This illustrates why I am such a dog person.. Above is a picture of my neurotic little Weimeraner - Zhyox Monster Pox.


DOG DIARY

8:00 am - Dog food! My favorite thing!

9:30 am - A car ride! My favorite thing!

9:40 am - A walk in the park! My favorite thing!

10:30 am - Got rubbed and petted! My favorite thing!

12:00 PM - Wagged my tail! My favorite thing!

1:00 PM - Played in the yard! My favorite thing!

3:00 PM - Ran back and forth in the hall! My favorite thing!

5:00 PM - Milk bones! My favorite thing!

7:00 PM - Got to play tug! My favorite thing!

8:00 PM - Wow! Watched TV with the people! My favorite thing!

11:00 PM - Sleeping on the bed! My favorite thing!



CAT DIARY

Day 983 of my captivity.

My captors continue to taunt me with bizarre little dangling objects. They dine lavishly on fresh meat, while the other inmates and I are fed hash or some sort of dry nuggets.
Although I make my contempt for the rations perfectly clear, I nevertheless must eat something in order to keep up my strength. The only thing that keeps me going is my dream of escape.

In an attempt to disgust them, I once again vomit on the carpet.

Today I decapitated a mouse and dropped its headless body at their feet. I had hoped this would strike fear in to their hearts, since it clearly demonstrates what I am capable of. However, they merely made condescending comments about what a 'good little hunter' I am.

They continue to pick me up and han dle me, an obvious attempt to subvert me.

There was some sort of assembly of their accomplices tonight. I was placed in solitary confinement for the duration of the event. However, I could hear the noises and smell the food. I overheard that my confinement was due to the power of 'allergies.' I must learn what this means, and how to use it to my advantage.

Today I was almost successful in an attempt to assassinate one of my tormentors by weaving around his feet as he was walking. I must try this again tomorrow -- but at the top of the stairs.

I am convinced that the other prisoners here are flunkies and snitches.

The dog receives special privileges. He is regularly released - and seems to be more than willing to return. He is obviously retarded.

Tonight I will again lay on their heads while they sleep and hope to smother them.

I read this in the paper today, and just wanted to share it with everyone.. This is too funny..

Man builds fence made of old cars.

Posted: 2:38 PM- HOOPER -- A farmer has erected a fence in his backyard made of three old cars sticking up in the air to send a message to new neighbors that he can do whatever he wants on his farm.
"This is just a fun way for me to say, 'Hey boys, I'm still here,"' said Rhett Davis. "This is my redneck Stonehenge."
Davis came up with the idea after neighbors who recently moved into homes next to his hayfield complained about his farm.
"The people who bought the homes say, 'Well, we love looking into your yard and seeing the horses and the cattle, but we don't like the flies, and we don't like the mosquitoes,' and when I cut my field to bale it, they say, 'We don't like the dust in the air,' " Davis said.
Davis said he offered to pay half the cost of a fence between his property and the others and to build it. He said his neighbors declined the offer, saying it would block their view.
Neighbors declined to comment to the Standard-Examiner of Ogden.
Davis said after the neighbors declined his offer, he used a backhoe to dig three large holes on the edge of his property, then took three cars that had competed in demolition derbies and planted them nose-first into the ground.
He said the cars were planted out of humor rather than spite. He said it's important that new residents moving into the area realize that Hooper remains a farming community.
The area has grown recently with new residents who desire a country atmosphere but don't want the smells and noises of farm life, Davis said.
"I respect that they're here and spent a lot on their homes, but on the other hand, give me a little bit, too. I've been here since I was 7 years old," he said.
Davis said he doesn't intend to keep the cars up permanently.
"I've talked to my neighbors and worked things out. I really just thought this would be a funny thing to do," he said. "These can come out just as easy as they went in."

I found this article earlier today on a local area woman who climbed Mount Everest this past May. I had a chance to meet her earlier this year when she gave a slide show presentation at our local REI on climbing Aconcagua - the tallest peak in South America. She mentioned climbing Everest at that time, and I'm very happy to see that she has succeeded.

On a personal note, I've told a couple of folks that I was planning on climbing Mount Rainier July 29 - Aug 1st. This is the most heavily glaciated mountain in the lower 48 states, and the 4th tallest mountain in the country. After discussing this with my dear friends Coco and Randy, along with some serious soul searching; I've decided to postpone this trip until next year. While I've been seriously working towards this goal for the last couple of months, I don't think I'm quite ready for this one just yet. On the bright side, I’ll be using the time off from work next week to go backpacking for four days in the Uinta mountain range just East of Salt Lake city. Randy and I will be hiking the Trial Lake trail through the Notch Pass. It should be a lot of fun. I’ll be sure to keep everyone posted on how this goes.

And without further ado here is the article.

_____________________________________________


At 61, Carol Masheter climbed the tallest peak and is eyeing her next venture

Not many people can say they have stood at the top of the world, but Salt Lake City resident Carol Masheter has her name on the list.
Masheter recently returned from a quest to summit Mount Everest. WHEN? Though the journey was full of obstacles, and literal stumbles, Masheter made it to the top of the world's highest peak.
When she first encountered mountaineering in college, Everest never crossed Masheter's mind. Only professional mountaineers were taking on the world's largest mountains at the time, and Masheter never dreamed a "mere mortal" could join them.
Though she has summited Mount Kilimanjaro, Cho Oyu and 15 peaks higher than 15,000 feet in South America, Masheter began an extensive training regimen months before attempting the Everest climb. She followed a training plan custom built for her by a mountaineer in New Zealand, and including running up the four flights of stairs at her office 20 times carrying her 60 pound pack.
On weekends she would hike for four to five hours, carrying the pack in the snow.
Concerned about being 61, Masheter also underwent extensive medical testing before joining an expedition. She returned to Kilimanjaro during Christmas, which felt "like a breeze," and knew she was ready.
"I'm not a great athlete, but I'm strong," Masheter said.
Then came the news that the expedition might not proceed. Twelve days before she was scheduled to leave, Masheter got an e-mail from the expedition leader saying the Chinese government was not allowing anyone to climb Everest due to the Olympic torch relay, which was heading for the mountain. The expedition members decided to continue with their plans and hope to get a climbing permit once they reached base camp.
The group proceeded, and began acclimatization hikes throughout the area and up the mountain. They spent about two weeks working on the Khumbu icefall, the deadliest section of the climb.
The group finally received a permit, but before trying for the summit, each member of the expedition had to prove themselves on a final acclimatization hike.
They had to climb to High Camp Three, without oxygen. The task proved difficult for Masheter, who had to try three times. Masheter's experience has taught her she hits a "permeable wall" at 21,000 feet. She can push through, but she has trouble keeping up with the team and catching her breath.
Her difficulty concerned the expedition's leaders, who conferenced with each member to determine if Masheter would be able to continue. Because she had trained harder than anyone else on the expedition, the leaders decided to allow her to start oxygen one day early.
The oxygen helped Masheter immensely, and she was able to summit, though a little behind the rest of the group. Most of the climbing was done at night to avoid mid-afternoon storms that plague the mountain. Masheter recalls looking up the trail in the darkness and seeing a jeweled necklace of headlamps winding up the snowfields.
Upon reaching the top, Masheter let out her signature wolf-like howl, and the Sherpa guides howled back. She collected a few rocks from the summit to keep as souvenirs. The rough weather and thin air make long stays impossible, and soon it was time to head down.
That's when the already dangerous trip took a near fatal turn.
Masheter's vision became cloudy, and soon she could see nothing but bright white.
She was suffering from cerebral edema, when the brain begins to swell in response to high altitude.
Daniel Horowitz, an orthopedic surgeon at the University of Utah Health Sciences Center who has experience mountaineering, said the condition is always serious and can rapidly become fatal.
Horowitz compared cerebral edema to "a balloon inside of a box," that keeps swelling with no way to relieve the pressure, in Masheter's case pinching off her optic nerves, blinding her.
The only treatment is to quickly return to lower altitude. Medical evacuation is impossible at Everest's high altitudes, and so surrounded by four Sherpa guides, Masheter blindly "bashed and crashed my way down."
She fell repeatedly and suffered a partially dislocated shoulder before making it back to High Camp Four, where she was able to rest in her tent. The climb from camp to the summit had lasted 19 hours.
The next morning, Masheter had recovered much of her sight, and continued down the mountain in safety.
Though still recuperating from her trip, Masheter is eager to share her experiences with others.
She will be showing photos and sharing stories on Tuesday, Sept. 30 at 7 p.m. at the REI store at 3285 E. 3300 South. She has presented previously, and REI is excited to have her back.
"It's great to have someone who represents our community doing these presentations," said Eric Spreng, REI's community outreach coordinator. "She demonstrates that you don't need to be this amazing athlete in your 20s to have these amazing experiences."
Though Spreng is surrounded by mountaineers at work and in his spare time, he only knows of three Utahns who have been to Everest. One is Masheter, another is an REI employee and the last is recent transplant Appa Sherpa, who holds the world record for most Everest summits. For Spreng, it is always a cause for celebration when someone from Utah summits a big peak.
Masheter hopes there are more big mountains in her future. She would like to complete the "seven summits," the highest peak on each continent. She has four remaining, and hopes to take on Alaska's Denali next.
Due to her age, Masheter knows her time is somewhat limited, but she plans to keep going.
"I get a little weaker every year," she said, "but I'm still strong."

I just wanted to remind everyone about my Peru Slideshow happening this Sunday evening at JP and Vicki's house. Here is all the info. Please do RSVP if you haven't already done so. This will help me to know how many people to expect.

Dave 23

You are invited to the upcoming slideshow of my recent adventures in Peru. This past April / May I spent three weeks travelling around this amazing country. Please join us on Sunday July 20th at 6:00pm at JP and Victoria’s house for a slideshow of my trip. I’ll be sharing slides and stories from my adventures, including the four days I spent hiking the Inca trail to Machu Pichu. Below are the directions to JP and Victoria’s house. Please RSVP and let me know if you’re able to join us.

Dave
Cell # 201 4160


JP & Vita Bernier
2552 East Dolce Vita Court (6485 South)
maps.google.com/maps

I-215 to 2000 East exit, or nearest cross street is 6200 South Highland Drive.

From I-215, North (left) on 2000 East to 6200 South
East (right) on 6200 South to 2300 East
South (right) on 2300 East to Ellisonwoods Avenue (1st left after you cross back over the freeway)
East (left) on Ellisonwoods Ave to end of street
If Ellisonwoods went straight through, you'd be done, but it doesn't so you have to drive kind of a 'P' shape as follows:
South (right) as Ellisonwooods turns into 2475 East
Quick East (left) onto Country Ave
Quick North (left) onto 2520 East
2520 East ends fast and forces you East (right) onto 6485 South

Take the 1st Right into Dolce Vita Court, #2552 White Mailbox with flowers around it

This is an actual Drivers License from a traffic stop...

REMEMBER!!

When making a fake ID, attach a picture of yourself only...
no matter how much you love your girl.