Crazy Dave

Last night my uncle Dave Simonson and aunt Audrey stopped by our house for a visit.  They were in town to visit some of their kids and grandchildren in the area and at BYU.  They told us that it had been almost 7 years since Dave was last able to travel due to health reasons.  We were very touched that they would spend one of their precious travel nights watching us decorate Easter eggs.  Dave spent some quality time teaching my son Michael about the settings on his electrical guitar and amp.  Then we spent the rest of the night recounting a few of the fun memories I have of "Crazy Dave"...

When Jeff and I were young we went to spend a couple of days with Grandma Simonson.  After doing a few of the standard activities (playing office, candy trip to U-tote-m, lunch at the hospital cafeteria) Grandma called Dave and had him come over to create other sources of entertainment.  He invented carnival style game where we had to try to knock over old shaving cans with tennis balls, or throw bean bags into a hole.  It was amazing to me how his imagination could create hours of fun using garbage.

When Dave was a school music teacher we used to go see his school perform at the Arizona State Fair (I love their Indian Fry Bread with beans).  One year I was impressed to see him accompany the choir with a top of the line Yamaha DX-7 synthesizer (keyboard).  He told me that each year when he would submit a music budget to the school district it would get returned with many of the items cut out.  He decided one year that he would include an expensive synthesizer on the list in hopes that it would get sacrificed and all the other small items (bongos, triangles etc) would be approved.  To his surprise the synthesizer was approved and they had to make due with a few less triangles and bongos until the next budget year.

When Laura and I were married 18 years ago we had a second reception in Arizona where Dave was kind enough to volunteer to take pictures of the reception (is there anything he doesn't do).  Since he had another appointment on that side of town, he and Audrey decided to get a hotel room nearby.  When I jokingly tried to pin him down about where he was staying so we could come use the hot tub he straight up told me it was the Day's Inn by Fiesta Mall.  Of course, I didn't believe him because I didn't think he would want to be bothered.  Well, the next day he brought us some pens, paper and other items with the Days Inn logo to prove he was telling the truth.  In fact, each time our paths have crossed over the past 18 years he continues to hand me some sort of Days Inn memorabilia.

 I hope to be just like Crazy Dave when I grow up.  I am so blessed to have such wonderful people surrounding me. So as I try to develop my "Crazy Crack-up Kid"... Giddy Up, StevieG