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Tortoise passed this pocket park on Dale Lane (700 North) in LaVerkin's Zion View neighborhood this morning on his 4.15 mile walk.  He climbed 127 feet and burned 651 calories in 1:20:05 hours while following this 5.5 tortoise rated path.  For more pictures, a map, and a Joy F. Evans quote he heard and enjoyed while walking, please click below to continue reading ...

Cheerio!

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Sunrise over the La Verkin Inn and Suites, which appears to be nearing opening
with the addition of lamps and fixtures to its rooms.

2014 Stats:

658.16 miles walked, which is 65.75% of my 2014 goal.

208:08:28 hours walked, which is 66.50% of my 2014 goal

31,096 total feet climbed 

105,049 calories burned
63.58% of the year has passed

I've walked 8 consecutive non-Sundays since my last missed day on August 11, and overall have walked on 187 of the 199 non-Sundays thus far in 2014, a 93.97% consistency rating.

The purpose of the percentages is to have a higher percentage of distance and time walked than of the year. This tells me I am on track. I'm sure this is more numbers than you are interested in, all I can say is I'm really good at setting high goals and having them slip away because I don't do them every, every day.

Joy F. Evans (1926-2011)

Here's her quote ...

"Many times people do nothing in such a situation simply because they do not know what to do. They are afraid of intruding or of saying the wrong thing. Perhaps they do not know how to relate to a dying person or to the family. They may feel emotions of anger, sadness, or confusion. Nevertheless, even they can find many ways to help.

"One woman tells the story of a tragedy she experienced when five of her close family members from another state were killed in a fiery automobile accident. She herself was struggling to absorb the news, trying to pack for her own little family to leave the following day for the funeral. A good friend and neighbor arrived at her door with the announcement that he had come to clean their shoes. She had not even thought about shoes.

"He knelt on their kitchen floor with a pan of soapy water, a sponge, shoe polish, and a brush and soon had everyday shoes and Sunday shoes gleaming and spotless. He quietly slipped away when he finished, leaving the shoes ready to pack; even the soles were washed."

Sister Evans said the mother later said: "Now whenever I hear of an acquaintance who has lost a loved one, I no longer call with the vague offer, `If there's anything I can do. . . . ' Now I try to think of one specific task that suits that person's need - such as washing the family car, taking the dog to the boarding kennel, or house-sitting during the funeral. And if the person says to me, `How did you know I needed that done?' I reply, `It's because a man once cleaned my shoes.' " (Madge Harrah, "He Cleaned Our Shoes," Reader's Digest, Dec. 1983, pp. 21-24.)

Sister Evans added: "It is said that love is tested and proved in the fire of suffering and adversity. How sensitive we should be to those who are suffering or hurting, to those with special problems - the sister who has had a miscarriage or a stillbirth, a premature or handicapped child; the one whose beloved husband has died; the lovely woman to whom marriage and family have not yet come; the new convert whose family have rejected her because of her baptism.

"What we do or say is not as important as that we do or say something - `I care about you,' or `Let me help.' Where love is, heart will respond to heart and burdens will be lightened."

(For the full text of her talk from which this is quoted, please visit:  https://www.lds.org/general-conference/1989/04/lord-when-saw-we-thee-an-hungred?lang=eng)

The tortoise is smiling!