"What is a Week End"?

10/28 email to my granddaughter Acadia, serving in the Oregon Eugene Mission

Great news about your house, eh? Of course, bittersweet. I wish I had the money to buy it! I can’t move now, anyway. And you guys won’t be there. But, it is such a nice house and more especially a great location. I love the PNW and I love the park and nature area right outside the back gate. Sounds like a good family is buying it.

I’ll be praying for your folks to find a wonderful new home in Arizona.

I look at my calendar for last week and don’t see any big events. Yet, I felt like I was busy all week. 
 

Monday I attended the Elk Grove Historical Society again. Bethany’s mom, Roberts, gave a presentation on the transcontinental railroad. This makes attending two months in a row. Bethany’s dad is currently the society president. Now they are encouraging me to join. Probably not. Especially as Monday is usually when I read or have my phone read the new Come, Follow Me selection for the week to the family at dinner. Which didn’t happen because I left before the guys get home. And then Tuesday, I forgot about it because of Downton Abbey. I am a sinner.

Teresa has started coming over in the morning at least once a week – we are trying to get to more, maybe 3 – for us to exercise together for a few minutes. I have some fun exercise DVDs.

“Body Groove Dance Your Heart Out “with Misty Tripoli - dance inspired, low impact, low stress, a little crazy

“Chair Dancing Fitness Life’s a Celebration” which involves paper plates

and others which I don’t know yet if they are fun. Ha ha. Haven’t tried them

“Core Chapter One – Tighten Your Waistline from Your Chair”

“Older & Much Wiser Workout for Active Older Adults”

Not much excuse for me to be so out of shape!

Friday’s exercise was something different. Again I skipped temple. Andrew is the Building Cleaning Coordinator. He gets the volunteers and switches being the one on site every other month with his assistant. October was his off month. But this week he was only to get one volunteer – a 60+ woman. So he decided to go work at the building Friday morning instead of coming with us to the temple. He was stressing rather badly, so Teresa and I decided to help him – again serve this side of the veil. We cleaned the chapel while he cleaned the bathrooms. It was more exertion than we have been putting into our dancing exercise sessions.

Then we went to lunch at Wendy’s and to shop at Falling Prices. What a weird place. A jumble of all kinds of goods – it coulld be pretty much anything. On Tuesday everything costs $6 no matter what it is. The prices drop each day. On Friday, everything is a dollar no matter what it is. I think on Saturday they are 25cents. My favorite find Friday which I did not buy, but almost wish I did, but don’t know why was a bright yellow hood to toe body suit for a tall person. My first thought was a rainy day bicycle suit – after the feet were cut off to shorten the legs. It had a chemical company sticker, so I assume it was a low level hazmat suit.  It was too tall for Andrew, who gamely tried it on. Andrew said, “Who would wear it when?” I put it back but I am a little sorry. The other time we went, the first thing I saw was a black hoop skirt which I did buy. We joked about me wearing them together. Teresa said I should find something every time and wear them all together. Maybe at the Halloween Party. But I didn’t.

Despite doing most of the really important cleaning Friday, Andrew decided to go back and help Saturday, too. David offered to give him a ride and help clean. My guys are so good.

Saturday I made rice krispie pumpkins. I took some to a friend’s Housewarming Halloween Open House. I had kept her dog, Sadie, while she was between houses and by sheer luck – or minor miracles and tender mercies – helped her find this place to rent which she is delighted with and likes her landlord. 

Then we went to our Ward Taco Dinner and Trunk or Treat. took rice krispie pumpkins. When I dressed, I was thinking pirate – black top and skirt, red head band and red thing around my waist. What a lot of our ward friends saw was gypsy. During the Trunk or Treat, one sister asked me to read her palm. I handed her a chocolate and told her she would have a sweet life. She liked that. And said she already does. 

Finished the evening going to babysit at Hinds while Tom DJ’d and Ruth chaperoned the youth dance. The littles went right to bed. Miriam, Joseph, and Andrew watched “Spiderman Far From Home”. I sort of watched and sort of napped. The timing was perfect. The older Hinds came home soon after the movie ended. Esther had danced every dance. Jared hung out and talked with some guys.  Left rice krispie pumkins for them to have in the morning.

Every possible evening, David and Teresa and I are watching Downton Abbey. Right now we are in season 4. I look forward to seeing the new movie. I hope the DVD comes out soon and shows up at Costco. 
 

I really, really, REALLY want to go on a Disney Alaska Cruise. Hoping, sort of planning, on 2021. I hope you can come. Your mom plans to. Teresa and I are working on David and he is showing signs of weakening. I think Miriam wants to go, too. David and Teresa are thinking of going to celebrate their anniversary which means a May cruise. I was thinking of September for my birthday, but I am willing to adjust. Your mom says less chance of rain. Her September cruise this year was perfect weather, but she says that’s pretty unusual.

I spend way too much time Disney dreaming. Then I have to remind myself that there is someplace else I want to go even more and I need to think on it and work towards it.

In RS one sister shared that when her daughter was born she died. She got up and walked around behind the doctor and saw herself and the baby. Then she went through this tunnel thing. She thought that she would go “Pop” and it would all be over. But she didn’t, of course, She realized that she was going HOME. She felt surrounded by love and so happy. But then she had to back. She was very sad. I think for a few days she mourned. Then she realized that she would go HOME someday and feel that love and happiness.

Blessings on you. Thank you for teaching people about their Heavenly Home and how to get there.

Love, Grandma Barbara

yowl

email letter to granddaughter Acadia serving a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in the Oregon Eugene Mission

The continuing cat tale. Felicity had another x-ray Tuesday. Wednesday I took the cockatiel to an avian vet 30 minutes away where we learned that I have been feeding him wrong, declined a $250.00 blood test (still reeling from the $800+ spent on the cat over the last two months), and invested in better food. When we returned, I took a call from the cat vet with the x-ray results. X-ray showed her colon very tapered at the end. As did last month’s. Suggested possibility of an ultrasound which really would not show much of the affected area. Most desirable choice, medically speaking, an colonoscopy – about $2-3000. !!! I just started crying. Not happening anytime soon, if ever. The good news is that the bladder stones are gone. We decided to keep her on the Royal Canin Urinary SO ($$) for now and keep sprinkling laxative on it hoping for the best. Her episodes are weeks and wees apart. I am supposed to contact the vet if she has another episode or in a month, whichever comes first. She seems ok most of the time. Plays once in awhile, purrs, asks to be petted, eats, drinks – acts like a cat.

I feel badly because I really, really want to go on an Disney Alaska Cruise in 2 years. Which, of course, will take some saving up. One of my first thoughts was there goes my cruise. Naturally, now I think about an Alaska cruise “all the time.” Mildly obsessing over Fish Extender Gift ideas.

A weird thing. I usually go to temple on Friday. Now, I admit that I often have a hard time making myself get going and go. But Thursday I was just feeling bad about going to the temple Friday. Then I thought about a sister in our ward who a couple of weeks ago had request help getting mulch for the large area her now disabled husband used to garden. I called her and found out nothing has happened. So I told her that I would meet her with my old, beat up utility trailer (and hopefully Andrew) at the SMUD free wood chips / mulch yard Friday morning. And I felt good. Andrew, Kathy, and I unloaded 4 trailer loads of mulch on her driveway. It was great. I was pretty impressed with us. We thought she would need another several loads of mulch. But that wonder woman sent me pictures Saturday of the entire garden area covered with mulch. She barrowed all that mulch – well, there was some left for work in the front yard – all by herself. I was really impressed!

Saturday I went to the HighWater Jamboree sponsored by safety and water agencies. Found out that I live in a Shaded X Zone which means that I have about a 2% chance of being flooded by an 100 year flood – unless the levees break, in which case I am under 4 feet of water. I am supposed to evacuate south. Which is good news because Ruth and Debi live south of me in an X zone which means they stay dry. UNLESS Folsom Dam goes. They did not have the information on a dam break, but I think we would not like it.

Speaking of not liking it. Your mom informed us yesterday, not to our surprise, that they are not likely to come down for Thanksgiving after all. Too much to do for the move. And this was the last year that she thought they would come down for Thanksgiving. AND IT’S ALL YOUR FAULT. In your after mission life, they will either go to you or have you go to them and that means not coming here.

It is not all that tragic. My children are all scattered this Thanksgiving except the ones who live with me. Everyone is going to “the other side.” It is better that they all scatter the same year and get together on the alternative year than that they scatter at different times and never get together. Of course, 2020 will be sad if it doesn’t work out for your family to come down.

And there are other days in the year.

No big spiritual insights to share, except maybe sometimes serving on this side of the veil is as important as serving the other side.

there is beauty everywhere

letter to granddaughter Acadia serving in the Oregon Eugene mission:

there is beauty all around Barbara Robarts <motherof8robarts@gmail.com> 11:05 AM (6 minutes ago) to Acadia You already know the big news from this week. Your mother called me just as we were leaving the temple Friday and told me that your family is moving to Arizona the first of the year. Wow oh wow!  Then she emailed our family.  I never expected to see her leave the Pacific Northwest and I loved being able to visit there now and then. But I love how she says she loves the Pacific Northwest but she loves your dad more. I know your whole family has prayed and received confirmations, so I know this is a good thing for your family.  We had a great Relief Society & Young Women Activity Wednesday. Except the YW didn’t come. A couple of YW leaders did and they say they had not seen any information. (How did they know to be there then?) We had a potluck dinner in the Foell’s backyard. This house is a great party house and has a nice big backyard that Greg has really made beautiful.  The potluck was nice, but the speed friending was great. We only had a minute or two with each person, but connections were made. Who knew it could be so easy to get to know someone better?! I grew in knowledge, appreciation, and affection for the sisters I was able to speed friend. I hope to better develop my friendshipping skills to enrich my own life and learn to better minister. Our Relief Society lesson was taken from Dallin H. Oaks talk in April conference “Cleansed by Repentance”. We had a pretty good standard lesson until two comments/questions. One sister asked about abusive people in her life. She keeps forgiving and they keep hurting her. Other sisters shared teachings bu Elder Holland and personal experience that forgiving does not mean allowing yourself to be hurt or damaged. I told about doing child care for a sister in my ward who didn’t pay me. She owed me hundreds. After trying to work it out a number of ways, I realized that she was never going to pay me. What was I going to do about it? I decided to forgive her the debt. I told her. For a time I knew to the penney what she owed me, but then I realized that I didn’t any more. I felt that I had truly forgiven then, but I was still troubled. I spoke to my Bishop. “Does forgiving the debt mean I must do child care for her again? “ He said, “Forgiveness does not mean you have to be stupid.” We urged the abused sister to cut the abusers out of her life as much as possible and not put herself in their power.  The other discussion came from Oaks : ‘Just last evening President Nelson challenged us, “Brethren, we all need to repent.” ‘ That got me. What do apostles have to repent of?! How much do I need to repent of to get to where they are? IF THEY need to repent, I must be pretty much hopeless. The sisters responded: They said repentance is not just about stop doing wrong things, it is about starting to do or improving doing good things. Also, the more righteous we become, the smaller things we learn to repent of. On the home front. Nothing. No work in the kitchen. Just when I told the vet that the cat had not had any “episodes” since before I took her it, she did. Sigh. Tomorrow she goes to the vet again for another x-ray. Expen$ive. $igh And the bird goes to a different vet Wednesday with a severely overgrown beak.  My grandfather used to get Arizona Highways. I don’t know why. Except he had been a Highway Engineer, but for California. Beautiful pictures. Every place has its own beauty. Some we appreciate more than others But we can learn. Wishing you much beauty and joy. much love, Grandma Barbara

Opa!

 letter to Granddaughter Sister Acadia Roser serving in the Oregon Eugene Mission

 

Most of my focus this last week was on preparing for General Conference, perhaps more physically than spiritually, but some of both. 

  Monday I tried to clean out the fridge a bit to make a little room for the huge amount of food I would get for conference lunch.  Threw out some "science experiments"

  Tuesday I reviewed what I needed and what I had on hand.  Pulled some food out of food storage that needed to be rotated.

   Wednesday I shopped.  Spent hundreds of dollars without replacing the food storage.  Trying to figure out what to do about it ,really.  We used to eat chili rather often, but now we seldom do. Some of our eating habits changed when Miriam moved in.  While she  has switched to her special diet, we have not switched back as much.   Do I get more chili or not?  Probably.

   Thursday was food prep day.  Washing and cutting veggies.  Making egg salad and tuna salad.  Teresa and David did the breakfast croissants and Miriam and Andrew did the layered bean dip.  I still felt like I did a lot of work and wondered how in the world I managed during my working outside the home years.

   I did so well early in the week that I  took Friday off for the first time in ages. I went to the temple to do a few initiatories, briefly visited Deseret Books, visited a ministering sister in nursing home, and went to the Greek Festival with Teresa where we listened to Greek music and sampled Greek food.  It was expensive, but the proceeds go to charity, including Mustard Seed, a school for homeless children that our Relief Society sisters often do contributions for.   I have wanted to go to the Greek Festival for ages, but it is always conference weekend.

    We fed 16 missionaries both days.  I had them take pictures with my camera and then Sunday, Tom set up a photo box (a photo booth without a booth - open) and did a bunch more pictures.  I posted them to Facebook and emailed all the addresses that the missionaries gave me.  I have some bounce backs to go back and check, but I know some families have seen the pictures. 

     I had two big frustration disappointments this week.  After Time Out for Women, I ordered a couple of books online to pick up at our Deseret Bookstore across town.  Nothing to tell when the order would be available, but they said 8-10 days.  So Friday after temple, I went to the bookstore where the gal said I would get an email when the order was ready.  The email was sent less than two hours later about the time I was meeting up with Teresa for the Greek Festival although I didn't see it until later.  The very next day I get a warning email that if I don't pick up the order withing 7 days, it will be cancelled.  Hopefully, I will make it to the temple next week and my temple buddies Andrew and Teresa (who did not come with me this week) won't mind a detour.

     The other disappointment was more upsetting, although I am letting it bother me more than I should.  Let me preface by telling you that I am gift-giving challenged.  I have this lovely, large set of people that I love and cherish, but I have the most awful time figuring out what to give.  Of course, expense is an issue, and I lack talent and creativity and have time management problems.  Well, I learned that Arnie Zimbelman beloved co-founder of the Strauss Festival and former history teacher has written 3 books.  Brilliant Idea!  I ordered the books.  At the Festival, I actually approached Arnie (which was hard for me because  I am socially backward), told him that I planned to give his books to Ruth and Tom for Christmas, and asked if I couild bring them to him when I got them so he could autograph them.  He graciously agreed.  And because life is uncertain, I asked him to autograph a pieced of paper then and there.  So, I get the books, make an appointment and spend almost an hour - a delightful hour - with Arnie.  He signs the books.  We talk about Tom and Ruth.  He clearly knows them and their family.  Score!  This is going to be the best Christmas present I have ever given!  They will love it!  Yesterday, I saw one of the books in Ruth's possession and my heart sank.  "Did you borrow it from the library?"  I ask hopefully.  NO!  Arnie gave them all three books personally.  Autographed, of course.  In dismay, I told her that my Christmas gift was ruined.  She reminded me that he is a rather old gentleman and forgets things.  I wonder if he forgot me and how excited I was to have these Christmas presents and then got the idea to give them himself.  I admit I cried not a few disappointed and bitter tears.  No more trying to plan ahead for me!  How does your mother manage ?!  Will I or will I not give the to Ruth and Tom for Christmas anyway?

    Wasn't conference wonderful!  I can remember that there was a time when I thought it was long and boring - long, long ago - but I can hardly remember or believe I did.  What especially tickles me is that Ruth's kids except the very youngest eagerly look forward to conference and are sad when it is over.  When President Nelson talked about the Bicentennial Conference next April, Naomi exclaimed ""I am already anxious! And it's in SIX MONTHS!"

     Elder Anderson's fruit was delightful.  We speculate that he may be receiving a lot of fruit baskets in the next few weeks.  And how many people will be calling Grandpa Nelson?! 

    We had some great parables.  The Cheetahs and the Topis.  I sure need to remember that one.  Not in sessions but between, the Parable of the 2 Backyard Trees.  Examples of faith.  New insights on old scriptures and stories.

    I was both comforted and discomforted that a General Officer gets distracted by texts.  I guess I am not so hopelessly bad, but this is a long term challenge not easily out grown.

     I can hardly wait for the talks to be available on my library app!

    Well this is too long for a busy missionary and I have a lot of conference recovery work to do.

    Love you lots!

    Give them Heaven!

    Love, Grandma Barbara

Tina, eat. Food. Eat the FOOD!

Without giving any details, Sariah told me Acadia only tells us the good stuff and that she has had some challenges.  How do we know what to pray for? Just bless Acadia / Sister Roser (depending on my mood).  I  glad she recognizes and shares so much good and I can see that she is really helping people change their lives for the better.  But I do sometimes wish I knew what is really going on.

No progress on the kitchen yet.   Thomas is communicating with the cabinet maker who wants thousands of dollars in actual paper money cash.  Thomas says it is not illegal.  I am going to either have to make many multiple trips to the ATM on many different days or drive to Davis where my brick and mortar is.

No progress on the cat, either.  She refuses to eat the expensive wet cat food which is specially formulated to help with urinary tract health whether or not I put the laxative in it.  Joseph's cat is willing to see that it isn't thrown out.  Felicity will nibble at the expensive special formula dry food.  Velox likes it, too.  Felicity has not had any unfortunate episodes since her doctor visit, but as she usually goes a good while between, that doesn't tell me anything. 

I  drove a sister (Noreen)who lives in a group home to see her fiance who is in a health care facility a couple of times. 

At our Relief Society Leadership Training Thursday, they had us turn on our Family Tree apps on our phones and do Find Relatives Near Me.  My!  we are almost all distant cousins.  Except Miriam.  My phone said she is not related.  lol  Something about how her phone is set up, I don't know.  We also did speed friendshipping.  We are supposed to apply that to ministering.  It isn't that hard to try to get to know people.

Thursday was also Talk Like a Pirate Day, but I am no good at that.  I wore a black skirt, white blousy blouse and a maroon headscarf.  I also tried to make a Treasure Map pizza.  Tip:  add the landmarks after baking.  Olives did ok, but ground beef rocks, cheese X, and broccoli trees melted and/or sank.   Andrew recognized what it was supposed to be and got a tickle out of it.  He is also pretty good at talking like a pirate.  I suppose I should practice because I think Disney cruises always have a pirate night.  And I do want to go on an Disney Alaska cruise!

I didn't make it to the temple Friday which turned out to be a good thing because the gal that signed up to take Noreen to visit her fiance that day forgot and it turned out to be one of the times I drove. 

Debi hosted a Baby Shower for Bethany Saturday and Sariah came down from Vancouver!  I ended up staying all afternoon after the shower just visiting.  The Hinds kids had folded a bunch of paper airplanes in different colors which Debi hung around the room.  No silly baby shower games.  Debi had purchased several plaind white onsies in different sizes and we decorated them with fabric pens.  Much fun and pretty cute.  (And if they are not cute, put other clothes over them, anyway)

Bethany's boss and his wife gave her this cute bomber's jacket for baby - probably when he's a toddler.

Favorite Facebook meme today:  Next week was exhausting!

Delores, one of the sisters I minister to went to the emergency room today and  will be staying at least overnight at Mercy General.  She turns 87 Tuesday.  I made she her ministering brothers know.  Just as I was about to leave to go visit her after dinner, one of them called to say that he and his wife were about to go over.  I will go visit her Monday.

the cat's meow

Tuesday Andrew made me a delicious breakfast for my birthday.

 I donated platelets at Vitalent (formerly known as Blood Source) where they rang bells, sang to me, and gave me a balloon. I watched episonde 1 of season 6 of “Downton Abbey”. Now I want to watch all of all the “Downton Abbey”’s again. The “Downton Abbey” movie will be out in little over a week. I will probably wait fo see it, however. Maybe even wait for Costco to sell the DVD.

Miriam and Teresa took me to lunch at Cheesecake Factory. Yummy! I had a very good cheese burger. Miriam got us the Chocolate Tower Truffle Cake which was totally amazing and big enough to share. We each ordered cheesecake to take home and eat later. Mine? Godiva Chocolate Cheesecake. Delicious!

Lunch was late and plentiful, so we didn’t have the (relatively inexpensive) steak I had bought for dinner. The guys had not had the fine lunch we did, I figured they could scrounge for leftovers. Teresa brought some Macaroni & Cheese Mix IN A BOX and Andrew was EXSTATIC! It was weird. He put hot dogs in it. Maybe something else. That’s what the guys had. We watched “Downton Abbey” season 1, episone 1. I do like that show!

Wednesday I took my cat to the vet. Every now and then she cries and cries that she is in pain and then defecates on the floor, not the litter box. And eliminates a few more times scattered about. Such fun for her and for us to clean up. It starts out pretty normal looking, gets runnier, and sometimes there appears to be a bit of blood. Then she will seem fine for days. And it happens again. So she went to the vet. X-Rays, various tests. $615. Her skeletan looks good. No sign of arthritis. No apparent bowel obstruction, although the large intestine tapers a lot at the end. But she has bladder stones. Doesn’t make sense that they would cause her symptoms. They called me later and said they need to do another test on the urine. Another $160. The vet is going to consult with some specialty pet food company. In the meantime, I am supposed to give her Metamucil twice a day. So far, no real answers just good-bye lots of money.

The stupid cat is refusing her medicated food. Canned chicken. She looks at it and turns away. I knew she would not go for tuna. Joe’s cat, Velox, appears out of nowhere when you open tuna, but Felicity will ignore it when you give it to her. (I give them the juice) I think she used to eat some, but I am not sure.

Thursday I went to the people vet. Blood draw and blood pressure check. Better than last time which were bad so they had me come back after a month. Still need to do better, but improved.

Friday the 13^th. Teresa and I did a few initiatories. No, not 13, only 5 each. The Hinds family and David and Teresa came over. I was a little sad that Debi, Lucas, and Molly, and Ben and Bethany couldn’t come. But that meant that we had 13 people. Unfortunately, not all at once. Hinds had to leave before David and Teresa arrived. Played with horeshoes, walked under a ladder, ate Lucky Charms and other lucky food – pulled pork, lentil soup, black eyed peas soup, carrot coins. Both Hinds and DT brought donuts. Round foods are lucky. Round like money. Hinds also brought fortune cookies. After the Hinds left we watched a Freaky Friday movie. (There are 3 different ones. I checked all three out at the library and we more or less randomly picked which to watch. Very entertaining, but not as good as “Downton Abbey”)

Years ago, I gave Benjamin and Bethany gift certificate to Sacramento Escape Room. Then later I gave David and Teresa certificates. Finally, Joseph and Andrew. Today the six of them went. Had a great time, but failed to escape.

Meanwhile, Miriam and I went to Relief Society Souper Saturday. Workshops on soups in Instant Pot, Emergency Preparedness, self massage (with lacrosse balls), and flower arranging. And ate soup. Lots of soup.

But not quite enough. I had taken our leftover lucky soups, Teresa sent some soup, and, of course a few other sisters brought soup. Also bread and desserts. But guess what we are having for supper tonight (still Saturday).

The intrepid non-escapers planned to watch “The Avengers; End Game” after the escape room. A couple of them fell asleep. So we watched “Downton Abbey” episode 2. THEN the watched End Game. Still on as of this typing. I really like “Downton Abbey” much, much better. Not an action movie fan. I did sort of like “Captain Marvel” which we watched a few days ago. For the first part of the movie, I was frankly bored. Then I got somewhat interested. It was pretty good. Not as good as “Black Panther”. But I like “Downton Abbey” LOTS better.

of tiles and smiles

I could have been on a Disney Cruise to Alaska this last week with my eldest daughter and her family, but I have major home work to get done here first.  My son-in-law Tom is my job boss and main worker.  He and a couple of his kids tore up the treacherous tile in my kitchen to replace the flooring.  He is getting estimates for me to consider replacing the cabinetry at the same time.  Once we do the kitchen, I also need to replace a water damaged walls and ceiling in our family room.  When the most important repairs are done, we will see if I have any money left  to go on a cruise, hopefully in a couple of years.

A highlight of my week was that Sariah took time in the middle of her cruise to phone me just to chat! Her husband and daughter were on a hike.  Her in-laws were doing something else.  She had a little time before they went on a whale watching excursion and she chose to talk to me.  Made me feel special and loved. 

Despite The Patch being a construction zone, I am having family over Friday for a Friday the 13th party.  We will  walk under a ladder, toss horseshoes and pennies, and eat lucky food.  Did you know that for Spanish culture Tuesday the 13th is unlucky and for Italian it's Friday the 17th?

De-tile

Do not believe that retirement means a quiet life with plenty of spare time. I wonder now how I even survived when I was working full time. I still am daily grateful 1) to be out of the toxic environment my office had become. 2) to not have to have an alarm every morning, in fact, almost any morning. I naturally wake up relatively early and my first deadline is Family Prayer at 7am. Usually I am up and dressed before then, but sometimes, I am just up. LOL

I am able to go to the temple more regularly, donate platelets, and, although you may not believe it in light of my recent neglect of you, do a little better at ministering.

We are finally working on replacing my kitchen floor! Which means my home is a demolition / construction zone. I had intended to sort, declutter, and organize in preparation for moving everything out of the kitchen, but I have problems - mental and emotional. Every time I went to the task, I hit a mental / emotional block and just could not do anything. Finally, my job boss son—in-law just came and started moving things whether or not they were sorted or organized. For the last week, Tom and his crew, two of my grandchildren, have been taking out floor tile and trying to get up the cement that failed to hold it in place. Tom is a man with ideas. So now we are waiting for estimates from a cabinet maker for me to consider re-doing the kitchen a little more completely. I have not been very happy with the cabinets from HD that the men from our ward put in a few years ago. The problem was not those kind men, but rather sub quality cabinets. I am not doing the physical work, but I need to be here for the most part. I hope it is all done before General Conference, but will not be too surprised if it is not.

We used the Rainbow to "vacuum" up dust and such.  When I went to clean the Rainbow, I realized that the "dust" was from the cement like grout holding the tiles in place (more or less, mostly less).  Mixing with the water in the Rainbow catch basin, the dust remembered its cement qualities.  I had to scoop and scrape it out of the basin and hope that I cleaned the machine well enough.  

I have been wanting to road trip

but this isn't quite what I had in mind.

 

Weeds, laundry, a little planning.  That was Monday.

Tuesday I donated platelets and bought groceries.  While donating, I watched "The Bucket List"   a couple of old guys with nothing in common meet in the hospital where they are told they have months to live.  Except for language, a really good movie.  Of course, it is more fun to work on a bucket list when you are really rich or have an incredibly rich friend. LOL. Do you have a bucket list? I have never made one, but have sometimes thought somewhat along those lines. 

I have been blessed to do things that I never dared to dream of.  My kids sent me to Washington DC, which I know you've been, but to me it was an impossible dream.  They got me tickets to go meet David when he finished his mission in the Washington DC South Mission (really mostly Virginia).  We traveled around the mission visiting his people and spent time in the nation's capital.  I loved it!  and would love to go again.  Thanks to my daughter Sariah and her husband Ryan, I have been to Boston in the fall (Veggie Tales).  Fantastic.  Sariah took me to Disney World.   And my aunt Robin treated me to two weeks in England, Scotland, and Wales.  I never thought  I would travel  and see these wonderful places.  

There are a lot of places I would like to see and things I would like to do, but I haven't made a list.  And I don't know if I will (make the list or do them).  Sometimes I hope the Lord lets us see things and places after we die.  Will He let us do some tourist bit?

Wednesday was a potluck at Holly Foell (fell). She is one of my ministering (to) sisters, our stake RS President, and a really nice person.  I altered a recipe from the Six Sisters Menu plan.  Started out as Chicken Alfredo Stuffed Pasta Shells, but I was slightly bored.  I added spinach (because I like to add spinach to almost any casserole type dish) and red pepper.  Made it look and taste more interesting.  To my surprise, I found out (after she left) that one of the sisters at my table is one of the Six Sisters!

I met with an author and local celebrity for some super secret squirrel stuff on Thursday.   A Christmas present, but I am not saying now.  Had a charming visit. 

Then I had a couple of days where I spent a lot of time on the road.  Friday I took Joseph to work, back tracked to pick up Andrew at home, then went to the temple.  What I like to do is some initiatories and the 10 o'clock session.  But the back and forth thing ruled that out.  Since I was sleepy, I opted to just do initiatories Friday.  I love the blessings and it much easier to stay awake!  I took Andrew home again and went to an Open House (and lunch buffet) at Advanced Health Care of Sacramento where 3 guys from our ward work - our Bishop's counselor (and husband of the Six Sister) is director,  my ex-cousin-in-law works in the office, and one young man the age of some of my children (forgot which) is a nurse.  Fancy, nice place.  I wish Miriam could go there next time she needs a rehab/recovery stay, but it is not for people on Social Security and MediCal.  Jon, the director, said maybe we could work it, but I doubt it.  No need yet, but she will be having surgeries sometime in the future. Back home to get Andrew again and take him to Deseret Industries to look for pants.  I think he found 2.  I bought about 6 tops.  I think we spent almost the same amount of money.  Then I collapsed.  Raid the fridge for leftovers for dinner.

Over 470 miles for me Saturday helping my daughter-in-law bring things home after cleaning out her now angel mother's home in Utah. Teresa and David traveled far more, especially Teresa who traveled around 850 miles. Teresa drove her brother's fully packed car from Manti, Utah. He needed it in Magalia by 2 to get to work. David was worried about her doing all that driving alone, so he invited me (5am Friday morning, hoping to leave around 7, but it was more like 8) to help intercept her.  We went to meet her in Nevada, but missed her (due to phone problems resulting in lack of communication) and gave chase to Donner where David relieved her and she rested in my car. On to her brother's in Magalia, California where we left the Prius and picked up a trailer full of more stuff that her brothers had driven out. Then home. But DT had to go out again because we were unable to fit all the stuff from the Prius into my car. Fortunately, brother was at work close to Sacramento, not still in Magalia. Long day. Beautiful weather and lovely drive.

Today, Sunday, Sadie is going home.  Her mom credits me with finding their new rental house.  I happened to see a mention on NextDoor, passed it on to her, and she moved in yesterday.  They are in our ward.  So she will be in church today, come here for Hawaiian Haystacks for dinner (she says there is NO food in the house yet, so I am saving her life.  I said, you haven't had my cooking yet, it might be the opposite)  and Sadie will go back to her family.  She will be so happy!  (unless, of course, my cooking does off her mom, but I haven't killed anyone YET)

dog days of summer

My friend K has been going through a rough divorce. So rough, that she is doing a complete purge of all the non-living things touched by her ex – including kitchen things, clothes, everything. The house has been emptied, cleaned, and sold. While she looks for their new home, her pets are staying with friends. We have Sadie, a 9-10 year old golden retriever mix.

Sadie is a good dog and pleasant to have around. Quiet, sweet, friendly. I hope she helps our cats remember that it's ok to have a dog in the house. She is doing her part, but they, especially Felicity, are resisting her charm. Our cats have been dogless for little over a year and a half and approve the status. They are not pleased. The first day, both cats took to high places – Velox, Joseph’s black cat, where she could observe, Felicity, my torti, where she could be totally hidden. When Velox returned to human (and dog) levels, Sadie walked quietly up to her and nosed her. The first couple of times, Sadie slapped her, but not a full claw swipe, and Sadie quietly backed off. Since then Velox has tolerated a nose poke or two and pretty much goes about her business. Felicity still avoids being in the same room with Sadie, but sometimes stations herself in the hall. At least once, when Felicity was sitting on my bed, Sadie came in and put her nose by her without Felicity moving. Progress.

Sadie’s toe nails were ridiculously long, so Friday I took her to have her nails trimmed. She was quite happy to get in the car. However, when we got back to my house, Sadie looked around and cried. It was so sad! I think she thought I was going to take her to her own family. Mostly she has been peaceful and seemingly content. She is getting lots of petting and talking to. But she is not ours and we are not hers.

I thought that dog sitting Sadie would help heal the hurt of missing Anna, but the opposite is true. I am crying multiple times a day. Sadie is a nice dog. But, oh! I miss my Anna!