Picto Diary - 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15 May 2021 - 52nd

Above: Early AM outing with Freddie. St. George, UT. 11 May 2021.

Out when its cool. Workers were pouring a concrete pad for a new home in our neighborhood. This image is at 6:40 AM when it was 55 degrees. Supervisor Devin, wearing wireless control panel for concrete boom, said they had been at the work site since pre dawn 5:00 AM.

Residential construction sites are ubiquitous in Washington County. New neighbors, Shiree and Calvin, walking their two toy dogs early, said their builder had a two year backlog to build a new, custom home. There are only 200 open listings in Washington County (per our builder, Gaylen).

As a general rule, booming Washington County, UT is a good place to be these days. Lots of economic energy and forward thinking growth in a fabulously scenic locale with equable climate. Washington County is one of those sane, inland destinations sought out by coastals who have had enough of the government tyranny, disproportionate disease control, crime, and high taxes rife in their own cities and states.

At a dinner party the other day, I talked to the CEO of a CA medical products company who had moved his family to Park City, also, like Washington County, a destination for coastals who have had enough. He said, "between out of control homelessness, power cuts, water rationing, high taxes and wild fires, California has become unlivable."

My response. "Many Californians are doing the same... leaving. CA just lost a congressional district due to its declining population. But, disaffected, immigrating Californians often bring with them the liberal political ideologies that gave rise to the very problems they seek to escape. Look, Californians, you are welcome here, 'but don't Californicate my Utah.'"

I'm thrilled to have found Bishop's Grill on the St. George,/Santa Clara line, open at 7:00 AM, as a go-to breakfast spot. Excellent corn beef hash. Top flight service, speedy, unsolicited, coffee refills.

Freddie seems to like the back of the Cayenne. He always jumps right in sans prodding. After the walk around our residential neighborhood, earlier, we took a one half hour walk in the Bishop's environs. Freddie has his workout for the day.

Above: Max and Freddie. Ivins, UT. 11 May 2021

New friends in the 'hood.

Above: New outdoor table delivered today. Ivins, UT. 11 May 2021.

TIMDT has done a terrific job putting this home together, still a work in progress.

Image: 8:30 PM... working outside on the new table in pleasant, quiet, 70 degree, dry desert air.

TIMDT says the remaining garage door is slated to be installed tomorrow AM.

High Definitions is coming tomorrow to discuss entertainment system installation.

Front gate concrete supports opening to walkway down south side of house to the back yard was fully cemented today. Gate itself to be installed next week.

Yes, we did close before some of the finishing touches were completed. Our builder, Gaylen Hunt, was able to get a CO and TIMDT decided (rightly) that we should move in ASAP to get the house house livable sooner rather than later. Gaylen has been very cooperative to get the remaining stuff completed... most of which delays came about as a result of supply backlogs common in the residential building industry today.

TIMDT's energy and resolve, in putting this home purchase together, has opened up an exciting new dimension to our fifty two years of being together. By me going along with everything she wanted, you'd think she'd cut me a break. No. She still must approve what I am wearing when I leave the house. "If you wear those shoes, I'm staying home."

Above: Zion National Park. 12 May 2021.

Above: Thunderbird Restaurant, Mt. Carmel Junction, UT. 12 May 2021.

REM: 4:00 AM, 13 May 2021

I'm walking on Main Street in Park City. I run into Jackie Gleason... he's not so much fat as he was in his Ralph Cramden incarnation... rather. he carries the physique of a football line backer. I ask Gleason if he wants a ride to Wasatch Bagel, he says yes. We hop in the Sprinter and head north... except that we don't arrive at Wasatch Bagel. We arrive at a gym on a busy urban street in an unnamed city. I park the car and Gleason and I walk into the gym. "Whoops," I tell Jackie, "wait here. I forgot my card key." I leave the gym... except, instead of walking back to the Sprinter to get the card key, I encounter three people sitting on a city bench. One of them is Chuck Schumer. The others are a woman and a tween girl. I assume the women are Chuck's wife and daughter. I sit down to banter with the Schumers. I notice TIMDT's purse on the bench. I worry that the purse is too visible to a ill intending passerby. I cover the purse with a towel I am carrying. And, then, I wake up.

Above: Bishop's Grill. St. George, UT. 13 May 2021.

TIMDT joins for breakfast. I stick with the over hard eggs and corn beef hash... she, over hard eggs, sausage patties and a biscuit with jam.

None of the absurd, ridiculous mask kabuki here. Rural and small town people are grounded. They think for themselves and resist imperiously delivered non scientific advice from petty, overbearing bureaucrats.

Emerson said, "The land is the remedy for all that is false and fantastic in our culture."

So true! Today's spin on Emerson: Get out into the hinterlands to find grounded, straightforward, up beat humans. One of the reasons I'm enjoying myself so much down here in Washington County, UT.

Above: Fifty second anniversary dinner. Wood Ash Rye restaurant, St. George, UT. 13 May 2021.

Actual anniversary is 16 May 2021.

Above: Freddie's Nightly Constitutional. Ivins, UT. 13 May 2021.

Above: Joshua Tree Landscaping. Ivins, UT, 14 May 2021.

Joshua trees don't grow indigenously in Ivins/St. George area. However, the limit of Joshua Tree range is only twenty miles south of here, just north of the AZ state line near Beaver Dam, AZ.