is the Dedicatory Prayer for the Kirtland Temple and Section 110 is the record of the Lord's appearance at the Kirtland Temple as well as Moses, Elias, and Elijah.

In class we talked a lot about receiving our temple endowment and the power that comes from going to the temple. We made a list (with some help from quotes by General Authorities) of examples of the great power we can receive in the temple.

Our list certainly isn't inclusive, but it's a good start:

- the power of enlightenment

- the power of testimony

- the power of understanding

- the power to thwart the forces of evil

- the power to use our gifts and capabilities with increased effectiveness

- the power to overcome sin and stand in holy places

- the power to strengthen our families

As I mulled over the list, it occurred to me that while I do a decent job at getting to the temple (generally monthly), I could do much better at seeking out these specific powers. Obviously I'm in need of any and all special powers I can gain spiritually, if nothing else, just to counter the temporal doofus I can be! But, hey, if you think about it, Peter Parker was sort of goofy without his Spider-man powers too.

Well, yesterday we attended the Oakland Temple as Los Gatos Ward members in conjunction with our Ward Conference this weekend. Because of our Seminary lessons, I was more contemplative during the endowment session, thinking about promised powers, and it definitely heightened my experience.

The saints in Kirtland, Ohio in 1836 were so stalwart and practically lived in squalor while they focused everything on building the house of the Lord. The saints made huge sacrifices to ensure the temple was completed. I have a renewed sense of what a great blessing it is to have opportunities to visit temples. As well as the responsibility (ah, there is always a catch!) that comes along with that privilege!

"For of him unto whom much is given much is required." -Doctrine & Covenants 82:3 (our Scripture Mastery equivalent to the Spider-Man charge)

The 50/50 Teaser....

All week long the Bay Area newspapers have predicted a 50/50 chance of snow this weekend. When the meteorologists give it 50/50 odds my 'cup half full' outlook naturally leads me to the conclusion that it will snow.

A cold front from Alaska is definitely coming our way. Whether we get the actual snow here on the valley floor depends on whether 'the perfect storm' ingredients all come together.

Or, in weather lingo, the cold front would "need to pick up moisture as it loops over the ocean off the Pacific Northwest before arriving."

It would be the first snow here in 35 years. Apparently it was 1976 when the last snowflakes fell in the Silicon Valley.

As a general rule, I'm not a big fan of cold weather, therefore, I'm not inclined to pray for snow. Ordinarily. However, when a climate that never precipitates anything more dramatic than rainstorms suddenly includes snow in the forecast, it seems extraordinary! And, anything extraordinary calls for celebration and I'm always inclined to celebrate!

So, even though what I am desperately praying for is summer and warm weather, after all the hullabaloo the media has generated with these claims of snow, I do hope we get our mega snowstorm (albeit I just want it to snow today and be gone tomorrow, no need to drag it out!).

If it doesn't snow this weekend, there will be lots of disappointed little kids and perhaps even some disappointed big kids (like me) who do like to see history in the making. Even if it means tolerating a nippy temperature. So, bring on the snow and promptly thereafter let's usher in an early spring season!

Handiwork around the House...

Brent's "tools of trade" are not the carpentry sort. When it comes to handyman jobs he is ready to tackle the job...with his tube of Gorilla Glue.

It's not that Brent CAN'T build or fix things, it's simply that he prefers not too. What Brent prefers, is hiring someone else to do the job.

Because I'm more reluctant to hire services (think cheap), I'll occasionally take a crack at things before I bring in the big guns. My track record for my efforts has mixed results. Okay, maybe I'm overstating my prowess.

Anyway, I'm probably best at furniture assembly. Especially when furniture comes with detailed directions. I'll copiously study and follow each step meticulously.

I've put together plenty of IKEA gizmos for college kids and Pottery Barn furniture too. It's kind of therapeutic. For me, not for Brent. Furniture assembly would not be his idea of relaxation. In fact, Brent pretty much ignores directions unless (or should I say when) trouble arises. Then he'll take a glance at the manual. Although sometimes this is too late!

Anyway, there's a lazy susan shelf unit in our kitchen pantry that has been stained and cracked since we first moved to Los Gatos. For years I've been looking for replacement parts. I finally realized I'd have to take the whole thing apart just to figure out what parts I actually needed. So, once I got the contraption disassembled I starting searching online.

I ordered new parts and crossed my fingers I'd still remember how to put it all back together when the parts arrived in 2 weeks. They came and ...I conquered! Yes! Only now I can't figure out why it took me so long to get around to fixing it! It's a big improvement.

And, Brent even offered his assistance while I was putting it back together. Although he was probably relieved that I didn't take him up on the offer.

The 1st Robot Marathon!

"Runners. Yeah, we're different." -Adidas

An Adidas campaign 10 years ago featured great magazine ads with runners doing weird stuff that anyone who runs would recognize but non-runners can't quite relate to. For example, guys putting vaseline on thighs & nipples for chafing, squatting behind trees in a long trail run, stretching while waiting in lines, etc. Different as in "odd."

It seems we now have some runners that are different as in "robotic." A technology company in Japan is hosting the world's first marathon for robots! In the article I read only 5 robots had entered the event, but, hey, you've got to start somewhere.

The race kicks off today, February 24th, and it's open only to androids with two legs. The robots will make 422 laps around a 100 meter indoor track to cover 26 miles! This reminds me of when Paige ran a 5K on the indoor Rotary Track in a New York City Invitational and set the Los Gatos High School record (which she may still hold). The rotary track was small and I think Paige had to race around 25 laps which boggles the minds of 100 yard dash sprinters.

Race organizers expect the Robot Marathon to last 4 days which will put the robots at the finish line on February 27th, the day their human counterparts run in the Toyko Marathon. It's a relief to my ego to know that while I may be slow at least I can beat robots!

I'm so excited to get wind of this Robot Marathon. A few robots from the Knudsen collection might want to sign up for next year and start training! And may the best "Robot" win!

Going to the Dogs...

Bodie and Ernie have opened the floodgates! We've managed company coming to visit us for 30 years and until Webb and Anna's pups christened our place our house guests were always the human sort.

I think their cute little beagles put a spell on the property. Suddenly all our visitors happen to have dogs!

Perhaps Ernie and Bodie are advertising: The Knudsen Hotel has this weird lady who claims she isn't a 'dog person' but her bark is much bigger than her bite! Plus, it's a dog's disneyland here on Alpine Avenue: cats to terrorize to the north and south, room to roam, and weather to frolic in the sunshine (at least when it isn't raining!).

Or maybe Ernie and Bodie lobby our visitors to bring along their dogs to train and condition the proprietors to better accommodate canine guests. Then by the next time Ernie and Bodie come to town our Zagat's dog ratings will have soared.

It was never my goal in life to own and operate a 5 star pet property but I have to admit that every dog guest so far has exceeded my expectations (although the bar was pretty low). Our newest dog addition, Halle, pitched up yesterday with Bo and Kira McNally. Halle (think actress Halle Berry) rhymes with McNally (rhyming: cute with a dog, not with a child - in my humble opinion) and looks like a mash-up of Bodie & Ernie.

I'll need to get our camera out because Halle is an adorable 4 year old Beagle (and Bo & Kira are adorable newlyweds). The math doesn't compute (4 year-old dog, 7 months married but I guess Halle and Kira were a package deal for Bo).

The McNally's are moving from New York to Palo Alto and staying with us while they find a place to rent. Gosh, if they find an apartment that won't accept dogs maybe Halle will have to stay with us indefinitely. Halle moves in with the empty nesters... stranger things have happened!

Body Language!

"Every physician, at one time or another is struck by the sheer elegance and intricacy of the human body. But, few laypersons get a chance to experience such wonder. This exhibit is a rare opportunity for the layperson to share in this privileged view of ourselves." -Dr. Neil S. Wagner, M.D., UCLA Medical Center

On Saturday, we went to "Body Worlds" at the San Jose Tech Museum. Developed by Dr. Gunther von Hagens, the exhibit features individual organs and entire bodies of preserved human specimens.

The cadavers have been through a process called "plastination." The key goal of the show is nicely worded in the Body Worlds brochure: "For the medical enlightenment and appreciation of lay people."

The same things that make the Body Worlds display compelling (real bodies in real poses) are the same things that make it controversial. But I thought it was respectful and definitely educational.

We saw livers that were calcified and ruined by alcohol consumption and lungs that were dark and shrunken by cigarette smoke. The correlation between our lifestyle choices and our bodies was very apparent.

The exhibit overall was actually smaller than I expected and while impressive it wasn't amazing. But it absolutely gave me a renewed respect for these incredible machines, our human bodies. I'm more inclined to live a healthier life in both diet and exercise after seeing "cause and effect" consequences on actual bodies.

And, the miracle of the human body is more indelibly imprinted on my psyche. After viewing our internal organs and understanding the specific functions of each organ, it's mind-boggle astonishing to me that anyone could view the intricate detail of our bodies and not see the influence of a higher power!

"The glory of God is found in the human fully alive. The human body is essential to our humanity - to our personhood - and any growth in the understanding and knowledge of our human body leads to a greater appreciation of our dignity as human persons." -Father Richard Benson, St. John's Seminary, Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Los Angeles

If A Tree Falls In A Singles Ward....

"If a tree falls in a forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound?"

The philosophical riddle above always drives me a little crazy. Does "sound" only exist when there are ears to hear it?

However, if a tree falls in a singles ward (this is my non riddle) you will hear it! Loud and clear. You'll hear it because it will be the only noise in the room!

I don't get out to singles wards on a regular basis but took the opportunity to make a guest appearance at the Stanford 2nd Ward yesterday. I'd heard rumors of VIP speakers!

Actually, our own Andie Knudsen was on the program to speak on the topic "Draw Near Unto Me" (scripture reference in Doctrine and Covenants 88:63).

The first thing I noticed in Sacrament Meeting was the silence! It wasn't a deafening silence but a reverent one...although it was a little eerie. I'm so used to church in family wards with plenty of sound, not irreverence exactly, just....little people noise. Okay, sometimes big people too (sometimes I'm might even be the guilty party). Or, as our Primary leaders in Los Gatos clarified in our meeting yesterday, our Primary kids don't have a reverence problem, just an exuberance one!

Stanford 2nd Ward reminded me of when I was a docent on Temple Square. When I was in college I volunteered once a week and gave tours back in the day before they called Sister Missionaries like "The Amy" Harmer to serve as full time Temple Square missionaries. So, part of my tour guide spiel in the Tabernacle included noting the great acoustics and even having a visitor drop a pin that we could hear it from the other end of the building. "So quiet you can hear a pin drop" is practically the only line I can remember from my docent days!

Anyway, Andie was an excellent public speaker. In fact, maybe the silence at church was simply because everyone was in awe! Just kidding, but it was a great talk. Even without any background noise.

A Dream Deferred

Dream Deferred

What happens to a dream deferred?

Does it dry up,

Like a raisin in the sun.

Or fester like a sore - -

And then run?

Does it stink like rotten meat?

Or crust and sugar over - -

like a syrupy sweet?

Maybe it just sags

like a heavy load.

Or does it explode?

-Langston Hughes

It's Not Rocket Science...

"The Lone Ranger and Tonto are camping in the desert, set up their tent, and are asleep. Some hours later, The Lone Ranger wakes his faithful friend.

"Tonto, look up and tell me what you see."

Tonto replies, "Me see millions of stars."

"What does that tell you?" asks The Lone Ranger.

Tonto ponders for a minute. "Astrologically, it tells me that Saturn is in Leo. Time wise, it appears to be approximately a quarter past three. Theologically, it's evident the Lord is all powerful and we are small and insignificant. Meteorologically, it seems we will have a beautiful day tomorrow. What it tell you, Kemo Sabi?"

"Tonto, you dummy, someone has stolen our tent!"

Just like Tonto, sometimes I miss the obvious! The answer is right in front of me and I miss it because it's just too easy!

Case in point: We have 2 pool pumps that siphon the water off the cover when it rains. Since it's been pouring all week the pump is critical to keep the water from getting too heavy on the cover.

Brent noticed the pump wasn't working, did a little troubleshooting, had no success, and brought out the back-up pump. The alternate pump wasn't working either! Talk about an odd coincidence. What are the chances that both pumps would break down on the same day?

Well, it seemed unlikely but we've had worse luck with appliances, so we just figured we were unlucky! Bad Pool Pump Karma at the Knudsens!

So, Brent enlisted my help with the rising water problem. I fiddled with the pumps, tightened this and that, tripped the GFI electrical switch, and I struck out. I started heaving gallons of rainwater off the slowly sinking inverted pool cover with a bucket. This didn't solve the pump mystery but alleviated some build up and bought us some time.

Then, I ordered a new pump for overnight delivery. And just for good measure I mentioned to our pool guy, Andy, that he might want to check the pumps, just in case Brent and I overlooked anything.

Well, it didn't take Andy long to determine our problem. When both pumps seemed kaput, Andy's brain (unlike my astute mind) told him that this made no sense. So, no higher education Andy checks the hose and ta-da, leaves are clogged inside and the water is getting stuck at that point!

Andy gets the leaves out and the water comes gushing through! Crisis averted! While Brent and I focused on the technical pump mechanism, Andy simply double checked the hose and immediately solved the problem!

Well, there are plenty of messages I can glean from our pool pump experience. One obvious lesson is to always make sure I haven't missed an obvious solution to a problem!

Cleansing Her Palate...

You've gotta love our sophisticated London girl! After she arrived in England, Paige was hoping someone (aka Mom) would send her Trader Joe's Dark Chocolate Covered Blueberries because (and I'll quote her directly) "I always need a little something sweet to cleanse my palate after dinner."

Cleanse Her Palate? Who knew? Is this the same girl who wasn't all that fond of chocolate before the Holland family indoctrinated her on the difference between Milky Way and Godiva?

Yes, it seems that Paige has become a bit of a chocolate snob. While I am definitely not a connoisseur when it comes to chocolate, I have read that dark is healthier than milk or white chocolate. Apparently it has more antioxidants. Of course so does broccoli. And spinach. Maybe I should send Paige some broccoli and spinach. And, in an effort to help Paige keep her palate cleansed I guess I should dip those veggies in dark chocolate!

A Sacrament Meeting Soundbite...

"Are you ever burdened with a load of care?

Does the cross seem heavy you are called to bear?

Count your many blessings, every doubt will fly,

And you will be singing as the days go by." -2nd verse

I've probably sung the lyrics to "Count Your Blessings" thousands of times. Yet, I heard a clever disclaimer right after it was the congregational hymn between speakers at Sacrament Meeting that gave me a new visual.

The Glass family (cute young mom & dad w/2 adorable daughters) moved into the Los Gatos ward last month and they were giving their official new-to-the-ward talks.

Juston Glass spoke right after we sang "Count Your Blessings" and noted that the words say "every doubt will fly." He pointed out that while "flying" doesn't technically mean they'll be gone, they'll certainly be lighter (if they can fly, of course).

It's just a simple observation on the lyrics but his comment struck me enough that all week I've visualized any doubts (or troubles) I have with wings, flying overhead. Then, picturing this in my mind's eye makes me laugh and it's hard to be upset about trivial doubts and troubles when I'm laughing. Which confirms it works (sort of).

If Juston's soundbite was the only thing I took away from Sacrament meeting it would have been worth my attendance (for my new visual alone). Fortunately, the rest of the meeting was also good.

Justin Bryan (yep, 2 Justin speakers, although Juston Glass spells it with an "o") gave an interesting and very Justin-like perspective on how we are all aliens (tongue in cheek)! And Nani Glass gave a great talk on the Word of Wisdom. Nani's a nutrition major and she focused on how practical our health code is relative to her school studies.

So, definitely one of the blessings I've been counting this week is the spiritual nourishment I get from church! Even just little soundbites! So, have I been "singing as the days go by?" Perhaps, though not in public!

Good Samaritans on Steroids....

For Bookgroup last night we read "The Day The World Came To Town" by Jim DeFede. The book showcases the wonderful people in the small town of Gander, Newfoundland, Canada who open their doors and their hearts to over 6500 people when 38 airplanes were rerouted on 9/11 after all America airspace was closed down.

Gander itself only has a population of around 10,000 people and the stories of this community stepping in to help the stranded passengers is touching. I recommend the book to anyone, especially if you like reading about charity in action.

With all the tragic stories that came out of 9/11, some of the books published were too heartbreaking to read. But this book brings out the tremendous "good" that sometimes comes out of "evil."

It shows a side to tragedy when people rescue strangers in need without any motivation for gain or recognition. It shows the very best of humanity!

I was inspired by the compassion and warmth of the citizens of Gander. Their generous response made me stop and consider how I might have reacted. Would I be willing to drop whatever I was doing to help? Would Los Gatos, as a community, 3 times the size of Gander, reach out to others if we were in a similar position? Is our pace here too busy?

It also made me pause to think about the stranded passengers; an eclectic group of people thrown together who bond from the experience. But, again, if I'd been on one of those flights would I have been as resilient? Appreciative? Would I express my gratitude to the Gander residents for their service? Or would I whine and complain?

A quote from the book's introduction sums up how fabulous this community was: "They placed their lives on hold for a group of strangers and asked for nothing in return. They affirmed the basic goodness of man at a time when it was easy to doubt such humanity existed. If the terrorists had hoped their attacks would reveal the weaknesses in western society, the events in Gander proved it's strength." -Jim Defede

The Power of Example...

"Don't worry that children never listen to you; worry that they are always watching you." -Robert Fulghum

It turns out that children both listen AND watch what the adults are doing! Andie and I had a classic Emily Bryan moment over the weekend that proves this theory.

We were en route to Trader Joes with Emily along for the ride in the back seat. Since Emily was listening to the ABC's CD, Andie and I were catching up on her life in Palo Alto, completely unaware that Emily could even hear our conversation. As Andie told me about their house guest from Brazil, Andie mentioned that they were kind of trying to fellowship her and noted that she had a Book of Mormon.

All of a sudden, our back seat companion perked up on hearing the book title, piped in and exclaimed: "Hey, my Mom reads the Book of Mormon!"

Until Emily's little announcement we weren't aware she was even listening to us so let that be a warning if you don't think 3 and a half year olds soak up your conversations! And, I think Jennifer is going to be thrilled to learn that Emily is watching her enough to notice Jennifer's reading material! We came home and had Emily tell the Bishop what her Mom is reading and he was impressed!

Emily's little voice when she had information to add to our dialogue was so dang cute (as always). Now if I want to make Andie smile all I have to do is send her the simple text message "my Mom reads the Book of Mormon" and we'll both have a laugh!

So, one take-away from Emily's declaration: get caught reading good things (children may be watching) and make sure your conversations are kosher to be overheard by little people!