Funny thing happened at court today!

I had to go to court today and it was sort of comical. I was asked to be a witness for the defendant in a case of customer vs. the mechanical shop that damaged his car. First off, I have never had to go to court before. Usually a written estimate stands for itself and the estimator does not need to be present, but hey they paid me $18 to come and say what I saw. I looked at this Audi on January 23, 2008. Just over 1 year ago. I am supposed to remember everything I said and what I saw..... RIGHT! I cannot remember what I ate for a snack 5 minutes ago, let alone a car that I saw 1 year and 4 days ago. Besides every car is the same to me. They all have damage that I need to fix. Then there are the stories, I have heard them all. He pulled out in front of me, or she was not looking or how about the guy that hit a refrigerator at 65 mph on the freeway. (The refrigerator was stopped, the car was going 65, now that would be a story!)

I guess this Audi fell off the lift and damaged under the passengers door. They did not dispute that the shop damaged the car, it was just what damage. Anyway, I think I hurt the shop because I told them what I estimated I stand behind, but I was not there when the car fell off the rack so I do not know what was damaged by the shop. ( I guess the car hit the worker on the head when it fell, the judge asked if he was Ok, I almost started laughing.)

So, I am under oath and testifying and the judge asks for a conference and asks me to stay in the witness chair. I am am a little nervous at this point and then the bailiff comes walking over to me. He leans over and tells me that the court secretary told him to tell me that that we have her car now and she is going to pick it up after court. FUNNY! The judge then proceeds to ask the customer if he would take his car to us and let us fix it if the mechanic would pay for it. He said no, but that was funny too. I was excused after I testified, but I am sure the shop lost again. ( this was an appeal). Remind me not to eat the fish and chips at sizzler next time because the whole time my stomach was just brewing. I made it through the court case without getting arrested or strip searched, although the guard at the door was sort of hot so that would have been ok. And I did have fun at court today!

Do you like Me? Yes ____ No ____ (check the box)

Yesterday I was confronted with the dreaded Yes or No note. Come on, you all know what I am talking about. "Do you like me Yes ___ No ___" . Do not try to pretend that you were not on the receiving or giving end of one of these in your lifetime. I can remember Kelly Seikman in the 5th grade at Oquirrh Elementary. All of us boys wrote those notes then chased her down to give them to her. Of course we were all scared to death of her, and I do not think she ever answered any of us. Later on in high school the rumor was passed around that her and her boy friend spent lots of time sluffing school and having sex on her kitchen counter. I am not sure she was the type of girl we wanted anyway, but the excitement of the "hunt" had begun.

Kolbie brought this note home and said that Kaleb only likes her as a friend. It sure is fun. It made me think about my younger days. In junior high I had 1 heavy crush, Aimee Harris, I could not stand anywhere near her without getting twitter pated. I had to walk down her locker hall just for the chance at a glimpse. Even in High School I was not that out going to ask or be in the proximity of the girls. I do not think it was until after my mission that I developed a set and "asked" someone straight out for a date. I wonder what it is. Girls are people too, they do not come from another planet (Venus), or put on their pants any different...... I know what it is.... WOMEN. Women cause everything we do. If not for women, men would stay at home watch football all of the time and go fishing. It causes the speech to become slurred and sweat glands to produce. The young kids do not realize it yet, but that is the cause of all this that we do. Oh to have the fun kids life again. (by the way I locked Kate and Kolbie in their rooms until they are 25, no Yes___ or No ___ boxes for them)

PS. My first date with Jill I told her that it was an assignment from the stake singles ward that she needed to complete.

Tuesday, well that is tomorrow, but as you all know, unless you have been holed up in the bottom of a vessel sailing the seven seas. Tomorrow is the inauguration of the new president of the United States. I am not a big fan, but it will be a historic event. I did say historic not prehistoric like I was thinking when I saw Stevie Wonder singing at the Lincoln Memorial party. I am glad to see the events and I look forward to the future. DO I believe the President Obama can "change" everything..... no, it takes more that one person to tango. We as a country will need to work together and bash through this funk we are in. I do believe that WE can do it. Is life all that bad...... NO, I think lots of these companies are seeing that they can trim some of the fat. Those that are not pulling his or her weight will get the axe. I hope everyday that I put my best foot forward and can be counted among the hard workers. Heck I think I work pretty hard. I even have a second job lately, a taxi driver! Just ask my girls, they still owe me $4.53 for the taxi ride home the other day. I will just put it on their tab. I plan on giving it my best tomorrow and every other day. Good luck Mr. President and if you wreck your car in SLC, bring it by.

PS. My girls do not think I am very funny either.

I feel like an idiot!!

IDIOT, why can I not connect the dots. The other night I was looking for something to read and I stumbled across the book "Christmas Jars". Great book that I read a few years ago, If you have not read it I would greatly suggest it. Well, I was thumbing through the pages re reading some parts and I put it down. I thought I would start something else. Then I got on the computer and started to goof around. I have an addiction to "facebook", I have had some fun looking up some old friends and just playing around with it. Well, I found my mission group on there and found a few of my old companions. Jason Wright was there and so I wondered what he was doing with his life. HE IS THE AUTHOR of my book, "Christmas Jars". I could not believe that my mission companion had done so well for himself. So I went out and got "Wednesday's Letters", that is great too.

Just to think I was his companion some 18 years ago. We had such a good time together, I pulled out my journal to reminisce some of the old times. Jason and I used to play 9 ball pool all the time. In fact I think we averaged 4 or 5 games a day. In Brasil they have barzinos all over the place. Almost like 7-11's but they are open bars and most of them have pool tables. These barzinos were always by the bus stops. So we started to play 9 ball pool. The Brazilians did not normally play this kind of pool so we would teach whoever and then laugh and play a game. We had a ball. Just close your eyes and imagine two missionaries in ties and white shirts drinking Cokes and playing pool. What a laugh. We baptized so many together, and I do not think I worked harder with anyone else. I think we went roller staking, BBQ hamburgers for our zone and had a massive missionary sleep over one time. He was great.

The story that I remember most happened almost before we were transferred. I woke up one morning and his bed was gone. I found him asleep in the office area on the floor so I asked what happened. I guess he was dreaming that we were teaching by a place in Brasil called sete largoas. There is a big lake in the middle of town there. He had to go to the bathroom really bad. I apparently told him to go in the lake. So he did. He peed so much that it went through the mattress and puddled on the floor. I know that he was embarrassed that he had peed the bed, but we laughed so hard at that. In my Journal at the end of that day I wrote in big letters "GO IN THE LAKE!!!!"

If you get a chance read his books, they are great, and the author was my compainion. This is my claim to fame.