Notes on Code

I finally finished enough of my development weblog to deploy! This has been a monumental effort for me. Although there is yet more to do, I am just thrilled to have some tools available to give back to the web development community.

Come see my new site, at www.notesoncode.com. It's a modest site, but its my work and I'm pleased with it.

I think I'll write some short articles on tips and tricks to get the most out of some of the tools I use at work... and then I'll write about... oh, I'm excited. Thanks for being excited with me.

Seven of Nine

This came from my dad today:

I was just bragging about the new Grandkid picture I have and it dawned on me that your daughter will be the seventh granddaughter with nine grand children total. Does that make her “Seven of Nine”?

Neighbors

We just enjoyed an unusually neat experience. Delores and I went for a walk (that's not the unusual part) through our new neighborhood. A few blocks from home we met the family of our mailman. In only a few minutes we were friends. What was unusual about the whole experience was how welcome and friendly everything seemed to be from the very first moment. They brought chairs out for Delores and the other lady-folk, and we chatted idly for some time.

I think I experienced a little of the kind of hospitality I want to always share with others. Walking away, I felt like I was walking away from the house of old friends. We even have a tentative dinner date coming up. Walking home hand-in-hand with Delores, chatting and laughing together in blithe merriment, I thought to myself how wonderful it is to be in a community I can call home.

Natalie Rimington

I attended the blessing of my youngest niece, Natalie, today. When I stood in the circle to join in the blessing, I felt like I could burst from excitement. We are nine weeks away from Abigail's due date. Supposing I blink my eyes for only a moment, will I be standing in a circle to bless my own child? Many emotions flooded me then, and I am grateful that God is giving us one of his dear children. Seeing Natalie was like a small taste of fathers' joy.

Details of blessings are often too sacred to be written like this for people to view. Suffice it to say that there was peace, joy, and gratitude among all who attended. Natalie smiled with the smiles only infants can have, and even so, only at rare and perfect times. I feel overjoyed that I could participate in one of those times.

I have so many things to look forward to.

Like the day we met

I lie awake in bed, tranquil and still, and listen to your gentle breathing. Abigail is due in two calendar-flips, and seems like she might arrive both running and dancing. You are supernally beautiful.
My love, I love you more deeply and more sweetly than the day we married. You have been strength to me, and tenderness, and joy. Thank you, love.

Fort Douglas Memorial

Today the fife and drum participated in memorial services at Fort Douglas. We marched to the cemetery near the fort to the music of a Civil War funeral duty, followed by a riderless horse and the flag-draped casket. Pictured below is the ceremonial flag-draped casket and rifled upturned to pay honor and tribute to the fallen dead.

The keynote speaker for the ceremony was Amanda Dixon from KSL radio. She spake of patriotism and mentioned some details of her father's service. From Amanda: "I'm not a great American; I'm a grateful American". May we all be more grateful for our country.

Moving In

We finally made it! No one broke their backs, either.

We quite like our place. We can no longer walk through the entire apartment in a straight line, which is a testimony to the comparative spaciousness we now enjoy. The neatest thing of all is the bedroom adjacent to our bedroom. We call it "The baby's room." That phrase is so exhilarating to me.

Thanks for all who could come and help. My dad and several brothers (those without broken backs), Delores's dad and brother, and some friends came. We couldn't have done it without them.