Ignore The Laundry, Blind Your Ponies

I don't have much use for fiction. Cheryl informed me the other day that I might be the only Mormon woman left who hasn't read the Twilight series. I love to read and wish I had more time for it. I'm a current event junkie and have a "need to know " aspect of my personality that keeps me occupied with reading newspapers and news websites. My inbox is stuffed with the latest writings of my favorite columnists. I feel weird if I don't watch the news before bed and heaven forbid I don't know the 7-day forecast.

But when I heard the description of this month's Relief Society book group book, it sounded interesting so I decided to attempt to read the almost 500 page "Blind Your Ponies" by Stanley Gordon West. I'm not necessarily proud of this, but I don't get offended very easily. There were some fairly detailed descriptions of the relationship between the two main characters. I found myself giggling and wondering if this part would be discussed at book group. My laundry, the dishes, the overall condition of my house, and my blog has suffered greatly at my neglect as I finished the lengthy novel, but it was a good read. It was kind of a nice change of pace and I tried not to do what I always do, and get irritated when stories start to drift from the realm of reality. It occurred to me that it isn't necessarily a total waste of time to read a story that is totally made up if has a good message and gets you to thinking about how it pertains to your own life.

So in a nutshell, the book is about a down and out high school basketball team from a sleepy little town that had lost 94 games in a row. They get 6'11" foreign exchange student and an old lady's grandson to join the team and it chronicles their journey through the season. "Blind your ponies" refers to an old Indian legend. The Indian men would come home from war to find their villages devastated by small pox with all their wives and children dead. Knowing that they would be unworthy to meet their loved ones in the after life if they just offed themselves outright, they concocted a plan where they would make their ponies do the dirty work. They would simply put a blindfold on them and then run them off a cliff killing them both. So immediately I shifted into my skeptic mode...really, do you think God is that dumb that he won't figure this gimmick out?

I stopped myself though and just accepted it and was rewarded with a satisfying and compelling story that ends nicely. Back to reality. Does anyone know if that healthcare bill got passed and is it ever going to cool off? I wouldn't know.

This is what I do know happen this week:

Jake, Milan, and DB started a Crossfit class at the gym. They love it and since it is still 108 degrees outside after school it a good outlet for them. It is taught by Sarah, who also teaches my 5 AM class that I have started going to at the junior high down the street. I never thought I could get up that early for any reason other than a screaming infant or a house fire, but it turns out to be a great way to start the day and totally worth the loss of that last hour of sleep. It also has had the nice added benefit of solving my insomnia issues. Thanks, Sarah!

A couple of sports reporters from ASU contacted Wes and asked if they could do a story on him and his Amazing Athletes program. After some arm twisting, he agreed to the free publicity. It was funny trying to get these four year olds to talk to the cameras. We are not sure when the story will air but if we can get our hands on it, I will post it, or watch for it on channel 116 if you have Cox Cable.

I came to take pictures and help make sure the class went smoothly for the cameras. Wes didn't need my help. He is a seasoned veteran by now and rocks these kids world for 35 minutes every week. They eat it up.

This is what is left of my once beautiful birthday candy bouquet. I think I only ate one piece. I would be mad, but I would have done the same thing when I was six, so I have withheld judgment.

If you are still reading this rambling post with the gigantic pictures, congratulations on making to the end and sorry.