A Simple Solution

  First, let me say that in my years of bicycle commuting to work, I found most of my route, especially the ride along T street safe and pleasant. Most of the way T street had bike lanes and shady trees, The car drivers seemed aware and considerate. Bicyclists and autos got on well. Largely because of the bike lanes, I suppose.

Another disclaimer: I have seen insane, kamikaze bike riders that I marvel are still alive, Here I am talking about normal, reasonable, bicyclists who try to bike safely and legally.

There are other streets in Sacramento where this is not the case. Many streets, busy streets, do not have any bike lanes. Bicyclists are forced to share the road, riding in the gutter or as close to parked cars as they can. Additionally, too many drivers behave in rude and dangerous ways - coming up close to the bicyclist and honking and / or passing within inches of the bike rider even when there is an empty lane on the other side.

The law says that cars are to allow 3 feet between the vehicle and the bike. I am not sure that is even possible. Most bike lanes are no more than 3 feet and the bicyclist cannot realisticly ride on the extreme side to leave the full lane to that space. And some car lanes are not very wide. So, pretty much no one obeys the 3 foot law, but many drivers do not even try. That is not our complaint. It is the honkers and those who crowd the bikes even though they themselves have plenty of room. (Where there is not room, drivers ought to slow a bit when passing a bike where it's crowded)

Nothing is done about drivers engaging in rude and dangerous behavior, basically assault.

Legal definition of assault:

"At Common Law, an intentional act by one person that creates an apprehension in another of an imminent harmful or offensive contact.

"An assault is carried out by a threat of bodily harm coupled with an apparent, present ability to cause the harm. It is both a crime and a tort and, therefore, may result in either criminal or civil liability. Generally, the common law definition is the same in criminal and Tort Law. There is, however, an additional Criminal Law category of assault consisting of an attempted but unsuccessful Battery."

"Statutory definitions of assault in the various jurisdictions throughout the United States are not substantially different from the common-law definition."

The bicyclist is too busy just trying to stay alive to whip out a camera and record the activity or the car license, and almost no one else sees it, recognizes what happens, or cares to get involved. Almost never does law enforcement witness the event. And if they did, then what? This kind of traffic and safety violation is seldom, if ever prosecuted.

This is what we think should happen. Drivers committing this assault, should have their "weapon" (vehicle) confiscated and be sentenced to use a bicycle as their primary transportation for one year. Day and night, all seasons. The government can loan them a bike, even an e-bike if peddaling is a hardship, and trade back at the end of the year.

Mother Love

 My heart goes out to my friends who mourn the loss of a loving mother. I also envy them. My mother was only 17 when I was born. I don't know if that made a difference. I don't know when it started, but I never felt like I was good enough. She was never proud of me; I didn't think she liked me. When I came to visit her as she lay dying and we told each other "I love you" my sisters were in shocked surprise. If your mother loves you, cherish that. If you love your children, make sure they know.

Called In

      Have you ever been called into the Principal's Office?  If so, you know the feeling.   I got a text asking me to meet with the Stake President.  I said yes, but I thought, "This can't be good."   Well, I didn't really expect it to be a disciplinary meeting.  That would have been my Bishop, I am pretty sure.  So, a calling?  I could not think of a calling from the Stake that I would hope for.  I would  almost certainly accept, but I was not happy thinking about it.  Right now, I am Brighton Ward Relief Society Secretary.  It can take a good amount of time and certainly has a fair amount of stress and  frustration, but it's not a bad calling and I get to associate closely with some remarkable women.  I was a bit anxious.

     President Langford was, of course gracious and welcoming.  And he showed me a video.  That's different.  A video about Living History.   I was asked if I would be willing to serve on a California Living History Mission. Pretend to be a Pioneer.   Wow!  I was so relieved!  I hardly thought.   He did not extend the call, he passed the word.  A few days later I got an email instructiong me to go to the church website and fill out an interest in volunteering form.   A few days after that I got an email that included the message that my name tags were being made!  Still later, I recieved an official call letter in the mail.  After that, I got an email with attachments with training information, clothing information, roster of other Living History missionaries.  I've got a lot of reading to do!  

     And I need to be set apart.  And trained.  A lot of training is a lot of reading.  Now and as long as I serve.  And working with other Living History Service missionaires. 

     Even before the emails and letters, I had a big concern.  Clothing!  I have done NO sewing for years and never did much or well.  I am pretty sure I know where my sewing machine is buried.  But if I am to sew myself authentic pioneer clothing, I not only will pass my release date, I will probably die before I have it made.  I am going to have to find a seamstress and purchase my clothing. And make sure it is authentic.  or authentic enough

     A mission!  I have never seriously thought I would serve a mission.  Miriam is disabled and lives with me.  I can't be gone too far too long.  What about my pets?  Could I afford it?  I don't think there is an age limit on sister mssionaries,  but wouldn't an old lady really slow down and handicap a young sister? Besides maybe making them crazy.  Is my health good enough for a full-time mission? umm, not too sure.   Serving a regular mission just didn't seem likely.  

     But a service mission?  Much more flexible.  I will live at home and serve in my geographic area (it may be a large geographic area).  I was told that I needed to be able to serve 8 hours a week.  Looking at the training materials, I see it says a minimum of 8 hours a week, and talking to some other service missionaires, it sounds like 2 of 3 or 4  times that and maybe more.  Well, we shall see.  For  some of these missionaires, it is what they do, their hobby, passion, vocation.   I  will be able to work with the scheduler and say when i can work and what assignments I accept.  I am pretty sure. 

     In time, I will probably maybe choose or be assigned or somehow acquire a real woman to portray.  Dick Williams has multiple characters that he represents - depending on location?  event?  mood?  I am not sure.  In the meantime, I can be a random pioneer woman sharing skills (me?), helping with activities, doing demonstrations, and maybe telling stories.   Acting.   I never fancied myself an actress, although I have particpated in small ward plays.  Well, at least one.  And I have a children who have been in church plays and several grandchildren who enjoy doing theater.  I can dress up (if I can get the clothes) and play pretend.  Should be fun.

     Especially as after a day of pretending to live in the mid 1800s, I get to go home to plumbing!  electricity!  refrigeration! appliances!  a real bed!  Modern communication!

     As a Living History Specialist, I will do NO proselyting.  In fact, we have to be very careful in what we  say.  We cannot, cannot, cannot proselyte and must be very careful about answering questions.  We will be at state parks and in schools.  If we are thought to be pushing our religion at all, we will be shut down.  We are to build bridges of friendship and trust, and let the lives and faith of the pioneers speak for themselves.  

     The black name tag with the church name on it is for wearing to church and church events.  The brown tag that says Living History Specialist is for wearing to events and demonstrations - where they allow them.  I was at Marshall Gold Discovery Park Gold Rush Live Friday to look around and talk to my soon to be co-workers.  No name tags allowed there. 

    I am friends with a master seamstress - head stitcher for Broadway at Music Circus here in Sacramento.  She is amazing.  She is also always extremely busy.  I don't know if there is any hope. 

     The call is for 2 years.  At least 1 year.  Or possibly forever, at least this functioning life. 

Window Trick

 

I really like my new car, Storm.  It is rather luxurious.  With a little idiosyncracy.  When I park and open the door to get out, sometimes - often - all the windows and the sunroof open.  Perhaps when I open the door past a certain point.  So I get back in, turn on the accessories and close all the windows.  Sometimes this might be repeated 3 or more times.   Mildly amusing if you are not in too big a hurry, but it would not be amusing in an unsafe area or if we ever get a rainy season. 

I emailed rhe sales guy, Ryan,  who sold me Storm.  and waited days for a response.  I called the service department at the CarMax closer to me and made an appointment although the guy didn't sound too helpful.  Ryan emailed that maybe the key fob was being pushed.  ummm, maybe?  I took great pains to not have anything touch the key fob.  That was not the problem.  

The day before Storm's appointment,we developed a plumbing emergency.  The plumbers booked an all day job the day of the appointment.  Repeatedly, I tried to call to cancel the appointment, but  could not get through.  Without much hope that they would actually see it, I replied to the reminder text.

A coupld of days ago, I got a "reminder" for an 8:30 appointment I do not remember making.  But, we needed it.  I drove to the CarMax South Sacramento (where I had booked previously), but the appointment was for Roseville!  I asked the SS people to call R and tell them I would be late. 

 CarMax Roseville Service was gracious.  I was happy that Storm did her window trick for service guy Jeff who foiund it interesting .  They decided that maybe something was wrong with the programming on the key fob and also that there was an after manufacturer alarm on the car.  So they cleared the fob and removed the alarm.  Hopefully, there will be no more unauthorized window and sunroof opening. 

2021.09.19 Birthday Picnic

My birthday fun continued

     Sunday all my Sacramento progeny (except Joseph, who wasn't feeling well and needed some quiet rest)  gathered at Tahoe Park for a birthday celebration picnic mostly planned by Teresa.  

Esther, Bethany, Lucas, Tom, Debi, Jared (and Sam with his back to us)

Jacob & Benjamin

September 19 is Talk Like a Pirate Day.   They drew what they thought my pirate flag would look like and I had to guesss who did what flag.  They guessed how many trreasure chest shaped candies were in a container.  Teresa made chicken salad croissant sandwiches like crabs with craisin "eyes".  And roast beef roll-ups.  Fruit, veggies, Poky sticks (sabers). chips, cookies to decorate - leftover from Sam's birthday party Saturday, I think), and a chocolate cake that said "Happy 70th Birthday Cap'n"

(It was Talk Like a Pirate Day)

We just hung out and talked and ate and had a good, relaxing time.  

And more presents.  Miriam gave me some pretty star weights to hold down picnick table clotes and such.  Jared gave me candies from Hawaii and Utah (he has contacts).  Ruth gave me a wooden ornament man.  

I think we are done with my birthday now. 

For my grandson, Sam's 6th birthday, they had a Christmas themed party (per Sam's request)  including a snowball fight (crumbled paper), a Christmas tree,  and a visit from Santa.  I understand that the whole family will dress in Christmas themed costumes for Halloween.   I do hope that we don't have a Christmas themed Thanksgiving.  Or that they are Christmas-ed out by Christmas.  

2021.09.08 Disney California Adventure solo

  I decided to give myself a birthday present and take my self to Disney California Adventure.  I went a couple of days before my birthday because it was cheaper and less crowded.

Upon arrival at airport parking, I took a picture so I would be able to find my car at the end of the day.  However,  on returen, I told the shuttle driver D40 instead of D41 and disembarked in the wrong area.  It was quite late evening and rather disconcerting.  Fortunately, he came back around, picked me up and took me to the correct area. 

            I missed my morning flight!  Everything at the airport took a little longer than I had anticipated, especially security, where my back brace threw things in a slight tizzy.  I am pretty sure that I was at the gate before departure time, but the plane was gone. A couple was just ahead of me with the same plan for the day - fly down and back on the same day for a day at Disneyland - and the same problem, they had barely missed our flight.  Fortunately, there was another flight two hours later.  It could have been worse.

        As soon as I made it to Disney California Adventureland, I checked the Disney app to see how long the wait was for one of my favorite and one of the most popular rides - Radiator Springs Racers.  IT WAS CLOSED.  Things were not starting off ideally.  I walked around a bit, determined to enjoy the day regardless.  I decided to have a Mickey Bar  It was a little hard to find a vendor, surprisingly.  And then I learned the price had gone up fron $5 tp $5.25.  Which was a little disappointing and also a little incovenient as I was not carrying a coin purse.  I had gotten mysefl some fives and Miriam gave me some ones to buy a Mickey Bar, so it was not disasterous.  The Mickey Bar was delicious as always, although I did get chocolate on my shirt.  Things picked up from there.

I wandered about just looking around which was something I wanted to do.  Before, with family, we scurreied from ride to ride to attraction getting in as much as possible, but not really looking at things as we passed.  I kept my eyes on the leader trying not to get left or lost.  This day was a take it as it comes, go with the flow day.  I went on the Bakery Tour, learned about the Mother Dough,  and enjoyed samples of the sour dough bread.

I briefly popped into Ghiradeli's.  They did not give samples (they used to), but it smelled wonderful.

A little more just wandering around and enjoying the sights.

Then I saw on the app that Radiator Springs Racers was open again!  It had a fairly long wait time, but!  I went to the single rider line which there was basically no one in, and as I was riding a scooter as well, I got on very quickly.  At the mobility dock, there was a lady with a couple of service dogs.  She said the dogs enjoy going to the park and they do rider switch like people do with children too small for rides.   Her partner got off and we got in our race car together.  Sonja was fun.  We laughed and raised our arms and jeered at the car we were racing.  We won!

After we left the racers, I saw her outside and got her picture

The tired pumpkins on display in the line for Luigi's Honkin' Haul-o ween tickled my fancy.

Luigi's Honkin' Haul-0-ween, as the dancing cars are called during this season, is another one of my favorites. 

Stopped by cone village briefly, but bought no cones. 

Enjoyed Monster's Inc, Mike & Sully to the Rescue

You will be relieved to know that i did not get pictures of some of the rides or everything I saw and enjoyed.  Some are not safe or conducive to photography.  Also, I began to be slightly concerned about running down the phone's battery.  

I didn't really do anything in Avenger's Campus, but I walked through there more than once.  I like the music!   and I did see "Thor" and "Loki"!

I can't remember what the clock is from, but it's cute.

Minnie Mouse!

Turtle Talk with Crush is totally awesome, dude!

Animator's Academy is also awesome.  Even if you are not very artistic, somehow, they help you make a pretty decent drawing.  My class was Vampire Mickey. 

It seemed like a good idea to ride Grizzly River Rapids in the heat of the aftenoon.  A good many people agreed.  The line extended out of the ride area, around the perimieter and almost out of Grizzly Peak park lands.  But it was mostly shady and so pretty. No pictures from the ride, itself.  It's wet and wild.  No place for phones or regular cameras. 

Wild woodland creature spotted while in line for Grizzly Peak River Raft.  Chip, right?

Between somewhere and somewhere else, my path was temporialy blocked by a short parade, which had to stop and turn around so the toys could go help Mr. Potato Head look for his missing parts and features.

Pluto was one of the many characters to be seen out interacting (from a safe social distance) with park guests.

A lovely, fun, relaxing day, came to an end as it was time to return my scooter and meet my shuttle driver to return to the airport.  I sure did not want to be late and miss my flight home!

Good bye to the Storytellers.

The day trip cost me more than I had originally anticipated (particularly as I was not good at shopping for a deal on air fare) and I certainly cannot do something like that often, but it was wonderful and healing.    I enjoy going with family, but I thoroughly enjouyed my solo trip also.

I will tell you that taking off for the day alone felt so good!  I didn't worry about taking care of or pleasing anyone.  It was a wonderful break.  I am going to try to find more alone time away from everyone and everything at home every now and then.  It is going to have to be a lot less expensive!  I need to find a nice, free (or very inexpensive)  escape in or near Sacramento where I can spend a few hours. Maybe just a book at a park.  But I think I may need more than an hour or two, time to decompress, relax and recharge.

 

 

2021.09.11 Birthday, Birthday, Birthday

 My Mohs surgery went great.   I don’t know if you know how Mohs works.  They cut out the area they know has the basal cell carcinoma  plus a little margin.  Then they test.  If there is any cancer in the margin, they cut again.  Repeat until clear.  One is told to be prepared to be there for several hours.  I had 3 books on my phone and snacks in my bag.  Mine was clear after the first cut.  The healing has gone well, too.  I will end up with a slight scar on my nose, barely noticeable, especially as my nose is not something to look at anyway.

 

AAA gave me a fairly decent payout on my totaled car.  That with some emergency savings helped me get a good replacement.  After thinking about maybe a Toyota RAV4 Hybrid, or perhaps a Honda Pilot, I decided that since I loved my Honda CR-V, I would get another.  So now I have Storm, a white 2018.  But she has some idiosyncrasies.  Sometimes when I get out of the car, all the windows and the sunroof open.  I don’t think that I have been pushing the key fob, but maybe? Also, Android Auto isn’t connecting.  I am taking her to CarMax service on Wednesday.  

 

I took myself to Disney California Wednesday.  Just me. Flew down and back the same day.  It was off to a rocky start.  I missed my morning flight!  Fortunately, that only cost me two hours.   When I got to the park, the app said that one of my favorite rides, Radiator Springs Racers was closed.  And then I found out the cost of Mickey Bars had gone up.  By a quarter.  25cents not a quartere of the original cost. Still delicious!  But it was going to be a good day anway, and  things smoothed out.  Radiator Springs Racers opened up again.  It was a very good day.   It was relaxing to just go with the flow and not worry about anybody or anything.  I toured the Bakery and had some sourdough bread.  I rode Radiator Springs Racers - twice!  Luigi’s Honkin’ Haul-o-ween (I love those dancing cars),  Grizzly River Run (very refreshing on a hot afternoon), Monsters, Inc  Mike & Sully to the Rescue, and Soarin’ Around the World. Turtle Talk with Crush was totally awesome, dude!  At Animation Academy, I drew a vampire Mickey.  Lots of people wished me a happy birthday.  It was a very happy (pre)birthday. 

On my actual birthday, I had a relaxed more or less normal day. One thing I did for myself was perform a task I had been putting off - sometimes with good reason and sometimes simply procrastination. Visiting one of my ministering sisters. D is 88 years old and homebound. She is friendly and loves to be visited. Sometimes her speech is impossible to understand. Friday, her speech was pretty clear which was nice! And she demonstrated that her mind is still sharp. Although I had only called for an appointment that morning, she had a birthday card for me! I was surprised she knew it was my birthday. She must actually read the Relief Society newsletter I sent her. And her signature was very clear as well. We had a nice visit. I only stayed about 45 minutes instead of the usual 2 hours plus. I tell myself that maybe if I can do good but shorter visits, I will find it easier to visit more often. From there, I went to the grocery store, partly for Almond Milk we needed for Miriam and partly to pick up some (relatively) cheap steak and ice cream for dinner.

Debi and Lucas came by with a present, but most importantly a delightful visit. We talked about a lot of things - lots of talk about Disneyland and also an interesting discusssion about body disposal. Debi does not want to be under my tree. She wants to feed the sharks. She says she wants her body dumped into the ocean to feed sharks. Realizing that there are problems with that, she wants to be cremated and her ashes taken to one of her favorite islands. Lucas wants to be cremated and scattered in the ocean, too. We entertained ourselves imagining a movie about a husband trying to get his wife's body (dead or dying) out to sea and tossing her to the sharks. Lucas is going to write the movie.

Saturday, my ministering sisters took me to lunch at Black Bear Dinner for my birthday.  

Tomorrow, Sunday afternoon, my family will virtually gather and play some on-line games.   Next Sunday afternoon, the Sacramento contingency will meet up at a park.  The 19th is Talk Like a Pirate Day.  I don’t admire piracy, but pirate day can be fun.  I think my family is going to make treasure map pizza and maybe a watermelon pirate ship.  More happy birthday for me!

Presents!

Andrew & Joseph took care of things at home so I could have my day at Disney California. Teresa offered to be my airport transportation (maybe I should have accepted her offer!) Andrew did all my morning chores on my birthday and offered to buy dinner. Miriam gave me a homemade card and money to buy a Mickey Bar at Disney Calfornia. And an ebook Backroads California. (Permission to go on little road trips or maybe willingness to go along?) Joseph gave me a stack of delicious Ikea Dark Chocolate. Sariah et al sent me Ghiradeli dark chocolate truffles and a book of Disney Devotionals. Debi & Lucas gave me a beautiful card with an ornament and a Parks game.

Ups and Down$ Tuesday

 I cannot remember all of today.  It has been some day.

There was the pre-surgery Covid test. (MOHS surgery for basal cell carinoma on my nose Friday.)  I was quite nervous, especially hearing the children cry while I waited my turn. (If I was nervous this morning, just wait until Friday!!) But it was really nothing.  They did NOT  try to swab my brain through my nose as I heard they used to do. My nurse was very nice and he just swabbed around each nostril a number of rotations.  Not really even uncomfortable.

I had thought about looking at cars (my car was rear-ended and totalled last week), but I didn't really have time before I had to be home for the plumber (the bathroom pipe under the sink broke last week also).  I did have time to buy eggs and cottage cheese to replace those ruined in the car accident, as well as a few other things.

Better Place Forests called.  I have purchased spreading rights under a redwood in the Point Arena Forest for my final resting place. However Better Place Forests is opening up a forest near Yosemite.  I know my children would be more likely to visit the Yosemite area and my contract does include right to transfer forests until ashes are spread under my tree.  I really like my tree, but I will go and see the Yosemite forest and see if any of the trees speak to me.  Better Place Yosemite will start having tours in October.  I will go look the trees and see if one speaks to me. 

AAA called.  They offered what I think is a fair settlement on my totalled car (poor Gracie!).  Not overly generous, but a little above the minimum I thought they should pay. 

Two Bonney plumbers came.   Very nice guys.  I hired them to fix the bathroom sink (the drain pipe broke( and to remove the solar water heater in the garage which is no longer connected to solar, has corroded, and is leaking.  They fixed the sink this afternoon (the pipes are fine now, but the basin has cracks) and will come back to do the water heater tomorrow morning (and I will talk to them about the cracks). 

I started rice in the rice cooker and set it on the stove.  OOPS.  Apparently, I bumped the stove knob and turned on the burner under the rice cooker.  Good bye rice cooker.  I was able to transfer the rice to an Instant Pot (first time using the Instant Pot for rice.  I have heard it is not so great for that) and was able to clean the stove top.  No, I did NOT put the IP on the stove top.   I think I will avoid doing that now.

Dinner soon and then I have Relief Society Presidency Meeting.  

....  Wednesday - Although I certainly do not remember seeing them before - including when I wiped down the sink - the plumbers showed me a picture they took before working on the sink and although the picture was not sharp, it looked like there were cracks.  More like scratches, actually, not like cracked through.  The old, unused, leaky water heater is gone.  Do I get to count that as deluttering something?

Oy vey! Such a week!

     It must be recognized that my house is not burned, flooded, swept away by a whirlwind, nor surrounded by Taliban.  I acknowledge and appreciate that I am very blessed.  Still, this has been a bit of a week.

Tuesday afternoon, I was headed home with over $250 worth of groceries in the back of my car. Some of which was to make dinner for a family of 8 adults whose grandma had died a couple of days ago. A small school bus stopped in the right hand lane with yellow lights flashing. In the left lane, I slowed, trying to remember what yellow lights mean. Then the lights went red and the stop sign flipped out. I stopped, of course.

Unfortunately, someone else did not.

I certainly felt the impact, but I was not hurt and my airbags did not deploy. I was fine, although I knew Gracie (my car) was not.

The other car front was pretty crumpled. The airbags had deployed, so I could not see the other driver very well nor could I hear her IF she responded to my inquiry if she was alright. There was no blood and there was movement, but it was a little scary. I could see that she was on the phone. When I called 911 a moment later, the accident was already reported, so that may have been her. Help was on the way. CHP and the fire department looked after her and got her out of her car. She appeared undamaged, but her head and shoulder hurt. And she was very shaken.

My sweet daughter-in-law Teresa dropped everything, picked up Andrew, and came to rescue my groceries and me. Thanks to them, I only lost 2 dozen eggs (cracked & scrambled) and a large container of cottage cheese (broken open).

My friend and Relief Society leader Nila happened to call me while I was waiting for AAA shortly after the accident and she immediately assumed responsibility for the dinner I was supposed to take the family, even though she had taken them dinner the day before and I told her that I could make dinner when I got home, but I didn't know what time. Their dinner was on time. Our dinner was a bit late. tasty, but late.

Wednesday was fairly quiet. I was authorized for a rental car, however there wasn't one available. I don't really need one right now. And, if needed, I can borrow from Miriam, or ask Teresa, or another offspring or friend for a little while. I sadly took things out of Gracie, wondering if I would ever put them back.

Thursday. oy vey!

AAA sent a truck to take Gracie to the shop. Later I got the phone call - Gracie was totalled. She absorbed all the impact and sacrificed herself to protect her passenger. After lunch, Teresa took me to the shop to get the things I had forgotten or had been unable to get to. The collision guy, Dustin, got out the dog ramp which was wedged by the impact and opened up the spare wheel well where I had a bicycle bar and chains. We had a nice chat wherein he spoke well of Hondas and sang the praises of his Honda Pilot. I appreciate that he undestands the trauma of losing a car that you really like. I am going to have to fiigure out how much I can afford to spend in addition to whatever amount AAA gives me for Gracie. Will I replace Gracie with another CRV - I really liked that car - or do I want to go a little bigger and get a Pilot? Used, of course. I won't have money for a very recent model, but I do hope to go a little newer than Gracie (2012), as I will need it to last a long time. I probably cannot afford to get a Pilot. I do not plan on going into debt for this.

More fun at The Patch: while I was cooking dinner, Miriam and Joseph discoved that the pipe under the bathroom sink is loose or broken. It cannot have been very long without us noticing, can it? Yet things under the sink were soaked and the bottom of the cabinet is warped. Previous problem? Sometimes it might be nice to be able to call the landlord rather than being the owner.

Yet more fun. Miriam eats in her room and uses plastic disposable plates and utensils because she needs things to be light weight. We wash and reuse them. The plate looked fine when I dished up Miriam's food, but at some point it cracked. Butter on her sheets and mattress protector. Blessings on Andrew! He moved all her stuff off the bed, making sure nothing touched the floor, stripped the

bed, found and put on a sheet. Not the entire bedding package, but enough to get Miriam through the night.

Today is Friday. What will the day hold? Almost certainly better than yesterday, right? I need to get a plumber. I need to wash Miriam's bedding. I need to do homework - Dustin, the collision guy, warned me not to accept the first offer from the insurance company, but to be ready with cost of replacing Gracie at the same age and mileage. I had intended to drive Gracie for years to come and have been robbed through no fault of my own, and I have been paying AAA for years, so it is right to try to get a good settlement. I also need to do research on getting the next car. Such a big responsibility. I need to get it right. Like I did with Gracie.

Still - no fire, flood, hurricane, or terroristic regime. I am grateful! I have my family, home, and food

and many other blessings. And I believe that even when things are horrible, the Lord will make all things right - eventually. May I trust and have faith always in good times and in bad.

Olympic lesson

email to my grands.  

I have long thought that I should write to my grandchildren now and then.  Today, I wrote an email. Perhaps I should do "real" letters, though 

Dear  Acadi & Patrick, Aurora,  Esther, Jared, Samuel, Peter, Molly, and Jacob

(although I am sure Peter and Jacob are too young understand any of this)

Hi Kids,

    Have you been watching the Olympics?  I have not very much, but I did see something that impressed me.   

     I was watching Skateboarding - Street.  You may know that Skateboarding is new to the Olympics this year and has two categories - Park and Street.  Park is where they skate in those deep bowls like they have at skate parks.  Street has elements that one encounters on a city street - stairs, handrails, curbs, benches, walls, and so on.  I, personally, would rather you not do either, it looks dangerous, but anyway...  The street boarders launch themselves off a  wall or top of the steps or ramp and do various tricks.  A lot of somehow leaping on top of a handrail briefly, then flipping down to the ground at the foot of the stairs, often while rotating the board or moving their foot position,  and skating on to the next element.  I don't understand or even completely see all that they do and are judged on, but it is amazing to see anyway.  

    They do sometimes  fall.  Hard.  On cement. While going fast.  With the whole world watching.  More than I expected from Olympic athletes.   The thing is, they get up, get back on their skateboard, and keep going.  They probably have lost their chance at winning a medal.  And they are probably a bit bruised and sore.  And maybe embarrassed.  But they don't quit.  They don't give up.  They don't decide they are failures.  They keep going.  That makes them winners. 

    We all want to do what is right.  We want to be good and do good.  And sometimes, we fall down.  But we should not get down on ourselves.  We should not give up because we are not perfect - or even close.  We should get up and keep trying.  

   Our former Stake President, Alan Fisher (your moms may remember him) just got back from a stint as a mission president and visited our ward today.  Anyway, he told us about an incident he saw while watching the gymnasts competing on the rings.  One fellow leaped up to the rings, started to do a maneuver, and fell.  His coach ran over and said some encouraging words.  The gymnast jumped up, grabbed the rings, began his routine, and fell again!  His coach came out and talked to him again.  The gymnast started over and fell a third time!  Again his coach came out and spoke to him, encouraging him.  The athlete jumped to the rings, did a very complicated maneuver and completed his performance.  He did not medal, but he was a winner.  He can be proud of himself for facing fear, embarrassment, and disappointment, and doing what he started out to do. 

    Sometimes we will have trouble and fall, but God will still love us, and encourage us, and wants us to keep trying.  God will give us a 2nd chance, a 3rd chance, a 4th chance - as many chances as we need if we keep trying.  

    Also,  we should be kind to others when they fall and disappoint us.  

   

    You are winners.  I love you.  God loves you.  I hope you love you!

love, 

    Grandma Barbara

General Confence Lunch?

Due to the Coronavirus pandemic, this is the third General Conference weekend without our family/ missionary lunch between sessions.  I don't know how I feel about it.

For more years than I can remember (since even my oldest was young), my family has shared lunch with the missionaries between General Conference sessions both Saturday and Sunday.  We have fed as many as 2 dozen (or even maybe a little more) missionaries.  This means I have prepared lunch for about 40 people both days.  Ok, Sunday's lunch was basically a repeat of Saturday's, not a separate menu. The missionaries never complained.

It started many, many years ago.   We had "always" attended all the sessions of General Conference.  During a brief period when we had satellite or cable TV we tried watching it at home.  I had problems with that.  The children drifted off.  The house yelled at me.  Dishes. Laundry.  So much to do.  I have never been a master (or should I say mistress) housekeeper so there is always a great deal that needs doing.  It was distracting from the conference for me.  So, we made it a practice to attend conference at the Stake Center.  We packed up (relatively) quiet toys and used a side room rather than the chapel.  The children played quietly in the back.  Sometimes they colored. They were only required to sit and listen  when the prophet spoke. Without pressure, this evolved into them coming closer, sitting and listening more, and taking notes as they grew older.  We set up Seminary tables and brought in Relief Society (softer) chairs so that we could take notes (or color) more comfortably. 

But we were talking about food.  It was too stressful to go home, eat, and return during the two hour break. I started packing lunch for us.  I packed some pretty good lunch.  I wanted the family to associate conference with good things.  One day we were sitting in the multi-purpose room eating fried chicken when we saw the missionaries come through, having just made themselves some Ramen for lunch.  Noodles and broth! That's all.  I felt awful and vowed, Never again.  

From that time forward, we invited all the missionaries in the Stake Center to join us for lunch during General Conference.  I had to give up fried chicken.  That was just too much.  I kept it pretty simple.  The usual fare was make-your-own-sandwich fixings - breads, egg salad, tuna salad, deli ham, deli turkey, cheese, peanut butter, jam, & honey - veggie tray, several layer dip, tortilla chips, beans & franks.   When she was healthier and stronger, Miriam made cookies.  More recently Ruth's kids baked cookies.  On rare occasion, I put ice cream bars in the freezer for the missionaries.   We texted an invitation to all the missionaries in the Stake a week or two in advance.  Every full time missionary in the Stake Center was invited to lunch.  Once in a while, they invited investigators.   We loved it.  

I set out cameras and asked the missionaries to take lots of pictures and to give me email addresses.  I emailed the pictures to the missionaries' families and posted them to Facebook.  I tried to get the emails out on Saturday so if there were mail failures, I could ask the missionaries for corrections at Sunday's lunch.  such fun

As simple as the menu was, it was time consuming (I am slow shopping and food prepping) and costly.  Now, I have had a 3 conference break.  And I have grown enough to be able to thoroughly enjoy conference at home even though my home is still in dire need of attention.  I think that the worst of the pandemic is past and that we will be able to meet at the Stake Center again in October.  I am feeling old, slow, and tired, but I cannot see not inviting the missionaries to lunch. And I love that Benjamin's family comes from another ward and  Ruth's family comes from another Stake to join us for at least morning session (do the breakfast croissants  have anything to do with that? (family only, not the missionaries, but sometimes I feel bad about that.The last few times David & Teresa made those instead of me)) and lunch before the Hinds take the kids to rest and watch at home and B+ go to watch at her parent's home.  Can I simplify lunch again?  Maybe not make egg salad and tuna salad sandwich fixings.  I am more tired thinking about doing the lunch after this break than I was when I was actually doing it.  So, it might be ok.  (Of course, I am also getting older.) But not to feed the missionaries?  While enjoying the break, I have missed them.  Not yet. 

What's in a Name - surname. Barbara MIJARES REED OWES ROBARTS

I was born Barbara Louise MIJARES, daughter of Louise Marie McGinness Mijares and Rolf Siegfried Mijares.  Mijares is a noble Spanish family name meaning millet or millet field.  My father and grandfather were born in the Philippines. I have not followed my line further back (yet). It is my understanding that our family were landowners in the Philippines.   

My parents were divorced when I was very young.  My mother married Harold REED who adopted me (and my brother and sister).  The name Reed may have come from the nickname meaning red.  Or it might come from the valley of Redesdale or the River Rede in Northern England.

Mother and Harry divorced.  She married Gordon D. OWES who adopted me and my siblings, now a sister and 2 brothers) I was told that the name was originally Aas (possibly pronounced owes), but when the family came to America from Scandinavia wiseacre (or careless) Americans changed the spelling from double A S to A double S.  When the Aas realized what happened and what it meant, they changed their last name to OWES, same sound, different spelling and meaning.  In Norway and Sweden  "As" meant "ridge" 

Mother and Gordon also divorced, but I was married before she married Don JOHNSTON.

I married Glen ROBARTS. (we divorced, I kept the name because it is my children's name)  

 Robarts is supposedly a variation of Robert or Roberts which comes from the Old German and means "fame" or "bright."

I, however, created a name origin story for the Robarts;

Long ago in Wales, a young man named Bart served the lord of the manor by rowing his boat for the master's pleasure.  Bart was a bit of a dreamy young fellow who enjoyed nature.  Sometimes he would be so enraptured by the beauties of nature that he would forget to row.  He watched a mother duck and her flock of ducklings swimming near by.  The master would order, "Row, Bart!"  Bart admired the reflection of the clouds on the pond and the boat drifted.  "Row, Bart!"  A butterfly fluttered by.  "Row, Bart!"  And so it went all day long.  You know how sounds carry over water.  All Bart's neighbors in their fields and shops heard the master's call.  When Bart returned home, the villagers would teasingly greet him, "Row, Bart!"  Soon he was not just Bart, but always Robart, when he married, his wife was Robarts' wife, and his children were Robarts children.  I know this is the true story of how the Robarts family got its name because I made it up myself. 

Below is an honestly true story:  

One day at the temple, sisters I knew casually asked me to remind them of my name.  So I told them Bart's story to help them remember.  

A week or two later, we met at the temple again.  They greeted me, "Hello, Sister Michaels!" 

Michael, row the boat ashore

Even a little bit helps

 Hardly a day goes by without multiple appeals for charitable donations - on line and via email and , in person on street corners and outside stores.  One cannot go very far out of one's house before encountering street beggars and/or seeing homeless encampments.  These requests stir up feelings of both guilt and annoyance.  (Then I feel guilty for feeling annoyed and ask myself I would like to trade places, have a little compassion. There are a lot of people in trouble out there - homeless and hungry)   I seldom comply.  

I combat feelings of guilt by reminding myself that I do donate hundreds of dollars a year.  First, I pay Fast Offering.  Then I make regular small contributions to LDS Humanitarian Services.  I once read some impressive numbers of how much money would go to help people in need if every member of the church gave just one dollar.  Since then, I donate at least $5/month to Humanitarian Services.  Not much, but in the every little bit theory.  Once in a while I give through other organizations and sometimes make up food/lunch packets to give to street people, although scary news stories have me doing that less.  But one can only do/give so much.  It is hard not to feel badly. 

Today I got an email that helps.  A lot.  

Your Contributions Are Making a Difference

"To anyone who has ever given a humanitarian aid donation, to the child who sealed some coins in an envelope, to the new widower who made a donation in memory of his wife—you are Latter-day Saint Charities, and you are helping others feel the love of God and the love of neighbors in the far reaches of the earth. Thank you." Sister Sharon Eubank, President of Latter-day Saint Charities, First Counselor in the Relief Society General Presidency

In 2020, a year of adapting to new needs, the Church increased humanitarian efforts thanks to donations from people like you. Thanks to your support, Latter-day Saint Charities led over 3,600 humanitarian projects in 160 countries and territories, impacting the lives of millions. With the COVID-19 pandemic, donations from you and partners helped to send medical and emergency supplies to people around the world; train health care professionals regarding physical, mental, and emotional support for those who are struggling; and adjust production schedules at Church-owned canneries and food processing plants to meet increasing community needs. Our work is your work, and we are guided by our faith and commitment to live the first and second great commandments. "When we love God with all our hearts, He turns our hearts to the well-being of others in a beautiful, virtuous cycle." - President Russell M. Nelson, "The Second Great Commandment," Oct. 2019 general conference.