"you shouldn't judge a book by its cover" - what lies beneath could bear an element of surprise
It's been hard having done without our second fridge - walking around or over piles of stuff - not being able to use the back door. Oh, but it will be so worth it. So here is the progress thus far:
Oh, blessed those who can work in this heat. Levi must be part camel. I am so excited for this new addition.
Our nation has issued a warning for extreme heat
in the western states. The sun had not fully risen
this morning when I took Bonnie out
for
the shortest walk ever.
Alexa informed me that the
temperature
was 75 degrees fahrenheit –
Google said 73.
It felt lke 80
– at least.
I wonder if those people who were so
skeptical
to believe the seriousness of the
cornonavirus
believe that the weather is a
hoax.
I wonder if they will allow
themselves
to dehydrate because
“nobody can tell me to drink
water.
I should be able to choose”
I wonder if they think the elements
are
a conspiracy started by another
country.
I wonder if they believe how much
nicer
the weather would be if
Trump was still in office.
75 degrees and climbing!
It’s not even 7:00 a.m. yet!
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Filling out online applications is insane. You think you are filling out the application for the site and suddenly realize that you have moved to some other site – perhaps job related as well or for a school or heaven forbid, a scam. That’s right.
I have three different email
accounts. One I had to open in order to
create this blog account. One I keep as
a personal account. The oldest of the
three accounts I keep as a junk mail account.
I used to check it maybe once a month.
Since I’ve been job hunting I will check either daily or at least every
other day. It’s still a lot of email to
go through. I checked it only one time
during the week we had family here. After
Roland had taken them to the airport I had over 200 emails to wade through.
Any site I have ever ordered from, any site connected with the schools in Utah, any job site I have ever looked at and then some are among the emails that I currently receive. Some have posted the same position over and over. I have applied, even interviewed and have not been hired.
Some positions
are questionable – especially all of those who appear from the woodwork that
have “seen my file online” and try to sell me on “I think you would be the
perfect fit” - for telemarketing, for selling
insurance – really? You read my
application? What part of my application
led you to believe that I want anything to do with soliciting product? I have been in education. I have an accounting degree. I don’t wish to be a part of your trafficking's,
thank you very much!
Roland gets a ton of Robo-calls. I am so sick of criminals preying on the weaknesses of those who can’t afford to be taken in by the scams. If you type in Jashin Insurance, for example, it will take you to the Jashin Insurance website – built for suckers who are willing to supply personal information that they should provide only after being hired by said company.
Do NOT give your information
over the phone or over the web. Don’t
provide your social security number or credit card number to anyone who calls
you. We need more honesty and
trust. There is so much skepticism due
to illegal activity. Fortunately we have
a higher power than ourselves. I will
definitely turn to Him before I invest information in all these recruiting
scams. How else I’m I going to know when
the legit finally comes along?
The “Come Follow Me” lesson for last week was sections 64 – 66. The theme for section 66 is on forgiveness. It made me reflect back to the talk given in sacrament on the day my family arrived. I believe he said he had based it on Elder Bednar’s talk from the October 2006 General Conference here.
The message of the talk was to not
take offense. There are many of us who
take offence due to the actions or words used by others – or so we
suspect. But perhaps the “offender” is
not even aware that we were offended. It’s not likely that the “offender” had
gone out of his or her way to offend us but more likely that we misinterpreted.
I have shared these two examples here and here in which I was the offender. It reminded me of this skit
How many times have I been in Ernie’s shoes? How many times have I thought up things that didn’t deserve the reaction I gave? How many times have I jumped to conclusions rather than give another the benefit of the doubt? I try to understand the other’s point of view. I know I can be friends with those that don’t share my beliefs.
https://www.virtuesforlife.com/why-com
passion-is-incredible-for-your-health/
As I age I have become wiser about some
issues while my understanding is still fogged about other matters. I want to be accepting. I want to have better communication
skills. I want to understand another
without being judgmental about a certain situation.
I am grateful for the opportunities to
learn and for Heavenly Father’s love.
May I continue to strive to be an example unto Him.
I don’t know where I might have been when the turkeys came into our yard for the first time. I must have been picking the girls up from the farm or dropping them off. I remember Roland saying the neighbor from behind us stood on our door step with a net and asked permission to go and recapture her turkeys.
The chickens and pigs had made
their way to our yard in mid-August but we did not see another turkey until
just before Thanksgiving. Jenna named
him Mr. Gobbles. He had made it through
the Thanksgiving holiday but was gone before Christmas. They have since added a couple of turkeys to
their menagerie. A different Mr. Gobbles is currently pacing back and forth on
our side of the hill. He has been there
all day trying to figure out how to return from whence he came.
As I mentioned in an earlier post
Roland will no longer feed or water the chickens. Well, he does use the hose on them whereas
before he would fill up containers, but not anymore. They ruined his cucumbers and nearly spoiled
our tomatoes – but as our cukes were ruined anyway, we took down the fencing
and put it around the tomatoes.
When Randy and Carrie visited,
Jenna took Devan out to feed the chickens.
But we had stopped feeding before they left and taken the rest of the
food up to Roseburg to feed the ducks.
On Tuesday Roland used the hose to chase all the hens up the hill. He and the elders used the remaining chicken
wire to attach to the neighbors fence to hold back the fowl. The neighbor gave Roland and basket of eggs which
he in turn gave to the missionaries after discovering 20 or so eggs that the
hens decided to lay under the tarp that we have over an assortment of odds and
ends that were on the deck.
The chickens don’t need to be in our yard anyway. We are having a back room added to the house and the chickens have a habit of being in the way. Yesterday one of the smaller hens found a way into our yard. Roland said that he saw one of the brown hens as well. Today it was Bruce and Mr. Gobbles. Roland said he squirted both and Bruce finally returned. Mr. Gobbles remains clueless
The progress on our new room has seemingly come to a halt as we wait for an inspector. The base isn’t even finished. I miss being able to hang my towels and swimsuit on the line after I return home from the pool.
I suppose it’s my own fault for having a “not exactly stressful day” but “not the way I would have done it day” and it isn’t even afternoon yet. What’s up with that?
Pre-pandemic
the Relief Society presidency would hold our meetings on Wednesday either at 10:00
a.m. or 1:00 p.m. depending on whether I had accepted an assignment to work at
the school. Meetings were basically
arranged according to my schedule. Ahhh.
Then came
the pandemic. It really didn’t matter
what time or what day of the week our zoom meetings were. Even before we had returned back to the two
block meetings and held our meetings in person, we had somehow changed to
Tuesdays at 10:00 am. which I hadn’t even thought about one way or another
until just this very moment.
Yesterday I
went to the pool for the first time in almost two years. It had rained before we left and Roland had
tried to discourage us from going. But I
knew Carol would be there. Rain is
different in Oregon than in Utah. We don’t
have lightening storms. The pool is open
when it is overcast or raining. It’s a
part of life. Deal with it.
I had
planned on going to the pool today as well.
One of the presidency says she plans on going to the water workout also
but was unable to do so yesterday. She
had mentioned it the other day and I freaked.
I had forgotten! But I then
received messages from both her and the RS president that the meeting had been
cancelled.
“Oh, good,” was
my initial thought but I do have some things address but did not wish to press
the pres. as her brother is a victim of COVID and she was planning to go out of
town to be with him. We had a small
messaging conversation before she changed her mind and said the meeting was
back on for 10:30.
Meanwhile
Jenna had reminded me of some other commitments I had made – specifically taking
her to the theatre and her friend to the high school. Oh, yes.
I told the RS pres that I would need to drop Jenna’s friend off between
11:00 and 11:30. Thus the meeting was
cancelled again. But I would still like
to have a meeting.
So this
morning I created an agenda for myself :
Forego
the pool for this morning. Drop Jenna off at the theatre at 9:45. Pay water bill (as I am headed that
direction; I might as well continue) go to the post office to mail the Fathers’
Day Cards that Roland had created.
Carol had asked if I could meet at Soco which I
thought would be yesterday, but it’s really today. Since I’ll be downtown mailing the letters I
may pop in at Soco just to say Hi. Spend
a few minutes before I return home to take Jenna and her friend to the high
school – even though the school season has ended. Ruth is eligible for a program that Jenna isn’t
because of finances and education or something.
Both Roland and I have graduated from college and the program is geared
to students whose parents don’t have college background – or something like
that. I don’t totally understand it –
just know that Jenna does not qualify.
Sometime between
six and seven this morning Roland informs me he wants the cards taken to the
post office the minute it is open.
What? My belief is that the mail
is collected only once a day. It will go
out at 3:00 – but Roland believes there is another time scheduled for first thing
in the morning. I don’t think so. But okay.
I will leave just before 9:00 a.m. so that I can hand it to somebody
personally. Got it.
Though it
takes only seven minutes to get downtown, Jenna and I left the house at
8:45. She couldn’t understand why we
were leaving one hour before she needed to be to the theatre. I figured she would want to come with me and
I wouldn’t have to stop off at the house again.
We could take our time.
She opted to
stay in the car which was nice because then I didn’t have to drag my purse
inside. I just left it in the car with
her and went inside the post office, handed the Myrtle Creek and “everywhere
else” mail to the postmaster. Returned
to car. Drove to the pool. They were just getting started which meant
there’d be no line. I decided to buy a
pass but thought it would be easier for everybody if there wasn’t a line. I will start my pass tomorrow.
Returned to
the car and saw class members lifting the water weights. They looked like giant flyswatters from my
point of view. My eyesight has become so
horrible without corrective lenses. Jenna got out of the car and took some
pictures which I may post whenever she sends them to me . . .
I had time
to pay the water bill before dropping her off at the theatre which worked out
really great for me as I would only have to make one left hand turn instead of
two. Funny thing about the water bill –
they come on postcards that have a fold.
Customer is supposed to rip at the fold and return with payment. Only I never saw the part I am suppose to
return. My neighbor said she had the
other part in her mailbox. We are one
digit apart and our mailboxes are on the same side of the street. It hasn’t happened often, but we have gotten
each other’s mail before. Usually it has
been the sender who was in error and not the post office itself.
I then
dropped Jenna off at the theatre and knew I’d have at least 30 minutes before
meeting my friends at SOCO. I really had
to use the toilet and figured that using one at my house would be more
convenient than anywhere else and so drove home and started an email agenda
which I still need to finish with. I
remembered that Roland takes his break at 10:00 and told him that I’d be taking
the car downtown. He said he wanted to
go with me but I was going to meet my friends and hadn’t planned on having
Roland there – though they seemed happy to see him.
He ordered a
burrito and the absolute worst drink that I have ever tasted. I suppose it was somewhere between an energy
shot and a beer. He thought it would
have more juices as it was labeled mango and passion fruit. Don’t know whose imagination supposed it tasted
like it resembled any kind of fruit.
Carol wouldn’t taste it as Roland had already had his mouth on the
bottle. But Jenna, Ruth and I had all
tasted it and I think Ruth was even more grossed out by it then I was. Jenna didn’t seem to mind and ended up
drinking the rest – but more out of just not wanting to waist it rather than
her low standards of food and drink. I was
willing to throw it out.
Jenna
reminded me that I had agreed to take her and Ruth out to the wild life safari
but Roland has the day off Friday and I thought it would be great if he could
drive us out there. Jenna’s day didn’t
go according to plan either. I said I
would take them to the safari. But we’re
each at home doing our own thing. Though
now that I’ve posted this, I will go hang out with her.
Facebook memories shared a video put out by Vice News on HBO. I watched this as though seeing it for the first time and felt nostalgic at doing so. I had heard the rumor before joining the library board when it was considered a public library. Many of the libraries did reopen eventually, but most are no longer considered public but rather “Third Party” libraries as there is no funding to pay a staff or even just one librarian. Myrtle Creek is a third party library. I think Riddle has gone public – or perhaps were in the processing. But COVID could have changed that. A lot of changes since COVID. But the closing of the libraries happened three years before. I miss the public libraries we’d gone to in Salt Lake. I am grateful for my kindle and having the ability to update with Amazon.
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| https://www.slideshare.net/nadajabar/libraries-matter-53581250 |
On May 21st Joh and Corey
had discovered another stray in their yard and like before (see here) they took
it upon themselves to feed the neglected tom and nurse it back to health.
Corey and Joh’s
first miracle cat had shown up on the 25th –
the day they had scheduled for their new stray, Jasper to see the vet. On the 31st Corey wrote:
“With the
collar that Joh gave him, his
shaved fur, and having our home as his temporary abode, it makes me cry because
he's been given back some of the dignity a cruel world took away from him and,
of course, he's got love and caring now, too. Don't we all deserve that?”
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| Jasper in May |
And
on June 3 (a year after Joh’s mom had passed) Corey wrote that:
“Jasper
represents a hope for a different outcome”.
I’ve enjoyed the updates that are
posted and have so much admiration for the compassion and the willingness to
give. Yesterday I read this post and
asked Corey’s
permission to post it to my blog:
“When
I was in Sydney, Australia with [Joh], I saw a homeless man whose figure felt
so tragic, I wanted to capture it because it was such a haunting and sad image
to me. I really second-guessed whether I should do so because it felt cruel of
me to take a photo of this man's misery like some sort of exploitative tourist.
But there was something pathetic, and yet also filling me with a sense of
compassion, about the man's posture, that I wanted to safeguard the image as a
reminder to me that there are people in low places in life, and it behooves us
to stand up and take notice and help each other, if we can.
 |
| photo courtesy of Corey |
“As [Joh] and I were talking about
Jasper this evening, we remarked how it feels like he wants to be loved and
held and pet, but still is a bit guarded in doing so, as if the world has so
abused him and tossed him aside, that it is a challenge for him to trust and
learn to love again.
“Clearly,
he trusts us and is affectionate with us. He eagerly greets us and rubs against
our legs and allows us to pet, scratch, and hold him. But there is always an
underlying tension—a fear, maybe—a posture that he holds that indicates that he
is scared this feeling of comfort, love, and security won't last. I wondered
yesterday if when we took him to the vet, he thought we were getting rid of
him.
“I
do not know what traumas this little guy has faced, but I know he has, and it
is, of course, taking time for him to adjust to a life that is different than
the one he had. And as [Joh] and I talked, we discussed the parallels of foster
kids or recovering addicts or war veterans or anybody, really, who has
experienced trauma or betrayals or disappointments and is trying to heal.
“I
wish at times that we could really see into each other's hearts and intimately
know the burdens and pains that make us who we are and how we act.
I think if we could see deeply into each other's souls, we would be more compassionate,
patient, and understanding with one another.
“This
picture [four paragraphs above] reminds me that we are all of worth and that sometimes circumstances
put our fellow human beings in unfortunate places, but that if we have the
means, opportunity, and prompting to lend a hand or a kind word, we should.
“I have never shared
this photo with anyone until tonight. Not even [Joh] had seen it until this
evening. But I share it with you with the hope that when you or I see someone
who is in need, whether in large ways or small, that if we have the ability to
help, we should.”
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| The coat that currently covers Jasper's misshapen body |
It rained yesterday. An Oregon downpour - but nothing on Salt Lake forming puddles in the street - only the streets that have potholes. It was a welcome drench. This morning is muggy. Still cool on the outside, but have the A/C running currently in the house. This week has been so nice we have not used the A/C or the heat. I wish it would just stay like this.
Though I had written the following on Monday did not post until this morning:
It is much nicer weather this week than last week – cooler than I remember June weather being but closer to the temperature that brought me out her in the first place. Cooler weather for Levi to build a deck/room as compared to last year’s front deck built in July – though not scalding. I think each July has been hotter than the last since we arrived in Myrtle Creek although there was no Summerfest last year. I will have to search online for something more accurate than my body telling me that’s how it is.
The last few days of May and the first
couple of days of June were unbearably hot for me personally. I thought perhaps Randy had packed it up and
brought it with him. He apparently prefers
the heat and will walk in it but I don’t like walking in temperatures over
70. The only time he saw we walk was
when we were in Bandon. The temperatures
there were like they are now in Myrtle Creek.
I would like this temperature to remain this consistency throughout the
year. That would be awesome! None of this 75 to 98 degree nonsense (or
higher – I do remember Myrtle Creek getting over 100 once – but three digit
temperatures really are rare). 60 – 70 degree
range is nice.
It’s supposed to rain. I don’t know how Levi feels about that. The heat didn’t seem to bother him in
July. I will have to ask next time I go
outside. Roland wants us to document the
happenings of the progress as we have in the past.
Our longest driving day was taking the family to Bandon. It was also the coolest day as Bandon is always 10 – 20 degrees cooler than Myrtle Creek.
We arrived earlier than normal as the shops had not quite opened all the way. We walked around the tourist trap next to the pier. We showed them a couple of sculptures outside of the Washed Ashore museum.
Backup to Memorial weekend and the following week
It doesn’t appear that most of us have
slept well. I sleep too well
perhaps; I have been drinking Energy
Shots every morning as I am constantly tired – tired to the point of mushy mind
and absolute lame company.
It has been a long while since I heard
the screaming or crying from a one-year-old child. My gosh, that kid has lungs. Overall he has been happy but there have been
times when it is so obvious that he is tired but seems to fight it. It has drowned out Bonnie’s snoring.
There is a difference between a job and a career. Career oriented people will put themselves out there. They have a desire to advance. They want to change things. They want to set goals whether it is to make money or better the community, environment, what have you. Some are so focused on their careers that nothing else is a priority. Some balance their careers with other things that may have meaning in their lives – such as family or community.
Job people are those who need a
paycheck just to make ends meet – or sometimes just to have an extra amount of
cash. These people don’t necessarily
wish to make a career out of whatever they’re doing. It is there just to get buy. They are not married to their job or at least
don’t want to be. Often people have
resentments about their situations on the job – or others that they work
with. Some feel used and abused and
struggle financially while others do it for extra pocket change. Some are even happy with their jobs but are
also aware that it’s not necessarily something that they wish to do for the
rest of their lives.
https://www.mihnati.com/blog/2017/12/job-vs-career-whats-the-difference/
I think Linkedin was designed for
career oriented people who know how to utilize the site to the fullest while
others create an account either out of curiosity or like me, do for a grade requirement. I’m sure I could use it to my advantage if I
had the right frame of mind, but I don’t.
I don’t have the right frame of mind that anyone reading this would even
want to hire me.
I am a good employee – always have
been. But I don’t wish to be married to
my job nor do I wish to spend so much time getting to a location where said job
might be. I’ve already done that as a
single person. Time is more precious to
me than money. Roland doesn’t understand
that. He wants me to work full time. He wants me to find a job that will offer
benefits. I do get where he’s coming
from. I really do. He wants Jenna and I to be covered should our
health be jeopardized or I am unable to work further and his social security
will not be enough to carry us through.
I
loathe job hunting. I have been in a
number of dead end jobs biting time because I wasn’t willing to play the job
hunting game of filling out applications and interviewing.
We went to a job fair while Randy
and Carrie were visiting. Roland had dropped
everyone off at Stewart Park except for me.
I put my resume with three companies who were there to represent themselves. I may have received a call from one
but unsure as the caller had a thick Asian accent that I didn’t
understand. She called the day after I
had put in my application to the school district the day after the job
fair. I would like that position as it
will require less travel.
A few days before our family’s arrival, Jenna pointed out the chickens in the cucumber garden. No cukes this year! Roland is mad!!! He decided that we would quit feeding and watering the chickens and return them to where they came from and pen them in so they cannot come on our side. I told him to wait until after the kids arrived as I thought perhaps Randy could assist as he is tall. Before we sent them on their way, I was hoping Devan would have at least one experience with feeding them and collecting eggs.
Carrie enjoyed the free-range eggs
and says it is something she will splurge on as the free-range are healthier
than most of what is sold at the grocery store.
I personally don’t care about the cucumbers. I couldn’t see Richard eating all that would
grow – but now we will never know. Not
this year anyway.
The chickens are still in the
yard. Levi’s dog had chased them away –
but only temporarily. I wish Bonnie
would do that. She isn’t as intimidated
by the chickens as she used to be, but certainly not a threat to them. She was to Levi’s dog however and so he
called for someone to collect her so that there wouldn’t be any trouble between
her and Bonnie.
Levi worked hard on tearing down the
deck and improving the yard – only the chickens are still there and returned to
their favorite haunt though in a different form. I hope the chickens don’t inconvenience what
Levi is meant to accomplish.
Though they left on Saturday, I consider our last quality day with the family was Friday. Roland wanted to take them to the Lighthouse Café though I didn’t think it would be worth the drive as COVID had changed their dining options. They had made outdoor dining available but had severely cut down the menu options. I wasn’t impressed with the empanadas that had been ordered along with the puffed pasties with fruit filling. But Randy and Carrie seemed to like it and so it was worth the drive after all.
Jenna had wanted to go bowling – a family
activity that Roland had wanted to do when we were in New York. I forgot my wrist band and so did not
participate and Carrie doesn’t particularly care for the bowling/arcade
atmosphere – which makes sense. So just
Roland, Randy and Jenna bowled. Devan
played a few, but got bored with it after five turns. They had fun.
We went home and had left
overs. We played games and Jenna
unloaded the van. Gradually each of us went to bed.
On Saturday Jenna, Randy and Devan
hit the yard sale next door. Jenna
spotted a bear that she really wanted and asked how much it was. They were just setting up and a woman asked
Devan if she wanted it and Devan said yes and the woman said she could have
it. Jenna was a bit miffed as she wanted
the bear for herself but Devan wouldn’t let go and ended up taking it home to
St. George.
We had to return the van before
12:00 afternoon or wait until Monday – but did not wish to pay an additional
two days after the family had gone.
Roland drove to Roseburg and I followed.
Jenna came with me – I suspect to escape Devan. Randy had asked if Devan had wanted to go
with us. Neither Jenna nor I had planned
to take her and were both quite relieved that she did not wish to go.
I drove the back way and got on the
freeway at ramp 113. We met Roland at
Enterprise and he and Jenna got some food from Taco Bell (although we had just
eaten breakfast before we left). After we returned home, they all loaded up the
Impala and left shortly thereafter. We
said our good-byes on the front porch except for Roland who drove in record
time. Randy let Carrie sit up front with
Roland while he sat behind next to Devan in the middle and her baby brother
next to her – both in car seats. Roland must have driven around the airport,
thrown them all out without slowing down (LOL) as he was back nearly 90 minutes
before I thought he would be. He said the drive had only been an hour and ten
minutes each way.
