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.

What's in a name? Barbara

               When I was born, my parents named me Barbara Louise.   

               Sometime in my youth, when I expressed discontent with my name, which I had looked up and found "Barbara" to mean  "foreign" or "strange" and "Louise" to be a feminine of form of Louis and, of course, Louise was also my mother's first name (neither of which pleased me at the time), my mother somewhat offended, told me that she had named me after her best friend.  I am not sure if the friend's name was "Barbara" or "Barbara Louise".  I do not remember further conversation.  I wish I had known much earlier that I had been named for a good friend.  I wish I knew something about her and what made this friend special.  My mother was 17 when I was born.  I assume her friend, Barbara, was also a teenager.  They were probably in high school together. I am not sure when my mother left high school or even if she graduated.  She might not have because of me. We sure never talked much, did we?  

          Some say that people think that the name "Barbara" is "classic   mature   formal   upper class   natural   wholesome   strong   refined   simple   serious   nerdy .    I am not sure how much of that might apply to me. 

             I never learned to particularly like my name, nor it's variants.  I certainly am not a "Barbie" or a "Bobbie".    Some say that "Barbara"  can also mean "exotic" which for some reason sounds more appealing, except I am in no way exotic - which implies beautiful and interesting.  I am rather peasant-like.   But Barbara also means "Barbarian,"  which I think some might think applies to me.  I am certainly not lady-like, refined, cultured, and/or educated.  

        A very few have called me "Barb" and it was usually kindly meant and I liked it maybe a little better than "Barbara".  It may have even fit. I can think of a person or two would think so.  "a point or pointed part projecting backward from a main point, as of a fishhook or arrowhead; an obviously or openly unpleasant or cutting remark."

Other Barbara's:

      Barbara may have become an popular name in early ties because of St. Barbara an early Christina martyr who was tortured and killed for her faith.  She is the patron saint of armourers, artillerymen, architects, mathematicians, miners and the Italian Navy. St. Barbara is one of the Fourteen Holy Helpers, venerated because their intercession is believed to be particularly effective against disease.

     I don't recall many Barbara's that I have personally known.  There was Barbara Fair, who went by Fair (or maybe Faire?) and there is Barbara W.  both of them  a gracious and lovely women of faith.  

     One can find famous Barbara's. One of my favorite famous Barbara's is Barbara Bush. Despite being wife of a president of the United States and under public scrutiny, she was delightfully herself.  She loved being a wife, mother, and grandmother.  She didn't get a new and super expensive outfit for every occasion.  She had a sense of humor and self-deprecating wit.  She supported literacy. Mostly I just liked that she didn't try to be something she wasn't.

      If I had named myself, what would it be?  Well, I gave my daughters some of my favorite names.   I would have liked an Elizabeth, too.  I don't think I really fit them, though. Don't think I could quite live up to them. I think that Deborah might have come close to suiting me, although I cannot see myself as a Debbie or even a Debi.  I have a wonderful daughter Debi and I cannot see me matching that as well. 

       What is your name?  Does it suit you?   Why were you named that?

2021.01.30 email to Teresa

 

Barbara Robarts	5:13 PM (2 minutes ago)
to Teresa

Sorry to be so slow to respond.  Doing pretty well, except for getting any home/house work done.   How are you?

     After skipping a few days equally due to weather and laziness, I decided to take Kira to a dog park.  Did I tell you that I am both making her life more interesting and trying to keep her from thinking she is queen of the park by taking her to different places?  I was going to give her a treat today and take her to her first park, Marco Park, in Citrus Heights, which is half an hour away.  Alas,we found it  closed.  I should have guessed as it is shaped like a stadium - bowl- like.  So I looked on the map and tried Saugstad  Off Leash Dog Park.  Oh, no!  I discovered that 1) I had forgotten her leash!  having let her go freely from the house to the car.  Ok, I had a cheap scarf I could tie to  her collar.  2)  the dog park was buried somewhere in the park, and required walking on a path full of people and dogs, and 3) she was a bit too excited for easy handling. I didn't like it.  That one is off my list.  I hoped that the third time would be a charm,  She, however refuse to get back in the car.  She sat down like a stubborn toddler and became dead weight as I hefted her, one end at a time, back into the cargo area.  Third time was a charm.  I give an A to C-Bar-C Dog park.  Parking close to the entrance.  A  very big space, some of it open and some a grove of trees. It was the first park I have been to that actually still provides dog poop bags, but I used my own, anyway.  Along one part of the fence, the dog park backs a farm yard pasture with goats and chickens. The chickens are used to the dogs and trust the fence, so some of them were in the bushes right next to the fence. So tantalizing!  Lots of dogs, but plenty roomy, some huskies, and THREE Kira look alikes.  Almost alike.  One was a male only a little bigger than she.  Then a possible Akita or Akita mix a little bit bigger still.  And one more closely her size.  When they were all away at the end of the park, I had to look and watch closely to know which was her.  Even closer by, it could be confusing.  At a new park, she spends more time exploring than with other dogs, but we stayed a bit over an hour, so she mixed her time pretty well there.  Stopped at WinCo on the way home to get the almond butter I had forgotten for Miriam last time (I found her in the passenger area instead of cargo and told her to move) and then went through Quick Quack.  She doesn't love it, hopped from the cargo area to the back seat again, which was understandable,  but wasn't too upset. 

     I made pizza last night, but we only ate half, and Andrew just took Miriam some food, so I think I am off the hook for dinner.  YAY!

     Today is Croissant Day.  I picked some minis up with the almond butter.  Now, what to do with them? 

     I went to Kaiser drive through blood pressure check Thursday.  A little high. So they had me wait and tested me again.  WAY high.  I was advised to get a tester.  That arrived yesterday.  My bp is dangerous.  Oh, great.  Less salt, less CHOCOLATE, more exercise, et cetera.  I may die, either from deprivation or from not doing deprivation. My bsl is not so hot either.  

     How is your sleeping?  How's your day?

     Love you!

2020 Letter

      Hasn’t 2020 been some year?!

     It started out normally.

     I like to observe Family Day on January 25. This year, the Hinds kids were in performances on the 25th, so we got together on the 11th when we played Escape the Crate games. Sort of like an Escape Room only in a box. It is a lot cheaper and you can play anywhere as long as you have an internet connection. (Also, the game can be passed on to be played by another group.). I thought it was a lot of fun and enjoyed seeing my children’s brilliant minds at work.

     Despite the family game day, the Hinds performances, and a time or two babysitting,  I sadly typically did not spend much time with my family, especially, my grandchildren. We tend to take life for granted and be too busy for some of the most important things.  David & Teresa are pretty much on the same Sunday schedule and live close by, so we frequently had Sunday dinner together before Covid.  But I did not see my other married children as often.  We all were busy with our own obligations and concerns.  I took it for granted that we could have time together anytime, we just had to schedule. 

     And then Covid hit.  Suddenly we were practicing social isolation and could not get together with family. Not being able to get together feels a lot different from being busy and not managing it right now.   It was sad, but we did not expect it to last long.  Everyone was going through the same thing with some people being more cautious and careful than others.  I was moderately careful.  As the months have gone on, the threat seems to have grown, and Miriam’s health became of greater concern, I have tried to be more careful.  And felt the restraints more  - like so many other people.

     In March we stopped meeting in person at church.  First we did home church which for the most part I enjoyed.   I have housemates who are not morning people so we had home church at 11 instead of 9. (and sometimes later)  Just like when we attend, some meetings were very inspirational and some less so.  I did get tired of being responsible for our meetings and gained a better appreciation for our Bishopric, but at least there are 3 of them and they take turns being responsible. Eventually the ward started doing meetings on Zoom, so  we are now back to our assigned time for 2020 at 9am and I am not in charge any more (whew!), but I will confess that not everyone is always dressed for church when we attend via Zoom.

I am grateful that we have so many resources to help us study the gospel in addition to the scriptures.  Whether we meet in person, study individually, do home church, or meet via the internet, I am grateful for the restored gospel of Jesus Christ.  I am grateful Christ was able and willing to be our Savior and Redeemer.  I marvel to think of His great love and atoning sacrifice.  When I think of what He suffered for me, personally, I am moved to tears and want to live to cause Him as little pain as possible and repay Him by trying to become more the person He wants me to be.

        After what seemed like a very long time, but I suppose really wasn’t, I cracked and asked my son in law, Tom, to be project manager to fix my kitchen.  Which really meant he did it.  We were mostly careful about being covid cautious and he definitely stayed away from Miriam who stays in her room mostly, anyway.  A couple of the kids helped him from time to time and Ruth peeked in a couple of times, but we mostly kept a distance. No hugs.  :(  The project started with the floor.  Ten years ago or so the  rotten cabinet around the sink and worn out linoleum were replaced.  I thought it would last the rest of my life and more, but we had trouble with the floor from the beginning and the cabinets were cheap.  The work had been done by volunteers. The job leader, who actually was a professional contractor, did not respond when I told him about the problems with the floor.   So things just got worse until the floor was dangerous as well as inconvenient.  Tom and the kids took out the bad tile long before covid, so it was safer, but we were walking on some chalk-like under-floor for ages.  Life got busy and it sat. After a long time saving and a fortunate windfall, I was finally able to get started.  Replacing the floor  somehow evolved into also replacing the cabinets.  All new strong, lovely cabinets and a beautiful floor (vinyl that looks like wood) which I think actually will last my life time.  Tom is a thoughtful, careful worker.  Tom and Ruth gave me their old “built in” dishwasher and their old microwave.  It is exciting. My kitchen is beautiful, comfortable, and workable.  Makes me happy every day.

      The last couple of months have been very challenging.  Miriam’s health stabilized enough so that she could have surgery on her right foot.  The arthritis aspects of her lupus have made her hands and feet very deformed.  Is painful for her to stand or walk even briefly.  The surgery was to make her foot more normal so that eventually she can stand on it without pain or at least considerably less.  We shall see.  The recovery has been longer and more painful than I expected, but her foot is healing.  We are a long way yet from her thinking about whether it is worth going through again for her left foot.  

         Around my birthday, we got Kira, a street rescue, full of milk, having lost her puppies and her home, a stranger in a strange place.  When I saw her picture on NextDoor, she reminded me of our dog Cindy who we had when the kids were growing up and my heart went out to her.  We took her home and found out that she is not at all like Cindy, who was a very easy dog to live with.  Kira is my first experience with a husky type dog. She is at the same time both extremely needy and independently minded.  With someone who can give her the time, training, and exercise she needs, Kira could be a great dog.  Unfortunately, this is not a good time in my life for that so it is not an ideal match for her or for me. I am trying to find a good match for her.  If not, we will just muddle on. 

      Like probably most people what I miss the most is being able to see my children and grandchildren.  I have a grandson who was born right after Thanksgiving 2019 and is walking.  I have only held him two or three times since the shut down.  (and there are some who would say I should not have done that)  My family has learned to enjoy some on-line get togethers and games which  I hope we keep up even after we are able to get together.  

       2020 has been a time to think about what really matters to us.  I am grateful to know that I am a child of God and that Christ is my Savior.   I am grateful to be an American citizen.  I have a wonderful family.  I sometimes feel stressed and distressed, but all my problems are first world problems, for which I am grateful. 

       I am also thankful for my good friends.  You are a light in my life, a source of encouragement, inspiration, and laughter. 

 

I wish you love, peace, and joy 

Barbara Robarts