Over the summer Emily mentioned that I should put a before and after picture of our house on the blog, so I finally uploaded my pictures and decided to do just that. So, here are some pictures displaying the most recent changes for the Smithfield Reeder's home.Special Note: Before everyone automatically dismisses this post, I should note that it is actually written by Bonnie, not Marty, and therefore has merit to it.
Wishing better:
In an increasingly cash-less world where people usually pay for things with card or check I get the impression that ponds and wishing wells are just not making the profit they used to. My idea is a card reader machine for ponds. People wanting to make a wish but finding no change on hand could swipe their card, choose the amount (much like an ATM) and then hear the sound effects of a coin splashing into the pool. I’m pretty certain that the luck proves just as effective with this method, so there you go wishing pond,---problem solved.
At Christmas time I was eating some Oreos (Thanks Emily) and when I was done I noticed that there was Oreo stuck pretty persistently in my teeth. After a brief brush the Oreo was still stuck but ironically just in all the places that I have cavities and need fillings. So, I thought to myself, why don’t they fill cavities that way? Granted, an edible cavity filling has lots of kinks to work out….if it becomes permenant on your teeth what keeps it from becoming permanent in your stomach? Someone else will have to work out those details… but I still think it’s worth investigation…..just imagine, eating an Oreo instead of getting your teeth drilled and filled.
This is my sister Susan’s idea, so I can’t really take any credit. It’s simple enough I’m surprised it hasn’t already been done. The idea is to have garbage sacks already within the garbage sacks so that when you take one out, the next one is already there opened up and set to go. Think Matrusca dolls, for garbage sacks.
Don’t you hate when you can’t find a matching lid to your Tupperware? Plenty of lids, plenty of Tupperware, but where’s the match? This solution is easy enough, what if Tupperware lids were somehow attached to the Tupperware? Maybe a hinge or maybe it rolls or zips to the side, or tucks in a compartment of the Tupperware? This should have been done a long time ago, somehow.
I must give most of the credit for this idea to Marty, though I helped evolve it a little. I’ve seen little toy attachments for the side of cribs. You know, with things that sing, or light up or do anything to entertain a baby….well, why not a miniature vending machine?---stocked with pacifiers, and warm bottles of formula. Baby could simply push the button of the item desired and Voila!
This is a very specific idea—-, but I think it would be fun if the old Skating Rink across from the tabernacle was changed into a Children’s museum. I think it would get a lot of business from children and moms during the Cache Valley winters.
This is probably the most simple and do-able idea yet. Two nights ago I was drinking my juice from a licorice straw. After a moment of deep thought I wondered, why don’t they make hollow Candy Canes to use as straws for hot chocolate in the winter? Who wouldn’t want to sip their steaming cocoa through a Candy Cane straw? That would be easy and effective, right?
Idea site:
I’m sure I’m not the only one with ideas like this, so the last idea I would propose is that someone could start a website for un-patented ideas. This could be a great way to connect inventors with the means to make things happen and provide some free ideas to some business minded people.
I'd like to share some thoughts about today's inauguration of President Barack H. Obama. The first inauguration that I remember was the 1961 inauguration of President John F. Kennedy. I was about Parly and Lily's age. I became interested in presidential politics because my Grandma Reeder (Lula) was at one time an elected official. She was the elected Deputy County Clerk for Box Elder County for many years. My grandfather (her husband---Joseph Martin) died of a typhoid epidemic just two weeks before my dad was born. She was left with 6 children and no income. She raised that family by herself, much of the time during the "Great Depression." Eventually she found work with the county and later won election, running as a democrat, to a position she held for many years. By the time I came along she was just Grandma Reeder but her interest in politics was evident to me even though I was just a lad. Anyway, I remember going to her house (it was next door) the morning after the 1960 election. She was listening to election results on the radio. I remember her commenting positively on the young president elect from Massachusetts. Back to the inauguration---our third grade teacher (Miss Jones) made arrangements with a family who lived next to the school for our class to go to their home and watch President Kennedy take the oath of office (the school didn't have a television---can you believe that?). I remember very well his famous speech when he said, "Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country." One of my friends was miserable. I thought he must be sick so I asked him if I could do anything for him. He replied, "I'll be sad for eight more years, don't try to cheer me up." I had to go home and ask my dad why my friend was going to be sad for eight years. Turns out his dad was the chairman of the county republican party.
As you probably know, Ross and Ann have sold the Joseph Martin Reeder home. I'm not in the least bitter. It would be nice if it stayed in the family but that's not always possible. We went to see it for the last time and got a chance to visit with all my brothers and sister. I realized that the building isn't near as valuable as the people. We'll always be able to get together and swap stories about being the children of Spencer and Verna and "that has made all the difference."
When I was a kid, the adults in my life lived through the Pearl Harbor attack and all had stories of what they were doing when they heard about it. The actual attack was during daybreak in Hawaii which would have made it around noon in our time zone. There were no TV reports because there were no televisions. People huddles around their radio's to get as much news as possible. There was no way they could have understood the severity of the attack. Can you imagine if Pearl Harbor had been attacked in our time with cable news and internet (well you probably could--9/11). Anyway, as a kid we always took some time at school on December 7th to talk about it and try to understand it's historical significance. The fact that we talked about an event that was growing more distance in time, never caused me to have ill feelings towards our then enemy, the Japanese (in fact later in junior high I made best friends with a Japanese-American student that lasted until after we went our separate ways after high school). But it did cause me to reverently appreciate the sacrifice of those who lost their lives on that day. Some time later in my life I had the privilege to visit the Arizona Memorial (pictured above). To me it a sacred place. Of all the things I saw in Hawaii, it's the most memorable in my mind. A boat takes you to the memorial and a parks service ranger tells the story. It's so real to be standing on that spot. The ranger pointed out a small oil bubble that periodically would surface and pop. It comes from the fuel tank, residue of what was once there. To me it symbolized the lives that were lost and the earthly remains that have been left on the ship. Every year, I feel to tell my students about that experience (even my fitness classes). Had those sailors survived they would now be grandparents and great grandparents and some would be passing away after living full lives. Those who lived through the depression and WWII have been called the greatest generation. Having been raised by such people, I'd not argue that recognition. Now having been an orphan for a few years, I appreciate even more their sacrifice. When I think of the times to come, I admit it worries me some. But then I look at what others have done and the fact that we all have each other, I'm much more optimistic.
