The Unmuddled Mathematician

Genuine Good Stuff

By Chris Stone Coray, The Unmuddled Mathematician

A boy’s journey through life allows the acquisition of a bunch of genuinely good stuff.  The wampum.  The bag of possibles.  The special things that change with each year or during long evolution from youth to very senior person who gets discounts at almost all stores.  As one ages the good stuff changes from things to experiences and memories. Everybody is different in specifics but likely very much similar overall.  Here is a list of my special stuff.

Age 5-10:  Mickey Mantle baseball glove, kid size genuine Louisville Slugger bat, the glove never put away without a pretty good Spaulding baseball in it; marbles, by which I mean the flints, the shooters, not the cheap glass marbles that were used only as currency in the games.  These cost a couple of bucks apiece and when the impact moons became too visible a night of storing them in mom’s Crisco can provided a few days of artificial absence of blemish; a Zebco spinning reel with 5 foot rod; a NY Yankee baseball cap; Willie Mays autograph; a Whamo slingshot with a supply of “steelies”  for it.

Age 12-16:  First shotgun, a double barrel .410 with which I bagged my first duck and pheasant; Schwinn 3 speed racer which was a pretty big deal in bikes in that era; a Buck folding pocket knife; the wooden box that I used to carry shotgun shells (old ones, cardboard, with smells that still trigger memories); hot chocolate, and the “Dekes” I used as duck decoys; my Herter’s goose call; and at age 16 a Browning over and under shotgun that was (and still is) guaranteed for life;  a little gold medal for being the best math student at school.

Age 17-25:  A small set of goose and duck bands from my hunting days; paratrooper wings fairly earned; the gold bar of a new second lieutenant, the silver bar of a first lieutenant, and the railroad tracks of a US Army captain; a wedding ring that will see its 50^th year on my hand this year; and a complete change in life from stuff for me to own to events, experiences, and memories of my wife and kids.  I must note that the catching of the woman who wears the other wedding ring in the 50 year old set of two was really, really hard.  There were lots of high hurdles on that quest.

Age 26-50:  The birth of our two girls; having our first daughter run to our apartment door in excitement as I came home from graduate school with a popsicle that we split down the middle, then later having her fall asleep lying on my stomach; running behind the girls as they learned how to ride a bike; spending uncounted hours in the bleachers watching our youngest play high school basketball while never understanding girls; owning and riding a motorcycle until it was determined by the boss to be too dangerous; planting our own first garden at our own first house (this was pretty dumb as I grew potatoes in Idaho); owning, training, loving, and hunting with dogs; Japanese eating utensils (chopsticks and bento boxes obtained during a sabbatical year in Tokyo); attending the graduations and weddings of our two daughters.

Age 50-present:  Meeting our 3 granddaughters as they entered the world; watching the eldest on her figure skates in competitive  events, the middle as she danced  (and dances) in ballet with grace and beauty; the youngest, flame red hair atop her head, pretty much taking over a soccer game and causing terror in the opposing team; having these 3 girls spend time with us at our house near Bear Lake, playing with the golf cart, the boat, their own special room, and pancakes made by me in the shape chosen by each girl; getting a healthy wife back to full speed after a serious illness; surprising my dad on his 80^th birthday by arriving with Bobbie at his house in California unannounced; listening to the youngest say, “Oh, it smells like grandma”, as she entered our house.

This good stuff continues in unexpected and delightful ways.   These need not be big things.  3 days ago my phone rang and it was a call from a granddaughter.  The phone only rang once.  I called back and asked her if her phone had accidentally called me and she said that it had and she was sorry.  But I had been given the chance to hear her voice and told her that, even if an accident, it was the best thing that would happen to me that day.  Her response, “Oh, Grandpa, thank you for telling me”, was even better than just hearing her speak.  A divine gift to a lucky man.  The good stuff.

Yellow Aspen

Photo by Lauriann Wakefield, Little Starling Photography

Paris, Idaho - Architectural Treasures

In 1978, the Idaho Historical Society cataloged over 80 architecturally significant historic houses and commercial buildings in Paris, Idaho.  In this and future columns we will highlight one or two. The Paris Museum has information about this and other homes. 

36 SITE NAME: William L. Rich house       SITE 20

34 West Second South, Paris, Idaho

Photo by Bobbie Bicknell Coray

The former Rich house built in 1885, is a two-story frame structure with a rather low hipped roof and a square plan elaborated by a one-story hipped kitchen ell to the rear.   The main block is three evenly-spaced bays wide, and one broad and two narrow bays deep.  The siding is wide shiplap.  Door and window heads are molded.  Broad wooden “quoins”   short alternating with long in imitation of stones set sideways and lengthway into masonry corners, frame all elevations. Windows are two-over-two sash; the main entrance at left front has an oval transom.  There are three interior chimneys, two to the right and one to the left, all of corbelled brick.

A hip-roofed porch supported on blocky posts now crosses the facade; it was built in the early 1920s.  According to the present owner and long-time occupant, the original porch was small, spanning only the entrance bay and creating balcony space onto which the left front upstairs door opened.

The William Rich house is architecturally significant as the sole example in Paris of the Western Colonial or "classical box" residential style.  Standing, as it  formerly did, next to the cluster of adobe hall-and-parlor cabins in which all the Rich children were raised, this house is visible reminder of the passing of an architectural and cultural time in Paris.  

As one of only five full two-story residences in town, it can be seen as an attempt, in frame, to produce an image of substantiality and stature encouraged by Mormon culture and usually associated with structures built of brick or stone.  The adoption of the classicizing and stone-allusive quoins, the low, solid hipped roof, the taut row of upper windows butting into the shadow of the eaves, convey a desire for a particularly formalized stylishness, vaguely uncomfortable but visually striking in the broad spaces of Paris. 

Although the classical box can be found in the Plains, a tall farmhouse amidst open land, the upright William Rich house looks, among its small, more homey neighbors, to need a more densely populated streetscape. Its owner left Paris in 1886, just after the construction of the house, to become bishop in nearby larger Montpelier. He returned in 1893 as president of the Bear Lake Stake. It was said of Rich that he was "a lover of good books and theaters" and that he "believed in progress” . (Daughters of Utah Pioneers, Bear Lake) Pioneers, p. 682.

Cloudy Sunrise

Photo by Darin Pugmire

Activities Park Proposed In Garden City

Anita Weston, reporter

Rich Civic Times

GARDEN CITY, Utah. September 7, 2016. Clair Webb requested that he be allowed to create a commercial building on a 25 percent slope for a future project on Eutaw Road in Shundahai.  His original plan was to place this building on a 30 percent slope.  However, he was able to find another spot that will be within the City’s ordinance of a 25 percent slope.  Webb will be building the parking lot for his building on an 18 to 25 percent grade. 

There was also the request made to allow the poles for an extra high swing as well as a climbing wall, both will probably exceed the 35’ commercial height limit.  However, it was determined that these items were not structures thereby making it possible from Webb to move forward.

Webb is planning on creating an activities park.  There would be summer tubing.  Freeballin, also known as Zorb balls and human hamster balls, is another activity being considered.  The 30’ balls are made in Europe and sold by Freeballinusa.  He is planning a rope course, a 300’ zip line, a giant swing over 35’ high, and a climbing wall about 20’ long and about 50’ high.  Disc golf is also being considered.

Webb was asked if he was planning on building a fence around the activity park.  He noted that it will be a short fence because keeping people out of the area is impossible.  He asked if a permit would be needed to build the fence and was told that a building permit is not required for fences.

P&Z Does Not Allow Setback Changes

Anita Weston, reporter
Rich Civic Times

GARDEN CITY, Utah. September 7, 2016.  Everett Benton appeared before the Commission representing Luthar Alomia.  He noted that lots along the beach front, particularly those on the south end of town near Ideal beach, are narrow and long, somewhat like a trailer.  Currently the City’s ordinances require an 8’ set back on one side and a 10’ on the other side.  Mr. Benton requested that the City change the distance to 5’ on each side.  That way, individuals building homes along the lakeside would be able to make a structure that is more aesthetic that one that is narrow and long.

It was noted that that area of the beach is an older area.  Many of the buildings on those lots were built prior to the passing of the current ordinance.  Some homes were built right on the property line. Others have even encroached on other’s property and out into public right-of-ways.  However, they had to be grandfathered in when the ordinance was passed.  If the Planning Commission changed the ordinance to 5’ on each side, some places would end up with distance between homes of less than 5’.

The Commission determined that less than 5’ is too small of a side yard.  They decided they must keep the current ordinance in place.

Everett Benton asked if the Variance Committee could be approached for permission to change the set backs for an individual situation.  It was noted that the Variance Committee does not have the ability to change set backs.  The Fire Code requires 10’ between buildings.  The Cottages have 5’ setbacks on each side.  It was noted that the city approved that subdivision at that time because it was new and the homes would all have the same distance between them.  This would not be the case in the above situation.

Benton thanked the Commission for allowing him to express his opinion and thanked them for their time.  He asked that they give some consideration to his request.

Garden City Fire District Board Meeting

Chris S. Coray, reporter

Rich Civic Times

GARDEN CITY, Utah. September 18, 2016.  The governing board of the Garden City Fire District held its September meeting on Sept 15.  All were present except Howard Pope and Fire Chief Mike Wahlberg.

The agenda and meeting were very short.  The district has obtained a new 5,000 gallon tender to replace the old and leaking one.  It is not here yet but will be shortly and will use the existing tractor.

The department assisted with the Peterson Hollow fire and will be compensated approximately $20,000.  Of that amount $15,000 will go directly to the firefighters and $5,000 will go to the department.