Rickety

Mostly about Utah

Brigham City Peach Days

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Peach Days banner.
Jill, Sarah, and I traveled to Brigham City yesterday for Peach Days. We were joined by Kent, Susan, Connie, Mark, Byron, and Robert. Peach days takes place the weekend after Labor day weekend. Much of the main street in the city is closed off to cars, and the festival is celebrated by a parade, a car show, a carnival, and other activities including the famous “Scuba Burger” which many Peach Day goers enjoy. In the parade were rickety fire engines no longer in service, clowns, horse and carriages, bands, floats, beauty queens, Star Wars characters, bandits, old cars, farm equipment, unicyclers, and even pioneers pulling a handcart. I was having difficult with the sun shining into my camera so I crossed the street and put it behind me. During the parade some bandits fired their guns astride their horses which made a baby in the crowd cry. The parade lasted two hours, which is the longest parade I have ever watched.

A local plumber advertises his skills.

Cherry Days Royalty.

After the parade we went to the vendor area on 2nd West and bought lunch. We sat under the shade on some chairs provided by Mark’s dad and ate our food. We walked around all the booths but didn’t buy anything. There sure were a lot of people, in places it was hard to get around. Some mothers had strollers as big as eighteen wheelers which in places slowed foot traffic to a crawl. These stroller owners will have to be wary of the UTA that will want a stroller congestion tax. I came across a tank that you could go inside. The Army was out in force and a tank or howitzer or whatever it was is a good draw to help with recruitment.

I was requested in the comments a few days ago to give out more of my opinion so I will comply. What did I think of Peach Days? The main attraction for me is the parade. Recently several parades I have attended have not had very many floats which to me is the heart of a parade. Peach Days was the same, not very many floats. It takes a lot of time and effort to put one together so that is not surprising. I know when my sons helped to build a mammoth they spent a great deal of time in the construction. I believe I contributed some spare wood for the frame — it takes a mammoth amount of wood to build a hairy elephant. The parade was too long — two hours — and people were leaving before the end. I like the marching bands and any floats. Also any military hardware and anything with horses.

The rest of Peach Days I don’t care for. There is nothing in the booths I am interested in except the food. It is just glorified shopping. It was enjoyable to see others having fun so it is worth the trip for that. The young people were especially enjoying the carnival. It was great to be out in the sunshine with my family.

Peach Days Carnival

Peach Days Carnival


Rick by the tank

Rick by the tank


Jill enjoys her food in the shade

Jill enjoys her food in the shade


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Retiling the Bathroom

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The bathroom off of the master bedroom needed the rickety old linoleum floor replacing. Two of my sons volunteered to lay the tile. Follow their work in this photographic record.

Remove Linoleum

The large hole in the side of the wall was where I cut the sheetrock to find out where the shower was leaking. The smaller hole in the wall is for the toilet roll holder.

The first job is to strip the linoleum. This doesn’t take very long and could be fun if you are in the right frame of mind.

Remove Toilet

Paul (left) and Daniel (right) unbolt the toilet and take it outside. We now have an outside toilet for a few days. Not to worry, we do have an operational second bathroom. After all it is America.

Paul’s shirt says, “You couldn’t pay me to do this.” Correct, you won’t be paid. Daniel’s shirt says, “I hear voices and they don’t like you.” My shirt says, “Get back to work!”

Finish Removing Linoleum

The rest of the linoleum is removed. I was expecting a smell from the sewer but I was pleasantly surprised when there was none. Of course I wasn’t as close to the action as were Paul and Daniel. Occasionally I came in to take photographs — you know the important stuff.

Remove the Subfloor

Daniel works on removing the subfloor. This is a little more labor than removing the linoleum but it is soon completed. This project took several days to complete because Daniel digs post holes during the day and Paul was in college. However there were no complaints. Expert craftsman need their space.

Now it is time to stop removing and begin adding.

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Vice Presidential Questions

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The Seal of the Vice President of the United States.
Yesterday the question was asked by a co-worker, “If a vice president dies, how do we get a new vice president?” We racked our rickety brains but nobody knew so I researched the question and added a few more.

How is the Vice President Replaced?

The 25th amendment provides for a replacement if the vice president dies in office, resigns, or succeeds to the presidency. In the original Constitution there is no provision for selecting a replacement, so the office remained vacant until the beginning of the next presidential term. The issue arose in 1963 when Vice President Johnson succeeded to the presidency upon the assassination of President Kennedy and was rectified by section 2 of the 25th Amendment.

Section 2 of the 25th Amendment provides that:

Whenever there is a vacancy in the office of the Vice President, the President shall nominate a Vice President who shall take office upon confirmation by a majority vote of both Houses of Congress.

Who was the First Vice President Selected by this Method?

After the resignation of Vice President Spiro Agnew in 1973 Gerald Ford was the first vice president selected by this method. Ford then nominated Nelson Rockefeller as vice president.

When can a Vice President Become Acting President?

Sections 3 and 4 of Amendment 25 provide means for the vice president to become Acting President upon the temporary disability of the president. Section 3 deals with self declared incapacity of the president, and section 4, which has never been invoked, deals with incapacity declared by the joint action of the Vice President and of a majority of the Cabinet.

Section 3 has was invoked in 1985 when Ronald Reagan underwent surgery and twice more in 2002 and 2007 when George W. Bush underwent colonoscopy procedures requiring sedation.

Who is Eligible to be Vice President?

The Twelfth Amendment to the United States Constitution states that:

…no person constitutionally ineligible to the office of President shall be eligible to that of Vice-President of the United States.

Unlike the president, there is no restriction of the number of terms a person can serve as vice president. To serve as vice president, an individual must be a natural born U.S. citizen no younger than 35 and have lived in the U.S. for at least 14 years.
Sarah Palin may be the first woman vice president.

Is There an Oath of Office?

The United States Constitution does not specify an oath of office for the vice president. A vice presidential oath, which has been used in various forms since 1789, is also recited by Senators, Representatives and other government officers.

What are the Duties of the Vice President?

Vice presidential powers are limited by the Constitution to becoming president should the President become unable to serve and acting as the presiding officer of the U.S. Senate. Informal roles of the vice president often include drafter and spokesperson for the administration’s policy, as an adviser to the president, as Chairman of the Board of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), as a Member of the board of the Smithsonian Institution, and as a symbol of American concern or support. They may meet with other heads of state or attend state funerals in other countries, at times when the administration wishes to demonstrate concern or support but cannot send the President himself.

Where does the Vice President Live?

Since 1974, the official residence of the vice president and his family has been Number One Observatory Circle, on the grounds of the United States Naval Observatory in Washington, D.C.

Has a Vice President Ever Resigned?

  1. John C. Calhoun in 1832 to take a seat in the Senate.
  2. Spiro Agnew in 1973 upon pleading no contest to charges of accepting bribes while governor of Maryland.

Did any Die in Office?

  1. George Clinton in 1812.
  2. Elbridge Gerry in 1814.
  3. William R. King in 1853.
  4. Henry Wilson in 1875.
  5. Thomas Hendricks in 1885.
  6. Garret Hobart in 1899.
  7. James Sherman in 1912.

Were any Assassinated?

  • Andrew Johnson was an unsuccessful target of the same conspiracy which murdered President Abraham Lincoln.
  • Thomas R. Marshall was an unsuccessful target of a letter bomb in 1915.
  • Dick Cheney was in the vicinity of a bomb allegedly meant for him.

Which Vice Presidents Succeeded to the Presidency?

  1. John Tyler when William Harrison died.
  2. Millard Fillmore when Zachary Taylor died.
  3. Andrew Johnson when Abraham Lincoln was assassinated.
  4. Chester A. Arthur when James Garfield was assassinated.
  5. Theodore Roosevelt when William McKinley was assassinated.
  6. Calvin Coolidge when Warren Harding died.
  7. Harry S. Truman when Franklin D. Roosevelt died.
  8. Lyndon B. Johnson when John F. Kennedy was assassinated.
  9. Gerald Ford when Richard Nixon resigned.

Have any Vice Presidents won the Nobel Peace Prize?

  1. Theodore Roosevelt in 1906 (when he was the President).
  2. Charles Gates Dawes in 1925.
  3. Al Gore in 2007 (after he left the office).

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Protect Marriage Campaign

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Protect marriage website

Volunteers to Visit More Households

50,000 Proposition 8 volunteers have already reached more than one million households up and down the state. These incredible results were accomplished by volunteers who devoted just a few hours of their time during two consecutive weekends. We need to increase this great effort if we want to ensure that Proposition 8 passes come November. If we each do our part, we can protect and restore marriage to the traditional definition that existed before 4 liberal judges working in San Francisco changed it.

Campaign Urges Supporters to Donate

We are up against a well-funded effort to redefine marriage for our children, our families and all of society. Our opponents have already reserved millions of dollars of television advertising, and no doubt have ads ready to confuse and obscure the issues at stake. We need to reserve our own TV and radio time to counter these efforts. With just 60 days left until the November election, the Proposition 8 Campaign is requesting supporters to donate.

iProtectMarriage.com Targets the Youth Vote

In conjunction with the Pastors’ Rapid Response Network, we recently launched a Web site targeting the youth vote in California. At the iProtectMarriage.com Web site, young people in California can learn about the important issues involved in Proposition 8, and can sign up to help.

iProtectMarriage.com targets teenagers and young adults both from secular and faith backgrounds. Miles McPherson, one of Proposition 8’s key supporters and senior pastor of the Rock Church in San Diego, says the site aims to reach out to all young voters, especially those who support same-sex marriage for the wrong reasons. McPherson, a former NFL player with the San Diego Chargers, said:

Right now they’re driven by the wrong information and a lot of emotion. They’ll say, “I don’t want to be called a bigot. I don’t want to discriminate.”

Making it clear that the Proposition 8 campaign is not “anti-gay” but pro-marriage, the site challenges its users with information in key areas: civil rights, kids, churches, education, public health, faith and society, showing that Proposition 8 is about much more than marriage alone. It shows young people how they can to take action for Proposition 8.
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Utah Temples Tour Details

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Kaysville to Kaysville Google Map

First Day

Before I begin I will mention that we won’t be traveling in any of the rickety old cars you see on this page. The first day we get to sleep in our own beds. We start and end in Kaysville. This will work for those of you who just want a day trip. We drive north 18 miles to take in a session at the Ogden Temple. North again for 47 miles to the Logan Temple. Then it is back south for 76 miles to the Bountiful Temple. Back home with a drive of 14 miles. That adds to a total of three sessions and 155 miles. The drive time is approximately 3 hours and 17 minutes.

Kaysville to Provo Google Map

Second Day

We start off in Kaysville driving 20 miles to get an early session at the Salt Lake Temple. Another 20 miles takes us to the Jordan River Temple. In the same city is the site of the Oquirrh Mountains Temple just 3 miles away. Just a 13 mile drive takes us to the site of the Draper Temple. South for 14 miles delivers us to the Mount Timpanogos Temple. After we are finished at Mount Timpanogos it is a leisurely drive to the Provo Marriott where we will stay the night. For the day the total miles is 85 taking about 2 hours 23 minutes. Three sessions will have be completed and a look at two temples under construction.

Provo to Monticello Google Map

Third Day

You could walk the three miles from the Marriott to the Provo Temple for the first session of the day. After a session we go east 153 miles to the Vernal Temple. We are not done yet as we drive the 272 miles to the Monticello Temple. Once the session is complete we stay over at the Days Inn just a mile away. Total for the day is three sessions and 429 miles that will take 8 hours and 3 minutes.

Monticello to kaysville Google Map

Fourth Day

We are in for a lot of driving today to pick up the last two temples. The St. George Temple is 392 miles away so we start early. You can take a nap on the way but no snoring. After St. George our last stop is the Manti Temple for a drive of 213 miles. Soon we can head home with 143 miles before us. This leg would add two more sessions and 749 miles. Total driving time for today would add up to 11 hours 32 minutes.

When?

Two people who have signed up are attending the University of Utah. So it looks like we will go sometime during Fall break (Monday 13th October to Sunday 19th October). The four days will be 13th to 16th of that week. An alternative would be to do day 1 on Saturday 11th and days 2, 3, and 4 on 13th, 14th, and 15th. Or we can come up with another date. Incidentally the times for each day is the drive times only. I would allow 2 1/2 hours for each temple visit. 90 minutes for the session and another hour for changing and wait times and outside photography. Jake reminded me that we would need time to eat. It will be good to have one or two hungry RMs along!

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Utah Temples Tour
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Labor Day Breakfast

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Rain forced us to eat inside but the cooks only needed a canopy. Daniel, Jake, and Andrew get their breakfast. Cotton Candy for everyone.

Paul eating his Labor Day breakfast.

Breakfast

This morning Jill and I ate out. The Kaysville 14th Ward’s annual Labor Day Breakfast was in progress. There was only one menu but was it ever good. Bacon, ham, eggs, hash browns, milk, orange juice, and pancakes. It was raining so we ate in the cultural hall of the chapel. The cooking proceeded outside with two rickety canopies as a shield against the rain. The planned car wash was canceled because of the weather but the carnival items proceeded inside. There was cotton candy and animals made out of balloons, you’ve seen them, the long skinny kind. There were various games the children could play and win prizes. Jill and I just visited with friends for quite awhile. Our children, Paul, Jake, and Daniel appeared with Andrew for breakfast. Andrew got Paul out of bed and drug them all here to eat. In past years I have helped cook the breakfast but this year I took the day off.

The rest of you enjoy your Labor Day — it’s back to work tomorrow!
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Jake’s Missionary Meeting

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Jake outside the church where he spoke today.

As is customary for departing and returning LDS missionaries, Jake spoke in sacrament meeting today.
Here is what he said, taken from my rickety notes:

Testimony

I will speak about testimony today. Preach My Gospel defines testimony as a spiritual witness. A priest is a lot different than an elder. On a service project priests have there hands in their pockets and lean against the wall. They have to be told what to do. An elder works through the spirit.

Graciela didn’t want to be baptized even though she had been to church. I like to baptize everyone I take to church. She didn’t recognize the need to repent.  My testimony wasn’t good enough to convince her. After seven months of teaching her my testimony was finally sufficient. She got baptized. She didn’t care about all my knowledge, just my testimony.

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Utah Temples Tour

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Utah Temples on Google Maps
Utah has eleven temples with two more under construction. I am planning a road trip to visit all the Utah temples, including those under construction. By the time I get going perhaps the temples being built will be finished. I am considering going through a session at each temple, except of course those under construction.

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Past Pictures: Temple Site

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The Temple Lot

In 1979 I visited the United States for the first time. This photograph was taken with my camera while I was in Independence. Independence is an interesting place to visit. The most fascinating spot is the Temple Lot, mostly because of its history. There is nothing on the two-acre site except grass with a church building on it and the sign you see me standing by. The building is the headquarters of the Church of Christ (Temple Lot).

History

On July 20, 1831, the Prophet Joseph Smith received another revelation with more details about the temple site. Joseph Smith who originally dedicated the temple site in 1831, and his followers, were evicted from Missouri in 1839 before a temple could be built on the Temple Lot. In 1847, the city of Independence formally incorporated with the Temple Lot. The Church of Christ Temple Lot returned in 1867 and purchased the temple lot properties, including the dedicated site for the temple. In 1891, the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, sued in the United States District Court for the Western District of Missouri to take possession of the property. It won in lower court but lost in the Court of Appeals on the basis that it had waited more than 20 years to make a claim. The United States Supreme Court refused to review the case. Ground was broken on April 6, 1929, for the construction of a temple, with instructions that the temple was to be completed within seven years. The Church of Christ (Temple Lot) never completed construction of the temple.

The Temple Lot Today

The Church of Christ (Temple Lot) maintains a visitor’s area on the lower level of the church. They have stated that they will not cooperate with other Latter Day Saint organizations in building a temple, nor will it sell the Temple Lot.