Adventure 397: Park City, Utah/Post B

Utah State Capital

The "Open Window", a short story by Saki is one of my favorites. It ends with the line, "Romance at short notice was her specialty." We filled today with the kind of romance Vera imposed on Mr. Nuttle, and what a day it was. First, we spent an extra moment catching some winks as it was frightful outside, and our cozy bed felt so warm against the damp, cold snow that fell overnight. Then, since our schedule was empty until eleven, we decided to eschew our regular oatmeal for a fried egg and cheese sandwich, a yogurt parfait, and an extra dose of rich coffee. The Cager managed to sneak out a win, and in my abject sadness, I barely maneuvered our way to my cousin, Douglas' condo. We then set off on a small tour of Salt Lake City. In our travels, which include five or six trips by the great Salt Lake, we've never before ventured into the city. Naturally, our first stop was for food at an authentic Belgian waffle and frites  shop within walking distance to the capital. Judy and I shared Flemish Stew and frites (The owner's grandma's recipe). Douglas had sausage and frites. Both were exquisite, and we all shared a cinnamon waffle for dessert. Fully charged,we set off for the capital, which is a simply magnificent marble building set on a rise overlooking Salt Lake. We hiked about three miles up City Creek, an amazing oasis right in down town Salt Lake that was the original water supply for the settlement back in Brigham Young's day. Now, it's part monument, part recreation opportunity, and part retreat. It's quite stunning. After our small tour, we made our way to West Jordan, a suburb just South and East of town where my Uncle Butch and his wife Patty live. Butch, the youngest of twelve, is the last remaining Ruden in the original batch. Both my mother (Chris) and Douglas' mother (Barbara) had a significant connection with Butch, whose real name is Sam. He's eight years older than me, and our connection goes all the way back to when he used to babysit me when I was five and he was thirteen. Over time, he babysat all of my mother's kids and my aunt Barbara's too. We spent a few hours visiting, trading terms of endearment, which in our family means crude, rude insults with a sharp bite. It's really nice to be able to depend on Butch being the same guy today as he's always been. We had a light dinner that aunt Patty fixed (Soup and salad). It was excellent. Patty said it was Aunt Diane's recipe, another of our crusty, hard drinking, foul mouthed, role models. We all loved Auntie Diane. The fun part for me was meeting two of my cousins. Butch has seven kids, and two of his daughters were able to make the "visit" of the cousins from the West. Though both are full grown women with families of their own, I'd never met either one, and as I listened to them catch us up, I was struck how much they resembled my mother and my aunts. I shouldn't have been surprised, but it still made an impression. We left Butch's home in time to make it to a town hall meeting (My first ever) held by Chris Stewart, Utah Congressman from the second district. He met with a very hostile crowd, spewed a few artful responses to questions from a crowd who entered the room loathing him. I was very uncomfortable with the rudeness of those who shouted out constantly; I was very disturbed by Stewart's pompous position that in a democracy votes matter, which basically told the crowd, "I won; you didn't, so if you think this outrage is working for you, keep it up." The whole evening did little to encourage my already diminished faith in the process. Nonetheless, he did have a point. Our only recourse for change is the ballot box. Where I have trouble is seeing into the future far enough to find a Democratic candidate with enough vision, integrity, and political capital to be elected (At any level). That's why I get on my knees at night. I give myself over to my higher power. I just hope I'm not missing something like that guy after the horrible flood who sat on his roof. People in row boat came by and offered him sanctuary. He declined saying the Lord would provide. A larger rescue boat operated by the Police came by and offered him refuge. He declined saying the Lord would provide. A helicopter dropped him a life saving line. He declined saying the Lord would provide. He finally succumbed to the rain water. When he got to heaven he asked the Lord why he had forsaken him. The Lord replied, "I sent you three life lines. You ignored all three. The point, I guess, is at some point we must takes steps to live by the idea that God helps those who help themselves. Perhaps that's what makes life good, especially today.

 Down town Salt Lake City.

 I could have snapped pictures all day inside the capital building.

 The Senate chamber.

 White marble and gold leaf figurines decorate nearly every space in the building.

 This solitary native American gives a nod to this land I now call the United States of Irony.

 Douglas and Judy checking the trail map of City Creek.

 Judy, Butch, and Patty.

 My cousin, Maria.

 My cousin Molly (right) and her daughter, Bryson.

 This orderly crowd turned into quite the surly crowd once they were seated inside.

 Bear's Ears National monument, which President Obama dedicated, is under attack by the new administration. This issue caused much consternation tonight.

 On the way in, some guy was handing out this paper money he called "Rubles", and claimed it made us paid agitators.

The man of the hour, who like Daniel, jumped straight into the lion's den.