Beneath the Wraps

        It is currently 74 degrees in the afternoon.   Warmest it's been all day.   This morning would have been perfect for picking blueberries, but we went to the pool instead.   And it was cold.         The water itself wasn't so bad, but if there were wet parts not in the water but on top of the water when a breeze would blow through, well, it sent a chill all over.   We had one guy in the pool with a wet tee that was cold.   I don't recall being in the pool the entire time when the sun hasn't come out and made us forget that it had been overcast.         Jenna's only reason for going with me today was to go on the slide.   I told her that the lifeguards will turn it on for us on Fridays.   Today was an exception as Tuesday was a holiday and the pool had been closed - those who have swim classes were told to come today to m...

               This morning I started a search for pics to go with the next post I had mind – which has only been written in my head and outlined on paper, but still needs to be transferred which I had planned today but things don’t always go according to plan . . . like yesterday morning seeing Riddle before the town awakens and the streets have no traffic on them whatsoever.             I did not notice any traffic as I drove to the blueberry patch this morning.  The drive seems long each time I go out there, but somehow felt even longer this morning.  I had gone a different way than I had the other 12 – 20 times I’d gone there before.  The sun shining directly over the spotty windshield did not help matters.  I felt like I had been driving for half an hour at least.             I wish I had left the house s...

this flag hangs in our yard Veteran Memorial at Millsite Park                For every Federal Holiday and each holiday honoring Veterans though may not be observed by others (I had not been aware of all of the "flag" holidays that Myrtle Creek observes) Myrtle Creek lines the streets and bridges with flags.   South Umpqua Bridger Exit 108             The mayor credits the Elks for putting out the flags.   I don't know how early they are put out. Though the flags come out every 4th of July, Myrtle Creek itself seems like a ghost town.   People go out of town.   I don't know where they go.   Riddle, perhaps?     not the best pic, but the only one I can find of bridge on Exit 106             Poor Jenna.   Her parents are tired old fuddy-duddys who don't celebrate as we did when we were young...

Here is Carisa's article in News Review: Children, adults enthusiastic at Myrtle Creek Library reopening CARISA CEGAVSKE Senior Staff Writer The News-Review Carisa Cegavske Jul 3, 2017 MYRTLE CREEK — On the Myrtle Creek Library’s reopening day Monday, Tanner Reed, 5, was enthusiastically transforming a Minions T-shirt into a book bag that he could use to take home a pile of books about dinosaurs, unicorns and monsters. Tanner didn’t like to think about what would happen if the library closed again. “I’d feel really sad,” he said. Tanner was one of a dozen kids who turned up for the first day, not just of the library’s summer reading program, but also of its reopening after a three-month closure. Like the other smaller library branches of the former Douglas County Library System, Myrtle Creek’s doors were shut April 1. It’s the fifth to reopen, and it’s operating with an all-volunteer staff. The kids were thrilled to have books to check out and fun a...

Myrtle Creek Library reopens Monday CARISA CEGAVSKE Senior Staff Writer The News-Review Carisa Cegavske Senior Reporter published June 30, 2017 Top of Form Bottom of Form The Myrtle Creek Library will reopen Monday with an all-volunteer staff, and kick off its summer reading program right away. Like many of the smaller branches of the former Douglas County Library System, the Myrtle Creek Library has been closed since April 1. Sutherlin, Oakland, Riddle and Reedsport have since reopened their libraries. The Myrtle Creek Library is unique in the county in that it is now managed not by the local city council, but by the nonprofit Friends of the Myrtle Creek Library. "We're very excited," said Friends Treasurer Julienne DeMarsh about Monday's opening. DeMarsh said the group has about 80 people on a list of potential volunteers or donors, with a group of 21 that has passed background checks and plans to volunteer thro...

        Just over two years ago, we moved to Myrtle Creek.   Less than three months I had been called to be a primary teacher - specifically for the sunbeams.   At the time I had heard there were four children in the class.   The most that I ever saw was three.   Usually it was just Emily and me.   It took her about five months before she warmed up to me.          The following year, I had her cousin Hayden.   Unless there were visitors, he was my only pupil - until they brought Christopher in.   He had turned three in February.   He was in sunbeams for five or six months before the year ended.   The primary president decided to move him up to CTRs along with Hayden so that I could teach team Danny's class - the Valiants.           Danny was not present for the first two and a half months.   Being able to return has been a grad...

             The service team came on Wednesday and remained for a good part of the day.   They came on Thursday but did not stay as long.   An electrician came on Friday and added electric tape to chewed area - Roland could have done that - and there wouldn't be a bill . . .             Jenna and I went to the laundry mat yesterday.    I knew I'd need to do laundry before Wednesday but have a commitment to the library on Monday and as Tuesday is a holiday and the laundry mat may be closed, I decided it needed to be done yesterday.           Roland stayed to water plants and other gardening.   We gave Jenna a choice and she went to do laundry with me.   I'm happy that she made that choice as I had forgotten the detergent, and later realized I did not have enough change in quarters and so went across the street and wrote a check for twenty do...

When I was working at Swire Coca Cola Roland and I felt I should be staying home with the boys. In February, I said I would be leaving in April My last day would be April 15th. In March I was asked to take a class in Excel.   It didn't seem to matter that I was leaving.   It was a fun class - different program than what I had at home, but I could adjust. It was nice. I was grateful that I had been given that opportunity and keep notebook as well. though there were many things I learned that I would never use personally there seemed to be some that would benefit me at the time. Now I am taking an Excel class again. I am floored at how much information can be created in Excel.   We are barely just touching surface with this class. It is fun to learn and create. Next week will be my last week for  these two accounting classes and  then I will be starting something new

            Have you ever felt inconvenienced by a situation, but later on down the road, you realize that inconvenience was/is a blessing?   It’s even more awesome when you can recognize the blessings in the process of being inconvenienced.   I can see the blessings;   Jenna sees the inconveniences that become more inconvenient to her with each passing minute.             I noticed when I mopped the floor in the back room, there was a nasty splotch that wouldn't remove - a stain I hadn't noticed before (I'm actually not all that observant) nor had I noticed the floor had gotten softer.   I had just chalked that up my own aging and slowing down.   It seems like each time I did laundry, moisture would leak out between the walls and the floor.   Oh . . . . that is not good.              Roland contacted our insurance company to find...