As I wrote to Andrew about the last couple of days

Sunday December 6, 2009


it's Sunday again! and, again, no letter writing during choir time. First off we were late, but mainly I was meeting with the young & beautiful old building scheduler because I am the old and homely new building scheduler.

Oh, the rules! Personal/family events (except funerals and weddings) can be bumped by almost anything else. Stake trumps Ward. Never schedule the Primary room any time, any day. It must always be available for baptisms. Tuesday belongs to one ward's youth, Wednesdays to the other's. First Fridays belong to Young Single Adults. Second Fridays to Single Adults. Or maybe the other way around, but never schedule anyone else anywhere in the building those days. Don't schedule anyone on Saturday morning 9-10 am – cleaning time. Except on the second Saturday when cleaning time is 10:30-1 even though Stake baptisms are 2nd Saturday's at 10. Usually different activities may be held in different areas of the building at the same time, but not during Stake baptisms, funerals or weddings. I do not handle access or security and I do not loan out chairs and so forth. This may not be quite as simple as I anticipated.

We put up a curtain rod between the dining room and family room and hung up sheets. Now we can have the heater on low in the family room, keep it comfortable for the bird (and people), and not lose (much) heat. I was thinking we could have the kitchen/garage door partly open while we are at David & Teresa's graduation ceremony, but with the weather we're having lately, that won't work maybe even if we got actual curtains which isn't likely soon. Maybe if I did the same thing with the space between the kitchen and the dining room? – Probably we will borrow Debi’s doggie gate and block Anna from the hallway and bedrooms. We can put the cat food and cat boxes in that area. If the cats do get outside, they can get into the garage through their secret under the house passage, so we will have supplies there, too.

It is supposed to SNOW HERE tomorrow. During the early morning. Snow fall and accumulate according to the forecast. Benjamin says he wants to walk to Seminary so he can tell his children that he walked to Seminary in the snow. But he wants me to pick him up. I would like to either stay in bed all day or snuggle by the fireplace, but I suppose I will go to work. Sigh

Will he really get up early and walk to Seminary? Who knows? He is at least slightly crazy.

Tuesday December 8

Benjamin did not walk to Seminary Monday. He woke up at 4am and a couple of times after that to check the weather. Rain, no snow. Not quite the same appeal.  So I drove him, which turned out to be a good thing! Google maps said it would take about an hour and ten minutes to walk. He would have given himself an extra 20-30 minutes. We arrived at the church to find the teachers out in the parking lot. The code box had re-set itself and did not recognize their codes. Brother Beutler came to take care of it, but Seminary was half over by then and several students had left - including Bro. Beutler's daughter who did know he was coming.

We actually got home soon enough that I could have ridden my bike. But I didn't. Light Rail arrived on time. No seat, but not too crowded. (one of the riders asked about you – no one either of us ‘knows,’ just someone who rides the same train) Things were looking good. Not for long. The driver began making announcements we could not hear. The train sat and waited several minutes at 65th and again at a couple of other stops. At 29th and R or S, it was "Everybody off!". RT was sending buses. I have been through that - hundreds of people waiting and waiting for over-crowded buses. I walked in to 9th and N. I had thought I might pick up the Blue line at 16th, but there was a train stuck there. Both the Gold Line (from Folsom) and the Blue Line (from City College and points south) were out of service. – I found out later that co-workers on the Blue Line got ousted at Broadway. – Instead of being early to work, I was late, but only a few minutes. They had everything cleared up by mid-morning, so the home commute was fine.

Wednesday, December 9, 2009

We never got any snow, but it’s been cold enough. Down in the 20’s overnight and highs struggling for the low 40’s. I suppose that sounds warm to Andrew now! Not to us. Benjamin and I have not been biking. Oh, well. It’s easier to do errands after work if I don’t have to go home to get the car. Monday, I had to gas the car and I looked (in vain) for curtain rods to block off the kitchen. I might get them another time, but no panic now as I am picking up Debi’s doggie gate tonight and will not have the garage door open.

Last night was the Relief Society Dinner. Women only. I guess they do that so single women don’t feel badly? Camellia City always allowed the sisters to have guests. (In my case whether they wanted to or not). The Young Men (including, Benjamin, of course) served. The sisters all thought they were wonderful. (of course. They were.) The program was an intermix of musical numbers and talks about service. The main speaker was a lady who runs Parker Family Resource Center under the auspices of the Sacramento Unified School District. They serve children through-out the district. The Relief Society collected toys for them for their Toys for Joy program and will be supporting them through various projects in 2010. Kathy Born (whose husband just received his endowments Saturday) talked about how her Visitng Teachers helped her through various health problems and surgery recoveries. Oh, her VT knew that she had had an heirloom pair of pearl earrings stolen and that she wished she had pearl earrings to wear to the temple as she had liked seeing them on other sisters and so her visiting teacher gave Becky her own earrings so she would have them when Jim was endowed. (She looked pretty happy in prayer circle. ) Sister Pesquera talked about helping Domingo’s family in the Philippines. Then Miriam called me and I left.

Now I am leaving you. Lunch break is over.