The Sad Story of Duck's Demise

I'm going to tell this story to you just the way I heard it. Every word is true.

[Scene]
A small six-year-old boy sits on a stool gazing out the windows of the sliding patio door. His mother enters the room for some purpose other than conversation, but without moving a muscle or shifting his gaze, the boy begins to speak.

Boy (somberly): One of my "puffets" died today.

Mother: Really? I'm so sorry to hear that. Which one?

Boy: Duck.

Mother: What happened?

Boy (now turning to face his mother, but still somber): Well...First, he had to suffer. {dramatic sigh} Then, he fell off a rock cliff. {shakes head} And, then, the earthquake got him.

Mother (amused and horrified all at once): Oh no! That sounds awful! What kind of suffering did he have to do?

Boy (earnestly and without missing a beat): He had to travel through a dark, dusty cavern.

Mother: Wow! That is some intense suffering.

Boy: Yeah. He had a dust allergy. So he started sneezing and fell off the cliff because he couldn't see where he was going.

Mother: And, did he die when he fell off the cliff?

Boy: Oh, no. His friends, Rabbit and Panda, who had been smart enough to go over the cavern rather than through it, rescued him when he fell off the cliff and took him to the hospital.

Mother: Oh, so he died at the hospital.

Boy: Yes. The earthquake hit just as the "ambleeince" pulled up to the hospital, and it fell right on top of Duck, and he died.

Mother: Goodness. How did Rabbit and Panda escape?

Boy: They had gotten out of the "ambleeince" and gone inside to wait for Duck. But, of course, Duck died. I buried him.

Mother: Where did you bury him?

Boy: In my wallet. In the living room.

Boy (glancing back out the window): Look at that bee. Do you know what kind it is?

Salt Lake City

We spent the afternoon and evening in Salt Lake City and had a great time. We started with lunch at Crown Burger, which is credited with being the originator of the must-eat food for Utah, the pastrami burger, from our list of what to eat in every state. Then, we walked over to Temple Square and took a look at the impressive Mormon Tabernacle. After that, we drove out to Antelope Island for a close up view (and smell!) of the Great Salt Lake and Garr Ranch. Finally, we headed back into the city, to the Olympic training center, for our curling lesson, which was such a blast! They didn't ask is to join the Olympic team on the spot, but we're expecting a call just any time.

Home of the original pastrami burger

The Mormon Tabernacle

The Great Salt Lake

The black line along the edge of the water
is brine flies, which is one of the few species
that can survive in the lake. They flew up in a
wave as we approached the water
and effectively kept us away.

Bison are frequent visitors to the salt
flats left when the water evaporates.

This chair at Garr Ranch made
my big girl look small.

Horses at Garr Ranch

Looking across the lake toward the city

Ready to deliver the stone

The art of curling

Curling is Jeff's all-time favorite
winter Olympic sport, so he was
thrilled to have the opportunity
to attend a lesson at Utah's Oval,
using actual Olympic stones.

Demonstrating the
 "Super Man" technique.

Jeff delivers while the boys sweep

Ready for the Olympics