Richard and I were watching documentaries of the worst snow in the nation - starting with the snowmageddon in 1978 Ohio followed by snowmageddons in Chicago. Oh, my!
I was in junior high with a different perspective than I have right now. I did KNOW about the snow that seemed to shut down the north east part of our nation but hadn't known the details.
I was corresponding with a penpal from Germany. The snow had delayed up our correspondence.
We took down the decorations down on Tuesday instead of holding out for the new year. Good thing. Yesterday was rainy. Today there is fog. This is the thickest I've seen it since we came to Oregon .
I just received a call from someone
I will be having lunch with on Friday.
She said that two dogs showed up in her yard -
one a Great Dane mix and the other a Pit Bull Mix.
She said the two dogs are well cared for and
probably their owner must be frantic.
She was calling to find out if I could post the info on facebook.
With some struggle, I finally landed on a Tri City page.
Close enough.
Now my info is pending.
I hope the dogs and owners are reunited soon.
I should ask her to take a picture to post.
She is technically challenged and probably doesn't know how.
Her husband will.
When it is near Christmas there are occasional stands or trucks
parked selling oranges. I hadn’t noticed
tamales offered in the past but along with the oranges there have been vendors
pushing tamales.
When we saw Freaky Friday we had stopped off at a Mexican kitchen in Roseburg and that is what Richard had ordered. He was disappointed with the results and thus reluctant to buy from vendors - though it does seem to interest him.
We were surprised when Domingo and Maddie showed up on our doorstep sharing their tradition of warm tamales. A dozen freshly made tamales. It’s been eons since I’ve had tamales. They taste delicious. Thank you for that share.
Well maybe not every sticker . . . but perhaps one day it will.
I don’t know how long ago it was when Jaime gave me a tablet that she had collected from another. She gave it to me so that I could replace my kindle. Truth is I used them both simultaneously. I would play on one while the other charged. I don’t know how old either product was, but my kindle outlasted the tablet. And then Richard purchased a new tablet for me.
On Christmas morning I received a skin to protect my tablet. Along with the plain skin was a set of stylists and several stickers which I could decorate my tablet skin.
These are the stickers I chose.
I definitely wanted the landscape in jar. It fits my personality. The coloring app that I currently use contains several choices that combine outlined pages with a mysterious inside. This picture reminds me of many of those color-by-number that I have played.
I do not have a reason for the fish or sad cheetah. Not as of yet anyway. Although the sad cheetah could be me representing my idleness this month. Hopefully it will be a thing of the past and I can return to a normal sleeping schedule and not feel so fatigued all of the time.
Although Bonnie is a different breed than the one pictured in this sticker, it reminds me of her as Jaime and I had settled on a flower illustration for the first name tag we had given her dog.
Two years ago our youngest son sent us a game called “What’s the Point”
The cactus sticker reminds me of the many times we have played and enjoyed the game
Jaime and I have always had an inside joke with the elephant as mentioned in this post.
Alpacas and Llamas almost look the same to me. I just thought the sticker was cute but I am reminded of a time when Jaime said she wished she were a llama. I asked why and she said because then she could stretch her neck like this (demonstrating) It made me laugh.
We also saw some alpacas on our initial move to Oregon. I thought they were weird looking llamas.
Jaime also loved giraffes when she was younger. I will include a now and then favorites closer to her birthday 2026.
No interesting story for the kangaroo. Just thought it was cute.
Golden Gate Bridge always reminds me of visiting San Francisco and my mom as it is where she had been raised.
Though we never had a camper, these two stickers remind me of road trips. And there have been a LOT of road trips.
Utah – my home state
The witch was added last as the flower I had selected seemed to get lost on the black background. Jaime has dressed as a witch for Halloween.
Meanwhile I tried putting my flower on the water bottle but found I liked it against the background of my rolling desk
In the beginning we had exchanged Christmas gifts with all three boys and their children. That seemed to taper off as it never seemed important to our eldest or youngest – but we still exchange gifts with the one who lives in Utah still.
This year they decided that all of our gifts should be themed. So of course Richard’s gifts were superhero themed, Jai was Beetlejuice and for me they decided to do a peanuts theme. Each of us received a deck of cards and travel throw blankets. I had also received a neck pillow and a small peanuts scene which I will display next year.
They did send Jaime on gift that was NOT a part of any theme; the movie “Klaus” as it is her favorite. Richard and I had also contributed to the Bettlejuice theme. She also received two calendars featuring Coraline (from them) and The nightmare Before Christmas (from us)
I have several posts in the making. None yet complete.
Tradition on Christmas morning is to open our stockings first.
Santa Jaime had been filling them ever since they were hung.
She had asked what I wanted for Christmas. I told her a package of fuzzy socks would be good.
She stuffed my sock full of fuzzy socks.
The scarf, gloves, earmuffs and scrunchies came later.
After a month of mostly dismal weather,
we were blessed with sunshine
on Christmas day!
Alexa says it is only 45 degrees outside.
It feels much warmer.
I have always had poor sleeping habits – ALWAYS
Well, perhaps I did okay in the hospital right after I was born.
Mom says I was always asleep. Every time she wanted to hold me
I was asleep.
She said I was never awake during my time at the hospital
and says that after she brought me home
I was awake for the next five years.
Slight exaggeration – but not much.
Mom said they had gone to San Francisco during a four day weekend.
Keith was just a newborn. He always slept. He was a good sleeper.
Actually quite the opposite of me.
Mom said I was awake the entire time during the drive there
and when they stopped at a hotel to get some rest,
they really didn’t as one of them had to stay awake with me
to make certain I didn’t take off or play
in the toilet or whatever they thought they needed
to stay awake with me for.
Mom said I finally killed over one afternoon in San Francisco.
Everybody else moved into the kitchen and talked in hush whispers
so as not to disturb me.
She said I slept for three hours and that was the only sleep I had
during the entire trip.
When I slept at home, she read. Never vacummed.
We didn’t even have traffic in our neighborhood.
I got used to the quiet.
My brother had me around. I’m assuming I made noise and
was not quiet. He learned to sleep through the noise.
But I never did.
It’s rare when I sleep heavy, but I have on occasion.
Except for this month.
I have had a blah sense of fatigue –
which actually mirrors the skies we’ve had this month.
I don’t recall such a gloomy December.
How wonderful it is to have lights to
stand out in the dismal air.
We’ve had rain and fog.
Some days we get two hours of sunshine,
but then it disappears
My husband is working a seasonal job
with odd hours.
Perhaps after the new year I will be
able to sleep better. I hope so.
There were a handful of people gathered in the chapel yesterday. A man had died and his caretaker had decorated the chapel so beautifully. She brought this picture that she keeps in her office.
It had become more than just a client/caretaker relationship. She invites all to be part of the family. She makes each feel loved and of value. I am so blessed to be around her enthusiasm often.
I didn't know him as well. But I did feel his joy and his light.
“Where the Red Fern Grows” was released in 1974. I remember my mom having taken my two brothers and me to see the movie in December. I don’t know if dad was working late or just uninterested but he was not with us.
My mom had driven the orange Honda – not a practical family car - but there weren’t the restrictions of where children sat in the car. I would imagine that either Keith or I had sat in front and the other two were in back. I would have been twelve, Keith ten and Steven would be four in latter March.
After the movie had ended we returned to our car in the frozen and foggy parking lot. I don’t know if the key to the door turned or not – I’m thinking not. We sent Steven in through the hatchback to see if he could unlock the door for us – which he did. But the door still would not open. So Keith and I crawled through to assist. The doors would not budge. They were frozen shut. My mom, who was four to six weeks short of giving birth to my sister, crawled through the hatchback as well. Right now it just seems so unreal that she was able to do that.
What a memory!
Richard and I had a few errands to accomplish – in the great big city of Roseburg – on a Saturday. I took my tablet so I would have something to do while we stood in line. There were no lines. Not much in the way of foot traffic or even car traffic. I was surprised.
We first went to Staples. I have NEVER EVER seen the store as empty as it was today. First Saturday in the month of December. I was floored.
Next stop the UPS store – unwrapped framed picture art – more (way more) than Jai and I had spent on November 30. Also a Saturday. We were told we had missed the line. No waiting there. We were helped in less than a minute.
There is an area on Garden Valley as one goes from Fred Meyers toward the I5 ramp where a group of people with picket signs stand and promote whatever issue at hand – usually a pro-Trump or whatever he is currently supporting. Do they really think the drivers have the time to read all their signs. Usually I don’t even look at them as I so disagree with what they represent.
Only today the tables had turned. The demonstrators held signs to promote democracy and anti trump. Wow. I told Richard what I had seen (the last sign hand-written flip trump - only it didn't really say FLIP) and he made the comment that most of them who were out there had probably voted for Trump.
I don’t know many people by name who have admitted the error of their ways having supported Trump for more than twelve years. I keep on looking to some facebook friends to admit the error of their ways.
Instead of getting on the freeway we went to the end of Garden Valley to pick up some clothing items at Coastal. I don’t know how crowded Coastal was. Parking lot seemed to have less wiggle room than did the store itself. Their inventory is so smashed together that it’s a wonder that any normally structured human can fit through – let alone the overweight ones. And forget about trying to push a cart through – at least in the clothing department – which is the only place we were.
We’re home now. The ward Christmas party started half an hour ago. We did not attend as Richard is tired. I expect that he is taking a nap in front of the TV. And I haven’t been feeling well or sociable. Jaime is spending the day in Ashland. Good for her. May she she blessed with not have to wait in any lines either.
I LOVE word puzzles –
I’ll play Pictograms on my tablet.
Pictograms is a cryptogram puzzle
With pictures to assist.
For example I figured out mics and guitar
Based on the picture
But had no clue for the letter for the green box.
My and by were the only two
two letter words
I could think of.
I had already used the M
and the B didn’t make sense
though I tried it anyway.
In Pictograms I have three attempts
Before I have to start over the entire puzzle.
But I had over 60 hints I hadn’t used.
I had to look up XY because
I didn’t know what it was.
This morning I played Phrasel by myself –
Though Jaime and I usually do it together.
I had to look up the phrase as it is one
I’m not familiar with
The church congregation seems to look smaller – not near the attendance we had when we first moved in. Some people have moved on either by U-Haul or death. Sometimes both.
When we first started out our journey in Oregon, there was a Book of Mormon class offered on Tuesday nights. Relief Society activities were also on Tuesdays. Sometimes it would frustrate me to have both scheduled on the same night.
The missionaries serving in this area would teach the Book of Mormon class. The class was well attended – or so I believed. Over the course of the years they changed “The Book of Mormon” into “Come Follow Me” – the missionaries were no longer required to teach as the subject of the Old Testament, for instance, was not their forte and may have taken extra time away from what they really needed to be doing. And so members would take turns teaching –
I think we did well in the beginning – under the ward missionary leader. We met on Thursday afternoons as I recall. We had a pretty good turn out – but after the mission leader moved to another state, the class seemed to taper down until finally it was cancelled due to the lack of interest or commitment. The last one to teach the class has also moved to another state.
I miss that extra class.
I believe Bonnie likes when the
Christmas tree skirt appears
She decides that it will make a fine bed.
It wouldn't be such a problem except
whenever she moves herself
she moves the Christmas tree as well.
Some of our ornaments are breakable!
Often times
during the summer
the flowers seemed
either withered or
non existing. I
didn't blame them.
It was hot!
But now there are
a few brave flowers
that have grown in the
35-45 degree cold.
Go figure.
Last week I had been asked to prepare for the Relief Society lesson in case our instructor did not show. There was a high probability that I would teach – which was fine. In the summer of 2018 I had asked to be released from my position with teaching primary and had hoped to be called as an instructor in RS – not a part of the presidency.
I enjoy teaching for the most part. I have also enjoyed most of David Bednar’s conference talks – though this last one from October didn’t seem to resonate as strongly as some of the others. Melodie had given me four days notice and I played the talk each day. I printed the talk – marked what I believed should be emphasized. Prayed a lot but never felt adequately prepared as I have been with other lessons. I had hoped the Spirit would lead me.
I fortunately had a good amount of participation – particularly from Carli who had implied that I was doing an amazing job. I didn’t feel like it was amazing. Okay perhaps but certainly not amazing.
We each feel the Spirit in a different way. For some He is more powerful to others. Perhaps I was teaching by the Spirit – though I wasn’t feeling it. I remember saying something about the desire I had for the Spirit to work with me and put words in my mouth that I wasn’t even aware I was saying. I remember a few times when I had felt the Spirit that strongly when hearing blessings said by God through various individuals. I made the comment that I knew it was God as the one giving the blessing did not talk that way - he was kind of a goof.
Yesterday a sister came up behind me as I was making my way to the parking lot to make certain Richard was waiting for me still as Jaime was already gone. Tori asked me what weeks I teach and I said that I had just been filling in and don’t normally teach the lessons. She seemed disappointed and asked me to be certain to contact her the next time I give a lesson as she had felt the Spirit very strongly and felt a recharge in her system that she had been yearning for a while.
As I made my way to the car I started crying. Touched to tears. How grateful I am to have learned that the Spirit had indeed been a part of my lesson even though I hadn’t felt Him nearly as strongly as Tori had – or perhaps more. I didn’t feel drained like those that I know spoke by the Spirit had felt – so I don’t know if He had taken over my mouth at all. Maybe.
I had 25 minutes left on my lesson when I had glanced at the clock. I thought only 10 minutes had passed before looked at again. Class was over. I was stunned. So perhaps some miracle had taken place that I was unaware. Feeling Grateful that Tori had felt Him and shared her experience with me. I told her I’d be willing to converse with her anytime.
My aunt and paternal grandmother had made arrangements to take my cousin and me on a California adventure. I believe were about eight and nine at the time we went on our week-long vacation.
We stayed at a hotel in Las Vegas and saw Andy Williams perform. And then we went to California. Our plans included Disneyland, Knotts Berry Farm, a Wildlife Safari and touring the Queen Mary. My brother and another cousin did a similar trip the following year. Only Grandma and Aunt Kristie deleted the safari and Queen Mary (as neither had been impressive in the year prior) and took the boys to Universal. I think they got the better deal.
My husband, daughter and I moved to Oregon in July of 2015. My brother came to spend a week with us in September. He is the one who looked up activities that we could do together while he was here. One of those adventures included the Wildlife Safari in Winston Oregon (here).
He said he had always wanted to do a safari adventure and that particular day and time has definitely been the best day that I have spent at Wildlife Safari. There was so much activity among the animals and Steven drove slowly through the different areas that Wildlife Safari has to offer.
I’ve been to the Safari several times over the past ten years and the time I went with Steven was definitely my favorite. A far cry from the one my cousin and I had visited in California over fifty years ago. It was a hot day as I recall and the animals definitely were not active.
Great Memories.
Richard and I were watching documentaries of the worst snow in the nation - starting with the snowmageddon in 1978 Ohio followed by snow...
