"Goff the Red"

Turkeys Can Fly

2011-11-27T15:40:00.000-08:00

When the kids were home over Thanksgiving, we went to the iFly tube in Tukwila. It was a blast. Some of us took to the air better than others. In the video, Whitney flies for the 2nd time and stays aloft pretty well. Alex, McKenzie's boyfriend, flew like an ostrich, a lot of flapping and a couple crashes.

Otherwise, it was great to have the kids home for the Thanksgiving weekend.

Mother's Day - Finally

2011-06-08T22:14:00.000-07:00

A year ago I bought concert tickets for Mother's Day for Melanie to a band which I really wanted to see but which Melanie was only okay with. At about the same time, Melanie had a life-long dream to see another band. Both bands were supposed to be in Seattle during the Summer of 2010. I bought tickets to my band for Mother’s Day and she bought tickets to her band for Father’s Day.

As it turned out, Melanie’s Eagles came to town in 2010 and my U2 had to postpone the concert for a year.

Last weekend U2 arrived at Qwest Field.

New Hobby

2011-05-31T20:24:00.000-07:00

Bought a pile of steel parts over the past several months. Sold a bunch of excess baggage on Craig's List and e-bay to raise the money. Assembly was easy after watching several videos on YouTube. Had to borrow a few tools from an armory wizard.

Didn't have all the tools and vises so I improvised. Here is a shot of a jig to hold the gas block steady while the gas tube pin is set in place.

Here is the assembly when the scope arrived. Scope came with Weaver rings so I had to buy high rise Picatinny rings - much nicer and beefy enough to handle the abuse. In this shot the butt stock is collapsed.

Here is the final assembly with a leather sock on the flash suppressor to keep it from scratching the table.

Specs on the assembly:
> Bored for 5.56 mm
> Aero Precision upper & lower receivers
> Magpul adjustable butt stock
> Black Hole Armory 16" stainless steel heavy barrel
> 3-Land Polygonal bore
> Yankee Hill Phantom flash suppressor
> Yankee Hill free floating forearm, semi-smooth, carbine length
> Yankee Hill over-sized take-down pins
> Bushnell 6X24-50mm mil dot reticle scope with red & green illumination

Shot 50 rounds through it trying to sight the scope but couldn't make the adjustment. However, I could hold high and to the right to make up the difference and at 100 yards, hit the 4" steel plate every time. Small bullet can deliver a lot of energy. I'd hate to be a Talibani in the cross hairs of a US Marine looking down the barrel of an M-16.

Scope sent back to manufacturer for repair, dang-it. Hope to have it back soon.

No recoil to speak of. Maybe too much scope but my plan was to compromise between a varmint gun and a tactical gun. Could have gone with a longer barrel but that would have been too long for hog hunting and self defense. H-bar was the compromise to make it suitable for long-range varmint shooting. After the scope gets back, it will be sighted for 200 yards. We'll see.

Most parts were purchased at Surplus Ammo and Guns in Tacoma, WA. They have good prices. Hand guard was purchased from BrightFlashLights.com in Florida. Again, a good price and excellent service and knowledgeable. Fast shipping.

A shout out to all those who are and have served our great country in the military services. We remember you on this Memorial Day weekend.

Winter Blues

2010-02-28T08:26:00.000-08:00

Has my blog gotten stale? It has only been since May 2009 that my last posting was published. It was hard to focus on it this past several months, not that there hasn't been a lot going on, it has just been difficult to commit.

Enough has occurred that I should explain.

In April last year, the company for which I was working moved most of its people from the office here in Federal Way to their new office building in San Antonio, TX. Although the company was good to work for, I wasn't enjoying my situation and it had turned into a low-grade maintenance job where I was renewing leases and closing gas stations. All the fun parts of the job had gone away and the tedium was all that remained. I left the company and became one of the millions of unemployed.

Having a good wife with a good education and profession was a blessing during the past year. We took my severance money and socked it away in one of those high-yield CD's paying o.5% annual interest and settled into a long job search. We interviewed in the East Bay area, Dallas and Boise. In August we got a job offer in Boise, where I personally really wanted to land. It was with Idaho Power as manager of their real estate department - it was tempting. However, Melanie would have to change jobs and start over. In the end we turned down the job and continued to look more locally.

At about the same time, I had spent a week doing some research for a local trust company which is owned by a family friend. This company was expanding its line of business to allow people who own an IRA to buy and hold real estate in their IRA. Since the big brokerage houses where most IRA and 401-K money is located don't allow that much flexibility, this trust company wanted to try and serve that expanding market. Only about a dozen companies in the country do this so the prospects looked terrific. I designed their program as well as additions to their website, wrote a guidebook and set up procedures.

To be short, one thing led to another and we started a new company together. Three of us are partners and we are looking for investment deals where we will be the equity partners and will bring in others to finance. Our first deal just started to produce revenue this past week so we are hopeful it will work out for us. I'm the manager of the day-to-day operation and keep busy trying to remember the accounting classes I has at BYU in the early 1980's. The work we already have lined up should keep me busy at least through Spring 2011. This also allows me to relieve some of the pressure from Melanie who has kept us afloat this past year.

Through this, I have seen the the hand of God preparing the way for us and helping to make our path more clear. Had we taken the Boise job, we would have missed this opportunity. We feel our prayers have been answered and must give credit where it rightfully belongs.

IN OTHER NEWS - After playing Turkey Bowl with Brandon and Curt last Thanksgiving at the local Middle School football field, I had to find another exercise program. My knees were shot from schooling the high school and college boys on the gridiron. During 2009 I had run over 700 miles since I had a lot of time to myself while looking for work. When the doctor told me I had torn my meniscus on my left knee, I decided to take up rollerblading to get my daily fitness fix.

One night while out for a roll, I got going down a small hill a little faster than my comfort zone would tolerate. I knew a cul de sac just ahead had an incline to it and if I could make the turn, I could bleed off my speed and get under control. Halfway into the turn I noticed a small Toyota parked right near the end of my trajectory. The last thing I heard was the captain's calm voice saying "Brace for Impact!"

The pain wasn't terrible but I was too afraid to skate home. I straightened the mirror on the car and left. About a block away I sat down and took off the skates and walked the rest of the way in my socks.

My wrist was broken and my thumb wouldn't extend out. The doctor had to borrow one of the spare tendons in my index finger to connect to the torn thumb tendon.

Surgery went well but the doc had to search for the loose ends by opening windows up my arm.

This will be my friend until March 17th. Everything moves now though maybe not as well as originally. If the thumb doesn't extend as far as normal we may have to go back in to shorten the tendon a little. The doc calls it a "nip & tuck". Maybe I'll have him do the same thing to my belly while I'm out. That way I wont need an exercise program.

These past months have taught me a lot. Life is more than making a living and there is a difference between "Fun" and "Happiness". I've also discovered how important my marriage is and how much I can rely on my sweet wife. She has been the foundation in our home since the beginning and continues to be the most reliable partner I could wish for.

Finally, we had the best time with our family at the reunion this past Summer. Thanks to Alan and Helga for a great time and all their work putting it together. Here we are at the Grand Canyon with our exchange student.

Exploring Hidden Corners

2009-04-26T09:27:00.001-07:00

After 21 years in Western Washington, our family is still discovering hidden corners of beauty just a few miles from home. With a few days to enjoy Whitney at home, we looked for a short hike where we have never been. We wanted a place within an hour's drive and settled on Wallace Falls State Park just outside Gold Bar on Highway 2 east of Monroe. The drive in mid-morning was uneventful and easy - no gravel roads, no traffic. Only a few cars in the parking lot.
The trail follows the Wallace River into the Cascade foothills. Even through I have only been through God Bar a couple times before, I had never noticed the falls, which are easily seen from the valley floor a couple miles away. The trail was marked by the typical legal warnings which keep the government from being sued by ignorant people who have no judgments. In this case, McKenzie brought along a marker and changed the sign to make it more appropriate for the college boys she knows. The lower falls were interesting but not spectacular. It would be fun to see them when a raging torrent is boiling through the canyon.

At the middle falls, the scene opens up to a gorgeous view of the valley below. You can't buy this picture in Texas. You don't know how hard it was for McKenzie to sit for this shot. The smile disappeared as fast as it flashed.

This is the middle falls - a spectacular series of pools and cliffs. Hiking to this point is a small challenge but well worth the effort. In winter, this would be even more beautiful with the mist frozen on the rocks and trees. It is definitely on the list for a short winter jaunt.
At the upper falls is the end of the trial. One has to hike to the end, even though the view isn't nearly as rewarding as the middle falls. For a 2.7 mile hike to the top, it was satisfying. Knowing that we didn't quit was joy in itself. Being with my wife and kids brings me a lot of pleasure, more now that they are adults than before. I thought the teenage years were good - these are better.
Exploring the beauties around us should have been a bigger priority these past 21 years. There must still be hundreds of places near our home which we have yet to discover. Like this gem, it was hiding just a few miles from home, giving enjoymnet and recreation to anyone willing to seek it out.

Spring Has Delivered Hope

2009-04-26T08:28:00.000-07:00

After all the cold weather and snow from this past winter, we had a week of optimism and hope. It seemed we were bogged down since the first of the year in endless discomfort, longing for brighter days. The snow kept falling right up to the first week of April, the days were dark and cold. When the month of March was colder than the month of February, it seemed we would never emerge into the light.
When the sun finally broke through, it brought a sense of relief and anticipation. Blossoms bring the expectation of future fruit, flowers bring the bright colors of joy.

It is a reminder to me that even when things are despairing, when our battles seem lost and when light cannot shine through, that there is something to which we can still aspire. In Seminary we are nearing the book of Revelation. The great message of that book is that in the end, the winner will be clear, that this contest is not going to end in a tie score. At the moment it might even feel like we are losing, that the momentum is all with our opponent and his team of miscreants who go about tearing down everything wholesome and clean. The pressure on us is bearing down more each day making it feel irreversible. But, in the end, Good overcomes in a big victory. When ten thousand times ten thousand ascend to the highest station, that is a large contingent of winners.
As these flowers open their pedals to the summer sun, I am filled with anticipation of warmer, joyful days ahead. I don't despair nor waiver but look with hope to ever-brighter days ahead.

Arnold Has a Friend

2009-04-23T20:23:00.000-07:00

With a few days of sun, Arnold started to explore our yard. He finally became bored with the front porch and roamed around in the warmth. Finding Mole, Arnold decided to make friends. They wanted their photo taken so I took this candid shot. Mole is a little shy being a nocturnal mammal, hiding underground, looking for worms and generally playing hard to get. He is fuzzy and clean despite tunneling everywhere he goes. You can see how strong his front paws are with long nails and a pointed snout for pushing through the dirt.
Here is another shot of his paw. Hind legs only push forward and help him scurry about. No hair is wasted on his pointed tail, much like a gopher which is more common in Idaho. You can also see the hole just behind where Mole came out. Just after this photo was taken, Mole went right back into the hole for the last time, never again to see the light of day.

Whitney Graduates - Again

2009-04-11T21:43:00.000-07:00

Melanie and I took a trip to Idaho this weekend to watch Whitney graduate from college. She just wrapped up her senior year at BYU-I in Rexburg with a Bachelor's Degree in Communications. This is another happy moment for us as our oldest daughter reaches a milestone which we planned since her youngest days. It is rewarding to watch our kids set high expectations for themselves - and reach for them. We are proud of her accomplishment and to see her place a high value on learning and education. Now that she is out of school and married, we lost another tax deduction. I'll try to counter the adverse tax affect by earning less this next year.
It was a pleasure to share the occasion with Whitney's husband, Curt. It could have been uncomfortable last December when Curt graduated because he could have taken his new bride to some distant corner of the country before she graduated as well. Since he decided to stay in Rexburg to support Whitney while she finished her last semester, it saved us the confrontation. He was generous in his magnanimity and didn't force us to pull rank after all the time and money we had invested in Whitney's college education.
At least Whitney waited until after the graduation formalities before she celebrated. BYUI's president would surely have put her on graduation probation had she whooped and danced during the march. She was glad to be done, and we are happy for her. On to the next stage, wherever that leads her.

"R" We There Yet?

2009-04-11T20:46:00.000-07:00

After Whitney Graduated, we took a drive over the border to Jackson. The Sheriff frowned at us when we tried to photograph his orange jumpsuit friends who were raking the park. He held his hand on his pistol the whole time he was supervising the county prisoners. One looked like a bar-fighter type, the the other like a shoplifter who stole something for his high school girlfriend from one of the souvenir shops. We had to settle for this shot of the arch.

Melanie has a very delicate disposition. Some things make her scared easily. When I asked her to stand by the dead bear, she wasn't sure she could keep her emotions in check.

On Saturday, Whitney and Curt didn't want to pack their apartment so we took a walk up the North Menan Butte. Whenever we visited gramdma and grandpa Goff in Lorenzo, grandpa always talked about the little town of Menan, but we never went there. The buttes are probably the most prominent geologic feature in the Upper Snake River Valley. The north butte is also known as "R" mountain. We hiked to the top of the butte and saw the valley below starting to wake up for the Springtime.

All the trips we made to Eastern Idaho when we were young, my and Melanie's years at school here and having two kids graduate from BYUI, we never climbed R-Mountain. It was a simple hike up the south rim and the view was rewarding. From this angle its hard to tell where I'm standing but it is at the top left-hand corner of the "R". Whitewash on the rocks shows the top of the R with the Snake River in the background.

With Whitney and Curt moving away, we will miss Idaho.
Finally, after Whitney and Curt showed us a good time, we left for Salt Lake City to spend the day with our parents and Dana's family. This is a picture of us and Arnold as we left Rexburg. Arnold kind of blocked us from the picture.

Conference Comfort

2009-04-05T15:21:00.000-07:00

Wasn't Conference terrific? Seems there is always a theme that stands out, and what stands out to one may not be so remarkable to another. It seemed to me that there was a consistent looking toward the temple. It hadn't occurred to me that the garners would be the temple where the saints would gather - I always just thought of the gathering place as the stakes of Zion.

It made me think of the many times I have been to the temple with our family. Over the years I'm sure I have treated the temple with less care than I should have. Just after Melanie and I were married, I worked construction with a fellow in Provo - the brother of one of Gary's college friends. This fellow told me his life went about as well as his temple attendance. That has always stuck with me, not that I followed his advice. How lucky we have always been to be near a temple and how little I have used them. Maybe now I will think less of making money, coaching teams, playing ball and being outdoors and more on strengthening my core beliefs.

Also, my mind was turned to the temlpes I have visited over the years. 1. Idaho Falls, which will always be my temple, 2. Provo, 3. SLC, 4. Bern, 5. London, 6. Ogden, 7. Logan, 8. Manti, 9. Oakland, 10. Jordan River, 11. St. George, 12. Boise, 13. Seattle, 14. Laie, 15. Kona, 16. Bountiful, 17. Draper, 18. Rexburg, 19. San Diego, 20. Houston, 21. Portland, 22. Lehi. I was at the Copenhagen temple long before it was a temple, but I guess that doesn't count. It was the original chapel in Copenhagen, next to the mission home before they changed its use to a temple, remodeled and dedicated it.

I feel badly about missing the Anchorage, Fargo, Denver, San Antonio, Medford and a couple others where I didn't have time to visit while in those towns. I hope to see more.

Will Al Gore Ever Get It?

2009-03-29T08:36:00.000-07:00

March 29th! Snow again this morning. It will melt off before noon, but what the heck? Our daffodils didn't appreciate it much. They stayed in bed, huddled together to keep warm.
Arnold was even more upset. He walked around the yard marking his territory again. I hate it when he does that. You know how much spoor an elephant leaves behind, don't you? At least we can use it in the garden.

He did get a chance to take a bath though. He loves the water.

Even though it has been colder this past week than normal, the Flowering Plum is waking up to Spring. We haven't seen any honey bees yet, but the blossoms aren't quite in full bloom. Give it a week and the yard will be covered with the petals of the flower. Now, that is a snow I can enjoy this time of year.This guy only looks delicate for a few days, then has to be cut back to the ground. It's nice to see flowers this early since it helps dispell the gloom after a long winter. It's a nice way to begin a Sunday morning before going to church.

Arnold, step away from the bunny!

Into the Pit of the Vampires

2009-03-28T18:42:00.000-07:00

It's been a few weeks since my last blog. That's because not much goes on here anymore. Seems our lives have settled into very simple routines with no spectacular highs nor lows. As a result, Melanie and I have to push ourselves out of the house every now and then in order to create a new conversation

Last Saturday after my jog, I was trying to come back to life when Melanie rolled out of bed. She had no plans for the day nor did I. The sun was going to burn off the fog in a few hours and we didn't want to waste the day doing yard work. We decided to drive to the coast for a little adventure. At first we thought just a drive to Kalalock Lodge would be perfect, but as we drove, we kept getting deeper and deeper into Olympic National Park.
One of these days we will have to spend a weekend here at Lake Quinalt Lodge. Teddy can be proud of what he started. Although I am not much of an Obama fan and his trillion dollar debt machine which my children will be fortunate enough to pay for since they voted him into office. His boondoggle will fund some badly needed improvements at the country's National Park system.
At the Hoh River Rain forest we walked among the giants. These trees are as tall as a football field, if you stood a football field on its end, that is. Other wise that wouldn't make much sense 'cuz a football field isn't very tall otherwise. Not only are these trees massive, but they host some very funky moss.
Late in the day we made it to Rialto Beach near La Push. It was high tide and a little rough, but pretty in its own way. We sure live in a beautiful country. Now that we are mature adults, we need to get out and see more of it. This Summer will give us a good chance to see some of the southwest desert. We are looking forward to that.
Here I'm standing next to one of those large trees, washed off the mountain by a previous storm where is has been battered by the surf and ocean debris.
Melanie had ulterior motives for wanting to visit the coast. She pretended not to know anything about the vampires we would run into. Having never seen the movie nor read the 3,258 pages of fine literature about the topic, I was not expecting to be caught up in the Twilight hysteria. This bus was transporting an entire gaggle of hopeless vampire groupies around this small timber town. Forks was single-handedly saved from economic ruin by pale-skinned blood suckers. It seems a whole industry has sprung up around these sub-human vermin.

We went down this road anyway.

Yes, Melanie made me stop at the vegetable market where Bella shops. We bought blood turnips, deer neck and wolf spiders. Melanie ate the spiders, crunchy. I had the deer neck burger, seared with garlic to keep the vampiresses away until we got off the reservation. Lucky for us the sun was out that day, as you can tell from the previous photos. Melanie was disappointed she didn't get her photo taken with Edward, but when we got home, she let me nibble on her neck a little anyway. I think she went out and bought the movie on DVD this week. I'll try not to watch it.

It's a New Day

2009-03-01T10:26:00.000-08:00

February is usually a dreary month in Western Washington. When I woke up the last day of the month and saw a red glow in the eastern sky, I knew it would be worth getting out of bed and racing to find a view of the sunrise. First, I ran out to Lake Tapps hoping to get a picture across the water, but found nothing. Turning east I rounded a corner in the road with a barn on a hill to the left.

Even though I miss the sunsets in the Mountain States, these moments before sun-up are equally as thrilling. There will be time enough for yard work, for selling Brandon's old truck and recaulking the showers and tubs. This morning was spent watching the rainbow rise over the hills.
When the sun had come up and the horizon was fully bled out, I walked around the barnyard. Knowing the farmer would probably be upset if he caught me hanging around on his place, I tried to shoot a couple interesting pictures before scampering.

Seeing this electric fence insulator hanging on the wire made me think how much our world has changes in my lifetime. My children wouldn't even know what this was for or that it wasn't doing much good that way it is suspended, unattached from a wooden post. In former days these were an important part of getting meat on the table and milk in the fridge. Reading my sister Melissa's blog about her daughter being confused how ground beef was going to become part of their hamburger dinner - made me laugh. It really is a new day. Our kids don't hardley know from where they've come.
It was a treasure chest of images at the barn. With three out-buildings, implements from the 1940's, wood rotting into the ground, there has to be a magazine photo in that place somewhere. This boot, part of a pair slung over a horse stall a number of decades ago. Look how it quietly lost its soul. It must have filled with rain a thousand times before the welt gave way and the sole fell off. You'll have to go to my Flickr page to see it in color. It shows better in color. The link is to the right, at the bottom. Visit McKenzie's Flickr page as well, it shows better than mine.
It occurred to me that change is probably good. These old buildings haven't changed much and look what's happening to them. Nobody cared for them these many years and now they have lost their usefulness. Changing the roof, siding, doors and windows would have made them hold up better to the forces around them. One can learn a lot from an old barnyard. It's a new day, and that's not so bad. Maybe I'll run home and get out the caulk after all.

Winter Comes for an Unwanted Visit

2009-02-26T20:01:00.000-08:00

Last week we enjoyed some terrific weather and started to get outdoors after a tedious winter. Today we woke to an unwanted return of snow and cold. With any luck this will move off to Rexburg where it is wanted.

At least the dafodils have poked their sleepy heads out of the ground to see what the fuss is. You can see that they haven't awaken all the way and are still stretching to find the sun. It's there, be patient a little longer.

In a few weeks these branches will be budding with brilliant green leaves, rain will be misting down, making this winter scene much more colorful, rich and promising. Even though it rains here, the colors are beautiful. Don't any of you Utahans tell me you couldn't tolerate the rain. Look out your window, see the brown grass, the gray trees, the dust kicked up from the sanded streets? Yeah, it's bleak there too, but our air is clean.

Our Nest Is Empty - Again

2009-02-21T20:32:00.000-08:00

Now that's a flex I can get used to. Brandon drove out of the driveway a week ago to take a job in Las Vegas. Melanie cried as soon as his taillights could no longer be seen. He drove to Salt Lake City for a few days then on to Vegas. I'm sure he was glad to get away from mom and dad's constant directing. I look at us like coaches - and who can't use a good coach? I have to admit the house was a little less lively at dinner that night. Having Brans around was nice while it lasted.

Brandon had spent a few weeks with us after graduating while he nursed this job along. He left our place without any living arrangements. Melanie and I are more careful to have loose ends tied before embarking on such an adventure, but Brands doesn't worry much. He did have a lead on a place with an appointment to meet with a property manager to look at a condo where two other fellows were living - members of the church going to UNLV. While in SLC the weekend before, he got an email from an LDS fellow who had advertised a room for rent in his house. Brandon called him back and looked at his place the next day. He took the house. It seems Brandon always seems to work things out before he gets stranded. We are happy and looking forward to seeing him get started on his own.
With no kids left in the house, again, Melanie and I decided we need to explore the State again, from an adult perspective instead of with little kids or teenagers being dragged along. We drove to Mount Rainier this morning and enjoyed a beautiful winter day. Here is Melanie in front of Narada Falls. The trail was covered with 6 feet of snow so we scrambled down to an overlook without sliding headlong into the abyss. We weren't really dressed for walking in the snow but Melanie was a trooper about it.
At Paradise (5,400 feet elevation) the weather was clear enough to see the top of the mountain. Even the tall, jagged peaks in the neighborhood are dwarfed by Rainier. For those who have not been up here, it's a must on your next trip.
Here we are after I cropped out all the other people from the shot. I hate it when a bozo takes a picture for me and makes a mess of it. I asked him to make sure he got the mountain in the shot - he got the back side of his fat brother instead. It looked like two rolling hills with a cravasse in between. I crapped it out - I mean, cropped it out.
I forgot my tripod so my waterfall shots fell short, sorry. Here is Christine Falls with the bridge going right over the top of it.
This is Christine Falls from top to bottom.

We finished the day eating at the Copper Creek Inn. Grilled Chicken Sandwich for me and Momma's Meatloaf Sandwich for Melanie. We split a slice of their world famous Blackberry Pie, ala mode of course. As we were driving out of Ashford, the little town at the Park entrance, there were a couple people performing CPR on a large fellow in a convenience store parking lot. We flipped a U-ie to go back and help. Just as we arrived a volunteer EMT from the fire station arrived. As we were getting out, they got his heart working again and rolled him onto his side. Melanie was relieved she didn't have to help with the respiratory part. A few minutes later the ambulance arrived followed by two aid cars a few minutes after that. We hope the fellow made it and that he makes another New Year's resolution to stay alive.

When you come to visit next time, we will take you to the mountain. Be prepared to walk around the meadows and hills. It'll be fun.

Rediscover

2009-01-25T18:02:00.001-08:00

Sometimes we feel we live in the most ordinary place, that nothing is new. Our path each day is the same, we follow it in our sleep, only watching out for cars. What could possibly capture our attention when we drive the same route every morning and evening? Then, something makes us rethink - like helping a child with a school project. We see it for the first time. Oh yeah, we've been here before, but this time it's different, we see the beauty, the colors - were they like this before and we didn't notice? How many times have we missed out on something so simple and lovely?

It was vacant on the pier except for the lone fisherman. I had never seen these colors before, so rich and deep, so close to home - without Photoshop. Who knew? A man walking his dog and carrying a cup of cof... hot chocolate strolled by and tipped his hat. He enjoyed the quiet. It was cold and my shutter finger couldn't feel the button, I had to look up to make sure I had it in the right spot but it still made me calm to be here on a Sunday morning before church. It didn't take the place of the chapel, but I still felt close to creation. I should take advantage of this more often.

Thinking About Things

2009-01-06T20:37:00.000-08:00

October in the rain allows one to be alone in their own thoughts. Driving to the mountains creates space for private contemplation. It's quiet, peaceful and lonely. Sometimes lonely is good. When all that can be heard is the rain falling on the underbrush and the falls drowning out everything else, one feels small, yet part of the hush. One can be at peace if everything is right. If it's not right, peace is ellusive. Being at peace makes it easy to be alone, especially if one is alone in their own thoughts. If one can find peace in their soul... quiet in their heart, being alone is a comfort.
On the other hand, it is nice to share peace with another. It just didn't happen that way on this trip.

Do you fell it? It's there - slow down a moment, listen. Look at the colors, see the lights coming up, the pulse of the city? When night falls the city awakens to a different rhythm. Daytime is driving, pushing, rushing, making money. It's more rock-and-roll with a beat that you feel in your chest... but don't hear. But at night, it's more reggae, swagger, improvised jazz, even a little acoustic with a snare, bobbing your head as you walk, tapping your finger on the table while sipping a stawberry lemonade - all you can eat, of course. Relaxing as the sun glitters on the highrises then disappears until the morning. People on the street smile at night, not like in the day when they are hurrying to meet with the accountant. At night they giggle and look in the windows. In your mind you are with somebody, right? Peace can come in the city, but it must be shared, you can't be alone in the city and feel peace. If you are alone amist thousands of people, you are lonely and lonely is not peace, it's only alone. That's how it was this night, alone, watching the sun go down, trying to get a good shot of the glitter before it disappeared. I was pleased with the shot, but not at peace... being alone... among so many people. Afterwards, I was happy to be home.

The Interim Period

2008-12-31T06:31:00.000-08:00

What do you do in that interim period of time between Christmas and New Years? It's too early to take the lights off the house, and too cold as well. Lots of television - too many reruns though and after eating all the cookies and candy, funeral potatos and hams, laying on a couch makes my stomach look like Jabba the Hut.

Who decided there could be 35 bowl games anyway? Who wants to watch two .500 teams play in the Meineke Muffler Bowl? All the rain outside makes it cumbersome to plan a fun outing. I hate to drive all over the Pacific Northwest with four 20-somethings in the car - it's just not that exciting for them. Me, I'm entertained easily. Them?... they want instantaneous adrenaline or just to be left alone. I'm betwixt.

Melanie let me buy a camera for Christmas to replace my Pentax ME Super. It took a couple weeks to put it together, bartering for the body from B&H in New York and gambling on e-bay for the lens from someone who didn't know what they had. It's a Nikon D90 with a Sigma 17-70 f2.8 macro lens. We stretched our dollar pretty far though, getting this for about half the normal cost by using a little creative purchasing. Melanie gave up a lot of stupid gifts that I normally would have bought for her. She must have figured the camera would be better used than the socks, kitchen gagets and purfume, for which I have no nose nor taste.
Here is the first photo taken with the camera. I know... it's out of focus. You would think I could at least use the auto-focus, but I messed it up on the first 2 shots. However, I'm looking forward to learning how to use it and already have a couple projects in mind.

But here is the 3rd shot from the camera. It's passable and the subject matter was worthy... but keep it clean - there are teenagers around.

We took a walk along the Theler Wetlands near Belfair. While working at US Bank during the 1990's, I help finance this conservation project by selling some of the real estate owned by the Theler Trust. The money went to the North Mason School District which built an outdoor classroom on these wetlands. If you are ever out this way, this is a very interesting walk, easy to get to, perfectly groomed trails - and flat with several interpretive markers to explain the value of this resource.

Maybe I'll do a Happy New Year post as well.

Christmas Time Is Nice

2008-12-25T21:39:00.000-08:00

From our home to yours, we hope you all have a Joyful and Merry Christmas.

Tom and Mary Ann came by for a few minutes. They use any excuse to celibrate their affection for one another.

It snowed in Seattle - 2 weeks ago and it's still here. We've never had so much snow for so long as we have this year. Only our 3rd White Christmas we can remember while we've lived in the Seattle area - 20-1/2 years now.

2008-12-21T16:47:00.000-08:00

A Merry Christmas to our Family and Friends.

Our hope to for our family and friends is a Merry Christmas and a safe, Happy New Year. 2008 was a good year for us and we pray 2009 will bring us just as much gratification and joy. We hope to remain close to you and continue to pray for your happiness everyday.

The traditional band picture. Brandon wanted to be the front man - whatever that means.

Four angels fell from the heaven and landed in the snow in our yard.

Steve and Melanie with Mr. Snowman in our backyard.

Brandon and Curt graduated form BYU-I in December. They are both trying to tie down their first jobs out of school.

IT'S ANOTHER WEDDING!

2008-10-14T20:19:00.000-07:00

It's another wedding - actually, this was the first wedding of the Summer, it just took longer to get the photos back from the photographer. Whitney and Curt were married on August 15th in the Seattle Temple. The sealer was our former Stake President and the ceremony was very calming.

Here are all the guests who came to the temple for the wedding...

...and Whitney's family...

...and Curt's Family.

Curt's family hosted a dinner afterwards at Maggiano's in Bellevue.

On the 16th we hosted a reception for the couple at our home.

The dress...

and another shot of the dress...

Mary Ann prepping Brad's wardrobe.

...and sitting in the dress.

Whitney ready.

The game is up.

Two of the bride's maids - Kendal and McKenzie - twins...

...and the third bride's maid, Maurine.

Guardians

The Cake.

The Groom

The decorations.

The wedding party.

Starting new.

A fine Summer.

It's a Wedding!!

2008-09-28T19:02:00.000-07:00

Hey family - and if you are reading this and you are not family, that's okay, but it may seem a little weird to you. But- family, we had a wedding!! No, not Whitney's, that was last month. Leon and Staci's daughter Lynsie married a young man named Andrew Ransom from Hermiston, OR. They met at BYU-I. When Andrew returned from his mission, they became engaged and were married in the Seattle Temple on September 13th. Their reception was the 27th in Marysville, WA where Leon and Staci live.

Here is the happy couple just as they emerged from the sealing ceremony at the Temple.

And the bride's relieved parents.

Mom and dad came to visit and joined into the fun. Only three bars though.

Both families on the temple grounds.

Afterwards, the parents of the bride and groom hosted a nice dinner at a restaurant. Here is Andrew giving the acceptance speach at the restaurant -

"Now, close your eyes and click your heels together and say,'There's no place like home, there's no place like home...'".

Mom and dad stayed a few days. We dragged them to the beach and down to Rustin Way in Tacoma for dinner. I think they will stop coming to visit because we haul them all over the state.

We heard from Whitney's wedding photographer who said the pictures from her wedding will be delivered the first week of October. Shortly thereafter I'll post some here for you to see.

We hope you are all well and happy. Til next time, gird up your loins. Steve.

My Connection to Sarah Palin!

2008-09-06T22:48:00.000-07:00

What's the deal with Sarah Palin? Didn't she rock the show at the RNC Convention? Did you know my pants have met Sarah? Look at the photo to the right - those are my pants!! This silly looking dude didn't have any cold weather gear for the Iron Dog Snowmobile Race in Alaska earlier this year so I took the pants off my a_ _ ... shelf and gave them to him so he wouldn't freeze. I'm almost famous.

Summer 2008 - Too Much Fun

2008-09-06T19:57:00.000-07:00

WHAT a summer this has been. Going in we knew we would be busy but it turned out to be a sprint and a marathon combined. McKenzie was worried that her last summer home would be spent making wedding preparations for her sister, and she was right. Once Whitney and Brandon returned home after Summer Semester, we went right to work preparing the arrangements for Whitney's marriage to Curt Gillis, a fellow Whitney met at BYU-I. He happened to be one of Brandon's roommates so it was quite convenient.

Here is a picture of Whitney and Curt the day she took out her endowments in the Seattle Temple.

This is a picture of them exiting the temple just after being sealed. Whitney's expression is priceless - "Gosh!" she says as Curt walks on her train, his first official act as a new husband.

I shouldn't be so mean. They actually are very cute together and Curt did get over his clumsiness. Here he is holding still for the picture, "one hand in his pocket and other one holding his new bride".

Some of the kids celebrated the occasion.

While others patiently waited for the bouquet.

Here is Whitney's half of the wedding party. Sorry I don't have the entire party but the photos aren't back from the real photographer and I shot very few pics that week. We will post some of the photographer's pictures when they arrive.

Brandon had a birthday too, his 25th, and celebrated as usual.

We even did the tourist thing with the family and Brandon's friend Roxanne from San Diego. Summer in Seattle still requires a jacket every now and then.

Curt's family lives in Houston so we travelled there for his open house. I have no pics from that trip except for this armadillo at Goode's Barbecue.

McKenzie was super excited to leave for college.

We met up with family and even had lunch with Scott and Jill Walker (comment on that!) but didn't even take a picture.

Mom and daughter cried, just a little when they parted. Dad felt empty but shed no tears until further down the road.

When we dropped Mic off at school, we also took in a Cougar game. Here is Dana and me on the sidelines just before we got busted for being where we shouldn't. I guess we didn't look enough like broadcasting students to get away with it.

Melanie and I also went to the Washington game in Seattle the following week. BYU can sure draw a crowd wherever they go. We sat in a friend's season ticket seats in the upper deck of the south bleachers. Circa 10,000 Cougar fans scattered through the stadium made it sound like a cross-town game. The drunken Husky fans who sat by us were gracious in defeat.

Hope everyone else has a great summer as well. I'm glad it's over.

2008-06-21T18:43:00.000-07:00

What a derelict I have been for not posting to the blog in several months. A few events have occurred in our family since the new year, so let's get into it.

McKenzie's dance team did well again this year. She had a little extra pressure on her as Captain and wanted to do as well as the team did last year. As they went through the competitions, the team wasn't looking as strong as it normally does: plus, you know how high school girls can be - creating lots of drama for their mama! Well, here she is with her team at the end of their final competition in Yakima. Notice how everyone is sticking up a finger - no, there was plenty of Klenex in the house - they are making an editorial comment about the superiority of the Beamer Titans. For the 4th year in the 5-year history of the school, the dance team won the State Championship. All the mom's were extatic, the dads were proud and the girls were relieved that they didn't have to spend so much time together any longer.

Here is a shot of Kenzie during their routine.

Brandon took an internship in San Diego beginning in January because he was too woosie to enjoy another Rexburg Winter. When his job ended, we took the family down to spend a week with him.

Her is a picture of the kids at Sea World getting on a roller coaster. The two chicks in the front didn't want to get wet so we naturally put them where the water would never flood over the nose of the boat. Oh well, I didn't engineer the thing.

We rented a house on Mission Beach and had the best of the ocean on one side and Mission Bay on the other. We had fun sailing (well, I had fun sailing), watching Flipper, visiting Uninversal Studios and going to the Mormon Batallion Visitor's Center in Old Town.

We got a little sun while we were sailing

One day I had seafood for lunch.

A few weeks ago we sent out an e-mail announcing that Whitney is getting married to one of Brandon's roommates. We took him to San Diego with us too. Actually, he was in Los Angeles for an intership the same time as Brandon so he just came down with us and spent the week. His name is Curt Gillis and is from Houston, majoring in Business Management. This is how they will look when they get married.

This is how they will look next year.

Be sure to put their wedding date on your calendar and make the trip to Seattle - August 15th is the wedding in the Seattle Temple and August 16th will be the reception in our backyard. We promise to have excellent Seattle weather for the events. The wedding dinner will be at Marggiano's Restaurant in Bellevue - a nice place for a meal.

By the way, Mckenzie graduated from high school the other day. Here she is with her proud mother. She graduated 7th in her calss with High Honors, so we are rightly pleased with her hard work and dedication. We never had to ask her to do her homework or assignments. Once in a while we had to ask her to start earlier on Sunday night, but she always got her work done without stressing her father. Mic is working the summer before leaving for BYU in the Fall.

Brandon is playing baseball at BYU-I this summer and Whitney is getting ready for her wedding so we took a short trip to visit them. While Melanie and McKenzie were looking for wedding junk with Whitney and Brandon was in class, I took a little hike along the rim of the Snake River just north of Swan Falls. The hike was terrific - and quiet. The only people I saw were fishermen in drift boats down on the river.

Like I said, Brandon is playing ball, and is the coach of his team as well. This was the first time we have seen him play since high school and it brought back those glory days. Here is a picture of Brandon at bat. It was a funny shot because in this shot he blasted the ball into the scoreboard for a 3-run homer. His team ended up losing, but only after both teams generated a lot of offense. Pitching is the key talent for this kind of league and the talent pool gets spread thin. Brandon hadn't pitched since about 6th grade but he figured he couldn't do any worse that his number three pitcher. He started throwing some pitches in practise a few weeks ago. His No. 1 pitcher taught him how to throw a curve ball. Evidently Brans thought he had the stuff that day so he put himself in and threw a couple innings. I couldn't stop giggling even though he did pretty well. One guy did tagged him for a trip around the bases but Brans just hung in until the game was over.

Since we were in Rexburg for the 22nd reunion of the Teton Dang collapse, we decided to take a trip to the old dang and see what was left. Here is a shot of everyone (but me) at the look-out point above the dang. That's the river on the far side of the canyon making its way past the earthen dang. Sorry you can't see the whole dang, but you need a bigger camera - or better yet, next time you are visiting BYU-I, go by and see it yourself. It's still quite amazing after all these years.

Well, better go - be sure to click on the link to McKenzie's blog where you can look at some of her photographs.

We continue to keep you in our prayers, especially those who need a little extra, speaking broadly - you know who you are. Let us know how you are all doing. We look forward to seeing your blogs as well. - Love, Melanie, Steve and the kids.

2007-12-21T10:55:00.000-08:00

Dear Family and Friends,
Merry Christmas to you and we hope you also have a happy new year. This blog entry will substitute for our Christmas Card this year since this is easier than printing all those envelopes and sticking stamps on them. I will miss the peppermint gum on the back of the stamps though. That was always good for a few days of fresh breath.

Here is what was printed on the back of the card:

Merry Christmas! We hope this greeting finds you well and happy. It’s hard to believe that another year has come and gone, but we have been blessed in many ways and have much to be grateful for.

This picture was taken in November in Island Park, Idaho where we all gathered for Thanksgiving. We rented a cabin there and were able to enjoy the clean, crisp air and the first snowfall of the season. We had a wonderful time and the trip was one of the high-lights of our year.

Our children are doing well. Brandon, 24, is entering his Senior year at BYU-I, majoring in Construction Management. Whitney, 21, is also attending college there and is majoring in Communications. McKenzie, 17, is a Senior at Todd Beamer High School and will spend the next 4 months preparing for state dance competition. Last March, her team took 1st at State and they are hoping for a repeat again this year. She was recently accepted into BYU-Utah where she plans to major in Photography. She will fly the coupe in the Fall of 2008 and Steve and I will officially be “Empty Nesters.”

Steve is in his 6th year working for the Tesoro Refining and Marketing Company and is a Seminary teacher for our church, instructing McKenzie’s age group of youth at 5:45am each week day! Melanie is in her 18th year of working 2 days a week in the Birth Center at St. Francis Hospital. At the moment, she is serving as the Enrichment Counselor in the women’s organization of our church. On December 19th we will celebrate our 26th wedding anniversary. Time flies when you’re having fun!

Well, that’s a quick synopsis of our year. Many behind the scenes events have influenced our lives and strengthened our relationships, and as we ponder the birth of our Savior, we realize that our most precious gifts in life are dear friends and family. Have a wonderful holiday season!

Love,
Steve, Melanie,
Brandon, Whitney & McKenzie
2007

November 2007

2007-11-30T10:28:00.000-08:00

Hello family. We hope you are all well and had a good Thanksgiving. Thanks especially for those of you who updated your blogs the past few weeks. It was good to see what is going on in your lives.
Plus, you all really made this Family Newsletter a lot easier to publish. And don't you like the freedom and control you have over your own content. I always hated when the editor would mess with the copy, twisting it into HER own distorted mindset. Disturbing.

Our Thanksgiving took us to Island Park to meet up with Brandon and Whitney.
Henry's fork is beautiful this time of year. We pulled into IP on Monday evening. It snowed that night and never melted, staying in the -2 to 15 degree range all week. It didn't start to thaw until we got back to Boise.

Here is a shot of us at the top of Coffee Pot Rapids. After the river silently flows through the valley, it suddenly changes characteristics and rushes through a cut in the rocks, creating a plunging rapid. Evidently, a hundred and fifty years ago, a trapper was placidly paddling his canoe down the river looking for a pelt palace to set his traps. When he was unexpectedly sucked into the rapids, he lost all his equipage, except.....yes, you guessed it, his coffee pot.

After hiking in 2 miles, we came to the rapids and took this photo. You can see Whitney's pants are wet up to her knees. It didn't take her long to jump into the river. We keep her around for comic relief. She has been working at it long enough now that she is quite good at it.
Whitney and Brandon are still going to school at BYU-I. Brandon is looking for an internship for January through April of next year and will graduate in December 2008. Whitney is planning on a 2009 graduation. I think they are both getting tired of school. They love the social life, but not the studying and not having any money. Little do they know what "real life" is like or they wouldn't be so anxious to meet it.

AKG and A Come Calling

2007-11-30T10:18:00.000-08:00

Somehow we conned Alecia and her girls into spending a few days with us in Island Park. Here they are on one of our day-trips to Mesa Falls. This picture was taken just a few minutes before they held a contest to see who could spit out to the water from the observation deck. Kayla won, by the way. She had been practicing in her Health Sciences class at Utah State University. State schools, pschdt!

Anyway, we had a great time with them and enjoyed their company. And, they aren't lacking in the personality department either. They will be fine and I have a lot of confidence in Alecia. Thanks to them for making a couple good memories.

The Clock Has Expired

2007-11-30T10:07:00.000-08:00

As a senior, McKenzie played here last volleyball game. Their team wasn't that strong this year but she had a good time.
At the end of each season, all the coaches in the league get together and nominate players for awards. McKenzie was voted (by the 10 coaches)an All-League Honorable Mention for her competitiveness and level of play. That was quite rewarding to be recognized for her contribution, especially since her team was at the bottom of the stack.

Aberdeen and Lorenzo

2007-11-30T09:53:00.000-08:00

While we were in Eastern Idaho, we drove through Melanie's hometown of Aberdeen. We went by her house, which looks much smaller now than it did when we were younger. We went to the "beach" not far from her house where she swam in the American Falls Reservoir as a kid. Melanie entered nostalgiaville when we drove by her high school - her glory days returned. McKenzie drew the line though, when Melanie wanted to walk through the hallways.
Coming back from Island Park, we stopped in Lorenzo to get a picture of Grandma and Grandpa Goff' s place, the house where dad grew up. It looks a lot smaller now too.
This photo was taken over the 8 foot fence which garrisons the property. Several years ago it was purchased by an artisan of some sort who promptly built a castle behind the house and to the west. Dad's house was turned into a studio. You can see how much has changed. There is a sun room added to the living room. A metal roof was put on and the driveway was plowed under and planted with grass and a row of trees. Being here brought back good memories. One of these days Melanie and I will have to take a trip to take pictures of all the places our families have lived. It will have to be when all our kids are gone because they wouldn't see the point - until much later in their lives.

A Little Family History

2007-11-30T09:32:00.000-08:00

While looking around on the internet, I randomly (yea...) stumbled across a few pictures. Here is one from a hundred years ago. Anyone care to guess where is was taken?

This is an unknown street in a place called Long Whatton, England. Then, I came across these next 2 photos...

Isaac Goff and his wife...

...Mary Naylor.

These two people lived in Long Whatton in the early 1800's. At the ages of 35 and 32 respectively, this young couple heard the message of the Mormon missionaries and were baptized. Over the next several years they saved up and immigrated to America, crossed the plains to Utah and joined Zion.

Look at a picture of Grandpa Goff. Do you see any similarities? Notice the lips and cheeks, especially between Grandpa Goff and Mary. Since Mary is his grandmother, there would naturally be some resemblance. Never again should we wonder where our hair line came from - look at Mary's.

And look at dad. The noses on everyone are almost identical.

I haven't found a picture of Grandpa Goff's father and mother but will keep looking.

Signing Off

2007-11-30T09:21:00.000-08:00

It has taken a couple hours to get this posted, so I better get off and do something else. Oh, wait a minute. I almost forgot - guess who the next Goff Family Cougar is going to be?

That's right, McKenzie went and got herself accepted at BYU beginning September 2008. I don't know who is more excited, mom or Cub Cougar. Rise and shout!!

Everyone have a terrific Christmas and we will catch you up after the first of the year.

2007-10-08T11:07:00.000-07:00

Todo el sombrero, ningunos ganados

2007-10-08T10:57:00.000-07:00

From last Christmas, here are a few shots of our trip to the Yucatan. Top photos are from Chichen Itza's pyramid and planetarium.

And Half Moon Bay where we snorkelled and ate lunch at La Buena da Vida cantina. I think I could live like this.

2007-10-08T10:38:00.000-07:00

Brandon, Whitney and Teague celebrate our country's birthday at LaVell Edwards Stadium. It was an independence celebration of sorts since Whitney would shortly be independent of Teague.

2007-10-08T10:33:00.000-07:00

The Goff Brothers - ca. 1945. Left to right is Grange, Roland and Ray.

Welcome to My Blog!

2006-12-06T09:04:00.000-08:00

Hello from Varsity Outdoor. This is a new blog for the Family Newsletter and can be viewed by anyone in the world. Of course not everyone in the world will be interested in reading or seeing this and even fewer will know how to access it. However, whenever we have someting interesting for others to see, we can send them an e-mail with the link to this blog and they will be able to view what we have posted.

Initially, this is where we can post our photos from our Mexico trip so others can see how relaxing the trip was.