Beneath the Wraps

If I had to gander a guess, I would say there are more forms of transportation in the water than on the land.   But I’m just guessing. There are tugboats, canoes, kayaks, yachts, ships, motorboats, sail boats, house boats, ferry boats, water taxies, steam boats, rafts, jet skis, paddle boats, surf boards and submarines to name a few.   Most of the water transportation that I’ve been on have been rides at amusement parks – rides that may very well work without the water, so I don’t guess they count – though the Water Skeeters at Lagoon and the Canoe Ride at Disneyland did require physical work unlike the tugboat kiddie ride or Tom Sawyers raft. So, outside of the amusement park I have ridden a ferry – well a few of them rather.   But the ferry in British Columbia was quite different from the said ferry that takes passengers on a guided tour.   We (or dad, rather) actually drove our car onto the ferry in British Columbia and dise...

We have only two months left of the mother-daughter book group.  After our last meeting the librarian had placed the next book near the back of the room. I don’t know how many copies were there. Jenna and I were the last ones to retrieve. The book for this month is Flint Heart by Katherine and John Paterson.  It appeared to be easy reading, but I also saw the words “pixies”, “fairies”, and “trolls” perhaps.  No, no, no, no.  Had it been written in first person, maybe.  But overall it is NOT something that appeals to me.  I loathe fantasies and all of those fantasy creatures and all the bizarre names of characters and places.  I checked out a book and a CD figuring Jenna could read along at her own pace as she has always seemed to enjoy that make-believe aspect.  But her comments thus far have been, “It’s weird.” Though I guess it’s been weird in a good way, she hasn’t gone into detail about why . Meanwhile I de...

Notice the date!   April First is April Fools' Day – Hence the title.      I think customers are lacking in intelligence for going to Wal-Mart (or just admitting it) and waiting in endless lines to be waited on by clueless employees who appear even less intelligent than the customer (who, by the way, is still waiting in line) I realize it’s wrong to stereotype, and I’m sure that somewhere in this Universe there really are happy Wal-Mart employees who seriously do understand their positions and really do enjoy being there as the Wal-Mart commercials would like us to believe.  I have personally just never met any of them. Embarrassing as it is to admit this: yes, once again we ended up at Wal-Mart.  Roland wanted to get some head-phones to give to Jenna on her birthday.  I thought it was a great idea!  He chose Wal-Mart so that he could charge it.  NOT a great idea.  Especially since we didn’t actually ha...

Jenna’s off for ten days for Spring Break.   It appears that spring is also on a break. It did make a brief appearance.   But mostly it’s been winter and fall.   We have seen a few trees in bloom. We have also seen autumn leaves on the ground.   I don’t recall ever seeing autumn leaves in January, let alone  March. On Monday I saw autumn leaves still clung to the neighbors tree.   They are gone now. Winds have been howling. It has been spring, winter and fall all in one day.   Not much summer, though there have been some who’ve jumped the gun and were wearing shorts and flip flops in February.   I didn’t think it was that warm.   I’ve taken poor Highness for a walk only   one day.   It was warm.   There may have been a breeze.   But not the heavy wind that usually knocks me in a coma. Yesterday we could hear the rain   ...

          I remember seeing mailboxes in my neighborhood and at different corners when I was growing up.  I remember getting two Dr. Seuss books to give to my siblings.  I remember walking from our house to the nearest mailbox and counting the steps that I took and recording the number in the book. I don’t actually remember the number, but I know it was less than 100. Well, in one of them it was.  I don’t think I did them at the same time and so they may have had two different numbers.           I have considered the mailbox an endangered species for some time.  Mailboxes started vanishing to very far and few between.  I used a mailbox I passed between transfers when I rode the bus to one of my places of employment.  The last time I walked passed said location – the mailbox wasn’t there.  It was gone!  I didn’t know where the next near...

Right after school started, Jenna and I joined a mother-daughter book club at the local library.   Each month features a book with a different theme e.g. science fiction, fantasy, biography, etc.   Jenna had read the Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O’Dell and seemed to like that and was able to participate in the discussion.   She didn’t care fro the City of Ember by Jeanne DuPrau.   I don’t always enjoy Science fiction but found some of it interesting.   But not enough to continue with the series.   Jenna LOVED Tuesdays at the Castle by Jessica Day George. Fantasy.   I have such a hard time with fantasies.   I was able to read Inside Out and Back Again by Thanhha Lai.   I liked the poetry as well as the history.   Jenna on the other hand, seemed bored.   The book we’re reading currently is called PIE – a mystery - with recipes included.   First book that the two of us are able to enjo...

I remember having volunteered last year for the school fundraiser during which time the children held a talent show.    I don’t remember any talent shows in the years prior.   That didn’t mean they didn’t exist.   But I’m guessing last year may have been the first.            I don’t know how long it went for – at least two hours, I'm guessing.   It felt like it went on for longer than that.   And though there were a lot of truly talented children, it seemed there were some that needed work.   Kudos for them to having the guts to stand on stage and perform when some of it was actually somewhat difficult to watch without cringing            This years talent show has stipulations.   Only three acts or group of performers from each grade would be selected.   The time limit for each act is three minutes.       ...

and happy birthday to my brother, Patrick!

Last night I attended a birthday party for the RS.   The dinner wasn’t scheduled until 6:30, but I could tell by the decorations and the presentation that there were some on the committee that must have started setting up at 5:00.   And then they stayed to clean up afterwards.   I KNOW more time was dedicated to the   entire set-up/clean-up-process than was for the event itself.   I have felt much admiration for these sisters – but especially on nights like last night.   What a lot of hoop-lah and truly admirable devotion! Shortly after Roland and I moved into our current ward, I was asked to be on the activities committee.   It was a short lived calling as the entire committee changed hands just four months later.   But I don’t recall devoting so much time.   But then our RS pres at the time was a Superwoman who somehow has enjoyed the challenge of doing it all with little or no delegation.   She cooked and baked a...

Both of my brothers listened to Dr. Demento .   I remember Patrick and his friends singing the words to “dead puppies” and “shaving cream”.   I don’t believe they were fanatics.   Corey, on the other hand, was a true Dr. Demento fan. He would record the programs and save songs that he liked.   He would play them over and over and laugh at the demented humor.   In 1985, Michael Jackson and Lionel Ritchie got together with 46 other stars to record HelpingHands USA for Africa .   The song was called “We are the World” and proceeds went for Relief of famine and disease in Ethiopia. I don’t know if it was Morton Downey Jr. who created the “We are the Worms” parody or if his name is associated with the song as he introduced it on radio program in Cleveland, Ohio, 1986.   Corey loved that song.   It would make him laugh.   I’ll admit that I smiled about it, too.   It was rumored that those associated with USA fo...