IT'S THE END OF JULY ALL READY?!

Summer weeks always throw my sense of time off. Monday seems as if it were two weeks away and it feels as though Becca and I have been living a my mother’s house for the past three months. As boring as this is, I have to admit that I am a more productive and overall happy human being when I adhere to some type of schedule.

We said goodbye to my wonderful Grandma Barbara this week and we wish her well on her vacation in Idaho. Becca and I enjoyed visiting her every week and will miss her now that we won’t see her until at least November. We had a little family get-together on Wednesday evening at Grandma’s house, celebrating before she left, and I really liked talking and interacting with my relatives. It’s a pity that Becca and I didn’t take the time to go see the Lee’s or the Patterson’s while we were heading south. Hopefully we’ll be able to see them before we go back in a few weeks. So many people, so little time.

Those of you who read Grant’s last post already know about our trip to Yosemite National Park but, all the same, I’ve added a few pictures here that my sweet Becca took. I think she really has a good eye for photography and like how she takes so many pictures. The car trouble we had on the way down was so delightful that I was reminded that I needed to have the oil changed on my car.

Becca and I in front of Yosemite Valley

Vernal Falls, it was not easy hiking up to this spot

El Capitán Mountain

The bottom of Vernal Falls

While I was waiting for the mechanics to get done with my little car, an older woman struck up a conversation with me. She looked very familiar and so I asked if she had any connection with any of the kids in my old high school. Nope. She wasn’t Mormon and she didn’t go to my grandmother’s church either. Just before her car was ready we figured out that she was dating a Mormon gentleman by the name of Barth. Barth is my stepsisters’ father’s name and he was raised Mormon. I wonder where I know that lady from or if I know her at all because that seems like a really big stretch just to make a connection.

Seeing that the end of my vacation is near, I’ve been getting myself organized for the new school year, finding new email addresses so that Grant can contact administrators and preparing my new translator, Mauro, for the translations he’ll be doing. So far, so good.

I don’t know if Becca will end up writing today so I’ll sum things up for you. The heat wave has actually been good for her because less people come in for massages. Why would that be good you ask? Because all the massages she’s been giving have worn her out, plus, she has flu symptoms at night time only to wake up the next day feeling much better or just fine. Strange huh? However, one very nice thing happened to her yesterday: Grant started recording her favorite cooking show so now she won’t miss an episode. Last night she learned about making pie crusts, avocado dishes, wontons and probably a few other things that I didn’t see because I went to bed.

Here’s hoping that you’re all doing well,

Ryan and Becca

TROUBLES WITH FLIGHTS

Dear loved ones,

I would like to call your attention to the links section of this blog (located on the upper right hand) which I have finally figured out how to use! There is a link to my blog in Spanish and to Grant’s blog. I may decide to create links to other sites that I like as well.

Wednesday was quite frustrating. I was supposed to pick up a family from the San Francisco Airport arriving from Santiago, Chile. Although I did know that date, I did not know what time to pick them up or how to get into their house to drive their suburban and hook up their trailer. Tuesday night I called the couple that were house sitting for the traveling family and they ran over and gave me the the key to the suburban but they didn’t know what time the other family would arrive in San Francisco.

The family had told me what time to be there, two weeks ago and in passing while we were unloading their things in San Francisco. They said that they would email me to remind me when to get them but unfortunately, that email never came. While I nervously searched for an answer in my head for the question of why these people hadn’t contacted me yet, I remembered that they probably would have a layover somewhere in the states, like Texas or Miami, and call me from there. That answer seemed good enough to me, so I went to sleep with few worries.

Just when I was about to hop in the shower the following morning, I got a call from the family. Where was I? Why, at home of course! Where were they? They had arrived a half hour before calling me and their two youngest children (2 and 4 year-olds) were going nuts with nothing to do. Mom got home a few minutes later and took me over to hook up the trailer and head out for San Francisco. Then I got a call not to bother because they couldn’t wait 2 hours in the airport and were going to rent a car and a truck. Then I got another call saying for me to come anyway because the lines were so long.

I heaved the trailer in the 100°+ Central Valley weather and hooked it up to the suburban, got in the car and turned the key, ready to go zooming towards the coast to pick up that poor family. When it rains in pours and for some reason that I cannot explain, the battery was dead. I had driven the suburban back from San Francisco two weeks before then in the day time and so it’s highly unlikely that I turned the lights on for fun just before I left the car in the garage. I don’t know how or why the battery died but dead it was and the poor family ended up renting a car and a truck. I’m not looking forward to seeing them in church later today. There wasn’t much more I could’ve done but all the same, I feel embarrassed and ashamed.

My lack of responsibility doesn’t end there. My good friend Doug Ludlow’s grandfather passed away and his funeral was yesterday. Where was I? Hanging out in Dad’s pool, beating the heat. It completely slipped my mind. Here’s to hopping that I start acting more responsibly next week!

Other than that my week has been more of the same: leisurely mornings, movies, books, hanging out in Dad’s pool, talking to friends online and doing an occasional translation. I’m going to go crawl into a hole right now so I’ll let Becca write to you a bit.

Well…the week has been ok. Getting started with real life again was frustrating. My body is steadily wearing down with all the massages that I have been giving. I have had to cut back: only 4 a day. Anymore than that hurts, and any less isn’t going to bring in very good money. I am totally pooped…mentally, physically and emotionally. I don’t feel like there is much energy left for anything but doing nothing and lounging around, or doing things that I want to do. Most working people feel this way, so I know that my feelings are nothing new or unique.

Having Teryl’s pool to swim in has been quite a blessing, especially with the heat wave hitting Modesto. It also helps with all my aching muscles and joints. I know I know…I’m a massage therapist and I should know how to work out all of my kinks. Self therapy isn’t always easy, and doesn’t always get the same benefits as getting a full body massage from another therapist. I try though.

Other than the aches and pains, it has been a good week. It is time to get ready for church, so we will talk with you later.

Love,

Ryan and Becca

WE ARE BACK!!

Johnny and Misty Segalla

The Manginis

Doug and Sarah with me at their place

The San Diego Temple

Sorry, I had some problems with the blog which made me erase it and start all over. Thank you to the few who noticed that it was gone. Machines are fussy; I don’t care what anyone says.

Our trip to L.A. was great!! Becca and I were gone from Thursday of last week until Tuesday of this week. It was quite the stroll down memory lane for me; we visited with two of my best friends and their wives: Ryan Mangini and Doug Ludlow. Another great friend of mine got married and that’s why we went down in the first place. My buddy Johnny Segalla was sealed to his sweetheart Misty in the San Diego temple on Saturday the 15th of this month. Ryan and I woke up early the next morning to drive them to the airport to leave on their honeymoon in Hawaii.

Becca and I got some pictures of the Hollywood sign, hung out at a beach near where Ryan and his wife Suzy live and had fun helping them with their little boy Giovanni. Yep, that’s the boy’s name. Time went too quick, in fact, we ended up staying an extra day. Becca found out she didn’t have any clients on Monday while we were driving home on Sunday so we turned around on I-5 and went back.

The schools continue to give me little jobs here and there regardless of the fact that school is out. So much for a complete vacation. Ah well, this time last year I would have died for a few jobs. I’m happy that they are happy and need things translated into Spanish.

On a literary note, I just got done reading The Broker, by John Grisham and I enjoyed it. It really pulled me end and the ending was good but the middle was a bit slow. There is a lot about Italian history and learning Italian that has little to do with the plot and that kind of bogs things down. Grisham admits to taking a long vacation in Italy and he must have enjoyed it because spends a lot of time talking it.

Well, I could tell you about our trip to Monterey but Grant does a pretty good job of that on his blog. Becca is watching the new version of The Parent Trap and will not be contributing to this blog but please check back in a few days because we’ll be sure to post again.