I finally figured it out (I think)

Now dont' go into shock, and NO MOCKING. I am computer illiterate. I'll freely admit it. While trying to protect my computer and my children from the computer, I managed to mess it all up. But today, I had an extra five minutes and finally did something really simple and fixed the whole thing-I think.

I am sitting at home today waiting for my new washer and dryer to be delieverd (see above pictures).

While they didn't have black, they did have platinum. I can hardly wait. We have donated our old ones to the Bishop and he has found a family that has literally nothing.

While we don't have the excitement or stories of clutching, fishing, trail running, we do have the excitement of school, homework, working, soccer, baseball, piano, scouts, Young Women's, Faith in God and Primary. If you're ever bored, think of me-I am never bored, but would love to be occasionally.

Humpty Dumpty had a Great Fall

Well, as I am at Mom's computer typing this, photos will have to wait. However, I will tell you a wonderful story about a fantastic fall. So, gather your children around. I have recently taken up trail running as a way to mix things up and to become a stronger runner. I spent 6 days in Durango, CO and Telluride, CO running the trails, camping and just enjoying to beautiful scenery. It is a gorgeous part of the country and I have even recommended a family vacation there. I ran about 55 miles on various different terrain, all trail without a single spill. I even did a 16-17 mile race called the Kennebac Mountain Challenge....and let me tell you it lives up to its name. You climb close to 4000 vertical feet, the terrain is miserable and there are places where there is hardly a trail. By the end of the trip I was feeling quite confident and was trilled that I had decided to take up trail running.

Upon my return to Salt Lake City, my friend whom I had gone on the trip with told me about the Jupiter Peak Steeple Chase in Park City. This is not the steeple chase that you see in the Olympics. This is a 16 mile trail race up and down various mountains that you can ski in the winter and some hidden single track trails that mountain bikers also use in the summer time. Things were going great, I was feeling great and I was moving fast...at least on the downhill portion of the course. I had managed to avoid about 3 spills earlier in the day and was feeling quite confident and thought I might even be able to catch a few more people on the descent. My feet were moving along at a nice pace, my breathing was comfortable, I was feeling hydrated and well fueled. And, then, the next thing I knew I was no longer upright; in fact I was splayed out across the trail. The wind had been knocked out of me a bit, my thigh seemed to be a little sore and it seemed that something was not quit right with my hand. I immediately popped up and did damage assessment....feet, fine; left knee, fine; right knee, a few bruises; left thigh, scraped and bloody but still able to function; right thigh, fine; right hip, a little scraped and bleeding; left elbow, scraped and bleeding but functioning fine; right arm, fine; right hand, not doing so well.....ok, in pretty bad shape.....aching, throbbing, swollen beyond recognition, by far my worst injury sustained from the fall. Face....fortunately my beautiful face was not damaged in the fall. So, its just a hand, I can still run; OK, not fast, but I can still run. And run I did....I had to get off the mountain and I had to finish the race because I don't quit. Fortunately, I only had about 1.5 miles left and I did manage to cross the finish line.....bloody, bruised, swollen and dirty as I was. Every guy who was there thought I was pretty tough for finishing....which I am. (But, they don't know how Stratton's are on the top of a mountain.)

Well, the hand is fortunately not broken, but it is a mess. I am in a splint for 2 weeks (only because it means I can run). I look pretty tough out running with my hand in a splint and my leg all scraped and bruised. Just remember....don't mess with me, I can out run you even if I am beat up and broken.

P.S. Mandy, you're allowed to laugh now because it is pretty funny. At least pops got hurt falling off a fast moving machine. I just got hurt falling off my own two feet (which, I suppose, are themselves a pretty fast moving machine too!)

Crash and Burn

I think Mel needs to post some of the pictures we took last night. All I can say is, we are pretty. Especially her arm and leg. Mel, why are your arm and leg looking so good?

Survey Says:

Let's go around the room and say what we think of the blogmaster and the new background...

A little more testosterone, a little less estrogen

My 29 years of testosterone is no match for the combined 121 years of estrogen in my house. My wife and my 4-year old and my soon to be 2-year old spent an undisclosed amount of money at an unnamed store with the gentle prodding of my mother while I was slaving away at my unmentionable job. As I type, I am unable to glance at the baseball game on ESPN2 as a variety of clothing is being held up and displayed for all to see. I am unable to use my phone to talk to one of the other males in my family as my sister is using it to talk to my other sister about what shoes may or may not have been purchased. Help, please.

Clutching and Trees

Trees and Clutchers Don't Mix

Sad day!!!!!!!!! I fought the tree and the tree won!!!!!!!! Went clutching with Kip this morning. He had never been up Hobble Creek and that is where he wanted to go. I went on a couple of side trails and he only went part way as he did not want to "scratch" his machine.

We took a little side trail that goes up a couple of hundred yards and in a grove of trees there is "room" to turn around. I have done it several time in the same spot. This time the right front tire just barely clipped a tree (I was on the gas trying to get the rear end to whip around. It did but at the most inopportune time and planted me square into the tree . I hit the tree with my right ribs just below the arm pit, which threw me off the machine and I proceed to do a one point landing on my right shoulder. The machine had enough momentum to get sideways and flip over but not on me. It knocked the breath completely out of me and it was very painful trying to breath. I finally managed to get my goggles, helmet and gloves and back pack I was wearing off and reached up and turned off the machine. All I wanted to do was lay down, which I did. By this time Kip finally caught up with me and thought I had staged the whole thing. Don't I wish. I laid there for a few minutes thinking some of the pain would subside. I immediately knew that I had cracked some ribs - familiar pain - Anyone want to climb Huayna Picchu? The pain did not go away and I finally decided the only thing to do was mount up and ride back to the trailer. It was probably about 12 miles. For those that have been up Hobble Creek you know it is pretty rough and rocky in places, not real comfortable on the ribs. I found that sometimes faster was better than slower. When we got back to the trailers, Kip thought I must be better as I was driving faster. My pride would not allow him to load or tie down my equipment. Yes it can be done with one arm.

When I got home I unloaded everything and put the ATV away but could not unhook the trailer. Justin was coming to fix one of his kitchen drawers and so I got him to do the lawns and unhook the trailer. I went to the local bone crusher and he tweaked my shoulder and other parts of my body. It feels better but the ribs will just take time to heal.

The machine fared better than I but it did break the black plastic that surrounds the headlights. Guess we know what I can expect for Christmas.

My lot will be icebags and Tylenol for the next few days but I assure you that as soon as the pain is gone I will be back clutching even in the trees.

Catching Nemo

Obviously Megan's threats have spurred droves of blogs from each of the members of La Familia Estraton!!

As some may or may not know, I have recently picked up a new hobby or two. The one of which I would like to blog today is FISHING! As you all know, the Strattons have never gone out hunting or fishing, with the exception of Dad, when he was a little girl. I've never quite figured out why it is that Dad withheld these experiences from us; it's just sufficient to say that he did.

A month ago, I was invited to go fishing with a couple of co-workers, Bryce and Garin. Since I had never been, I was inclined to decline the invitation and did so by saying I had never been and did not have any fishing gear. Indeed, the only things I knew about fishing and the associated gear were recently learned while my assistant scoutmaster taught our scouts the things they need to know to get their fishing merit badge. (Thank goodness that I actually paid attention and knew the difference between the rod and the reel!) That didn't deter my co-workers, as Bryce said he had an extra rod and some lures (these proved to be much less effective than Strong Bad's use of jigs and lures) and all I would need was a license. Since I was going to need to get a license to go fishing with my scouts, I figured why not. We had already spent the morning golfing and as it was the 3rd of July and no respectful real estate agent was in their office, we had nothing else to do the rest of the working day.

We headed the right-hand fork of Hobble Creek and fished for about 3 hours. I managed to catch 3 fish (they were 8" or less brown trout) and lose one lure. I learned the ins and outs of fishing, including how to tie the right kind of knot and how to cast (this takes some practice to be accurate). Creek fishing is quite nice as you walk right up the creek, which keeps you cool on hot summer days. Needless to say, after one outing, I decided I could like this new hobby.

Much to Michelle's dismay, after this one outing, I went out and bought myself a rod and reel, some lures, and other required paraphernalia. My next outing was later in July, when Bryce and I met early in the morning to fish on the Spanish Fork/Diamond Fork rivers and eventually Thistle Creek. This was a less fruitful day of fishing as I only caught 1 fish, but it was the largest one yet (probably 10" and very skinny - brown trout). Even with catching only one fish, I still enjoyed myself and my new fishing gear.

Since mutual was going to be on Friday, my assistant scoutmaster, Jason, and I decided we would use Tuesday night to go fishing. We left around 5:30 and headed to the Middle Provo River (that's east of Deer Creek) and started fishing around 6:20. It was slow going for the first while, but I did manage to catch a small brown trout (6"). Up until this point, I had released all fish that I had caught, which is a pretty smart thing to do considering I'm not one to eat things of the fish variety. However, I had pre-determined that if I caught a good-sized fish, I would keep it and give it to Dee and Lorraine, who like eating things of the fish variety.

Until about 8:30pm, when it is starting to get dark, we didn't have much luck. Jason started using worms and caught a fish or two. I continued using spinners, which is what I am used to, and finally caught a good-sized fish (a 15" brown trout). Since I had always released my fish, I was a little unsure as to what I should do. Jason was about 100 yards downstream from me, so I held my line by the lure with the fish dangling down and started heading downstream, yelling for Jason to tell me what to do. The fish managed to free itself from my hook and flop down on the ground. Fortunately, I was far enough away from the water that it couldn't escape. I realized my only choice was to reach down and pick the slimy, squirmy thing up. I learned there really isn't anything special you need to do other than put it into a plastic grocery bag and continue fishing. Since I didn't know about the grocery bag thing, I just laid it on the rock and went back to my fishing hole.

I didn't manage to catch any more fish in the last half hour, but I did lose a lure and then tied on a new one in the dark. (It is quite challenging to get the line through the small loop on the lure and tied correctly in the dark!) We headed back to the car and home around 9:45pm, making it through Provo Canyon just before 10pm, when they close the road. Jason showed me how to clean my fish, which will probably be my least favorite thing about fishing, and I put it in a ziplock bag and gave it to Lorraine to cook up for their Wednesday night dinner.

Just to prove this isn't just another fish story, here is a close up of my fish next to my ruler. Note that the ruler is a 15" ruler. You can count the hash marks if you don't trust me.