Five Pretty Swell Guys

This week I celebrate some swell guys who have orbited around my world. I present them to you in no particular order of importance, although I've assigned numbers to each one.

GUY #1

First comes SCOTT.
This brother of mine just returned from Amsterdam where he was training marriage therapists. He does these professional trainings on every continent. In between trips, he is the director of the Marriage & Family Therapy programs at five universities. He stays awake during his U.S. commutes by calling me and we share lively conversations. Last week, he passed through Provo and stayed a night at the Ginger Hotel. We enjoyed a canyon hike in the morning and it was a L-O-N-G one. We both took Tylenol when we got home.

GUY #2

I never would have guessed at age 7 that my friend Sashi would eventually marry a way cool Jamaican fellar who then would become an integral part of our family circle. DAVID and Sashi have visited Utah frequently over the last twenty-five years and they've even claimed a stake in Utah mountain property.

Last week, David spent five days at my place while he was preparing to sell his real estate. When he wasn't doing business, we enjoyed a variety of discussions, good meals, canyon hikes, etc. Here he is, fixing me a delicious breakfast.

GUY #3

Although GRANT doesn't orbit in my world as much as Guy #1 or #2, he is still a delightful acquaintance and we did share a canyon hike this week. (That's where I've have been privileged to develope some pretty high-quality friendships.) Grant is a person who simply enjoys people with no age, gender, political, or other forms of discrimination. About five years ago, Grant got the brilliant idea to make benches and sofas from huge boulders lying around in the canyon. He placed them where people could rest at fabulous 'viewpoints'. I appreciate the way Grant is always giving to others, including his healthy snacks which end up fortifying ME along the trail.

GUYS #4 & #5

These are two more brothers. Guy #4 is leaving to Russia where he's be a Mission President for the Mormon church. KEN and his wife will be far, far away for three whole years. So we had a big ole family party for them on Sunday. That meant we ate and talked and ate some more. (Some of you may remember that Ken's the guy who encouraged me to face my spinal curvature so I'd get 'straightened out' in surgery.)

RICHARD is Guy #5. He's a devoted dad who is always doing cool outdoor stuff with his family - mountain biking, camping, skiing, fishing, hunting, backpacking. (You may notice that #5 and I have similar looks.) After all that EATING at Ken's party, I carpooled with Richard and his family back to Utah County and they invited me to DINNER. So, I had yet another great feast with dear #5. He barbequed chicken. Way yummy.

This week, I feel mighty fortunate for FIVE PRETTY SWELL GUYS who SHOWED UP in my life and brought me JOY. When it comes to men, I must say, I enjoy a potpourri.