I Think I'll Take a Snow Day

        We were told that snow in this part of Oregon is really rare, and yet we've seen it every year since we've been here.  Oh, nothing like Salt Lake, mind you.  It is only one or two days - and usually just on the trees and hills,  not on the roads.  Currently, it is on the road.

        The schools called to say that all schools in the district are closed.  They were supposed to take a field trip today.  Hopefully, it will get rescheduled.

        I actually have more ambition today than I did yesterday - or all week rather.  Not wanting to study.  Not wanting to post.  No desire.  No emotions.  And now I think I could.  And Jenna's home.  I would rather spend time with her.

        Yesterday I wrote this pathetic poem.  It sounds much better if you imagine a harmonica and sung in a blues style.  I wasn't really feeling blue, just blah.  It's been quite bizarre, actually.  But it has passed.  I'm feeling more lively now.  Perhaps not lively enough to go out and enjoy the snow like Jenna does.  I measured two inches of snowfall.

          I have no ambition

I'm in a funk

          I need some motivation

Or my grades are sunk

          I'm singing imaginary blues

Though I'm really not depressed

          I don't have any emotions

Don't feel happy, sad or stressed

          I need to snap out of

This unfeeling stage

          Replay to two discussions

And write another page

          Focus on my schooling and

Take a test, no two

          Aside from education

There is still so much to do

          I used to make up songs and poems

When I've been in funks before

          Often it worked out for me

But doesn't anymore.

          Still no ambition or even allowing

My mind to roam

          Still in a funk and

With a stupid poem.

         Jenna's had a cough for a couple of weeks now.  Would be nice if she could shake it off.

When Dreams Get Retired

          Roland has always wanted to have his own business. ALWAYS.  And I have made it absolutely no secret that business DOESN'T interest me.  We are both taking business courses, although my current classes are neither as tough or as boring or need to go into as much detail as his did.

          It seems the entire time we've lived here, his business plan has always had to do with senior daycare - a service that is desperately needed in our area.  He has done some amazing research.  He has felt excitement and he has felt defeat.

          There were six weeks where he had changed his plan from doing senior daycare to selling ice cream and if we opened under our own name (rather than a franchise) we would call it the Happy Hurricane. The idea of selling ice cream did not last for long as he was unable to get past the first hurdle of finding an ideal location for a finicky public.  Okay by me.  I really don't wish to deal with food - though we'd still have to deal with food in an adult day care setting, that would not be our primary focus of the business.

          Through research, Roland has learned that over 65% of all of those who live in Douglas County are over 65 years old. There are many who have moved back with their elderly parents or who have brought their elderly parents to live with them. Though there are some who have expressed excitement to the idea of adult day care, the majority of this community would have to be educated in what an adult daycare even is.

          Roland would like to build a corporation.  I just roll my eyes.  I don't even want to work for a corporation.  He has spent a ton of hours into research and had even sent letters out to use as a backup for starting a business.  I don't think anyone took the time to fill out the questionnaire - which I do understand.  It was quite lengthy.  Opening an adult day care does not seem promising financially.  Oh well. His passion is with graphic art and marketing. 

           My current assignment is on partnerships.  Though he would like to be able to expand the business, it is now in a fizzled out stage.  I have used his creation (but not his business plan itself) as an example to explain partnership - though he was hoping for something more.  I am so unmotivated this week and still have to turn in two assignments and take two assessments. I'm definitely not focused right now.  

Magic Hands

        I remember someone posting this cartoon to facebook. 

I laughed as I read it as I relate, both to having been the child and now the mother.  But it isn't just a relationship with mothers and children when this sort of magic happens.  It happens among husbands and wives as well - at least in our family.

        I remember many times mom would used to say to dad, "There is something wrong with the car"  and so he would take the problematic car to work and of course it would ride smoothly for him and give absolutely no indication of ever having any kind of behavior problem.  It seemed that way with all appliances - and it wasn't because my dad was mechanical minded.  I think electronics and mechanics just have a way of playing pranks on the female mind.

        Take my computer for instance - the pop-ups, the constant threats,

of course my computer is well behaved whenever Roland sits down to it.  After a month (or more) of not being able to pull up Yahoo on my PC, it appears just fine for him.  I didn't even need to give him the latest password that I had changed it too.  What????

        I am so not motivated to do any class work right now.  Frustrated that my husband and dad seem to have magic hands - unbeknownst to them.  I want magic hands!!!

Them Thar Hills

          Jenna loved the snow.  When she'd been spotlighted in her kindergarten class, I mentioned that winter was her favorite season.  It was at the time, but I don't know if it still is. Like me, she also likes the fall. She does love the snow, but she also became sick of it one year as there were tons of it dumped down on us;  it was so high and so long that we were glad when it finally came to an end. 

          Each time it snows in Oregon (which is NOT often in the area where we live) she has gotten more excited - which is kind of funny, because I think with each snowfall we've received, the amount that sticks has been more pathetic than the last (which is fine by me;  enough so it's pretty, but not so much that I have to drive in it)

          When we lived in Salt Lake, Roland would point out whatever mountain we were driving towards and ask Jenna, "What's the name of that mountain?" or "What is that mountain called?"  It became a game for them. She'd answer: "Candy Mountain"  "Carmel Mountain"  "Beautiful Mountain and So Forth"

          Yesterday it snowed.  Flurried off and on.  Moments of sunshine.  The snow hadn't stuck until this morning.  I expect it will be gone by this afternoon - except in the hills above us.  For the first time since we've been in Oregon, Roland pointed to the hill next to the towers and asked, "Jenna, what's the name of the mountain." 

         

          "I don't know."

          "I call it Tower Hill,"  I volunteered.

         

          "What's the name of the one next to it?"

          Jenna finally volunteers, "Dwight."  Made me laugh.  So now we have a new nickname for the hill next to Tower Hill.  We will call  it "Dwight"

It appears that Dwight has more snow than Towers.  LOL

Whatever Happened to My Collections?

        At the time  I was enrolled in seminary, there was a program for students who had the desire to participate in afterschool programs of challenging seminary students from other schools in what came to be known as "The Seminary Bowl"

        Seminary Bowl included a panel of students trained to answer questions relating to that year's gospel topic.  There was also the "scripture chase" on which team could find a certain scripture the quickest.  Each week (or however often we met) our instructors would give us ribbons featuring our school color.  On the ribbon was marked in letters that started each word of different scriptures;  one made up for a certain scripture that we should have memorized that week

        I had saved them all in a scrapbook.  I think it might have been the one that grandpa had given me; one that fell apart, one that I had attempted to recreate. I reminded myself of this as I was planning the lesson I'd be teaching yesterday.  I had planned on doing something similar for my class . . . but that will be for another post perhaps.

        None of my collections seemed to make it with us to Oregon.  I am sad that the ribbons had been left in the shed in West Valley along with my coin collection and a box of dolls that grandpa had given me when he and grandma would fly Western Airlines.  The ribbons themselves may have been in one of six boxes that Kayla had retrieved but eventually threw out, they had been thrown out by one of the boys - probably Randy as Tony seems to be even more of a pack rat then I am.  It doesn't matter now.  It is writing on the wall.

        I do wonder what may have come of my coins that had evolved into something that grandpa had introduced me to.  He had introduced coin collecting my brother, Patrick, and the neighbors across the street as well.  I remember dragging the collection out of the shed when we had introduced our boys to coin collecting.  And later Roland tried it with his two oldest girls.  Did not pan out well, I'm afraid.  Those actually made the move to Oregon, and now it is an activity that Roland and Jenna share.  I wish I could find mine to show to Jenna.  I know some of the coins have more value than others.  It would be interesting for me to know where they ended up.  I am certain that they still exist somewhere within the family - probably tucked away in a box in a closet. 

        I also had a box of identical looking dolls dressed in various costume to represent different countries from around the world.  The clothes couldn't be removed.  Probably not even worth anything except they all came from an airline that was eventually bought out by Delta.  It was more out of sentiment that I hung onto them.  And there was one I had actually designed clothes for.  Don't know what became of them either. 

       I also had some pins: Mary Tyler Moore and Coke Bottle/Olympic memorabilia.  Those I did purchase for the sake of collection believing someday they would be worth a lot more than what I paid.  Lost in the sauce, I'm afraid.

Dang!

Missing, Understanding and Appreciating Mom Even More

          I miss my mom.  I have missed her since before she passed.  

          As I start aging, there are more things that I appreciate or understand about mom that I may have taken for granted many times before.  I don’t have the exceptional hearing that my mom did, and my eyesight is no longer what it used to be.  I find that I am often blowing up the screen or font size – especially when I am trying to view two windows at once.  I will still do a spell check but am unsure if a suggested word is the one I really want to use;  I can’t see what is being suggested – not from a comfortable position anyway.

          I remember going to the pool with mom – who seemed to have worse eyesidht then than I do now.  She was literally blind without her glasses.  There wold be a clock right above the pool.  She could see the clock itself – but couldn’t determine where the hands were.  She would always ask what time it was.  I couldn’t understand why it was a problem for her.  Now I do.

          Jenna will often say things to her dad or me that we’ll ask her to repeat.  My hearing is better than Roland’s.  It used to be as great as Jenna’s.  At least I still have the ability to hear and see – just not small fonts or faint sounds.  I have lost my inability to smell and have written a few posts about that.  My mom’s smelling sense had been numbed when she was very young.  I don’t remember my mom ever being able to smell.  Every once in a while I can smell things faintly – but not often.  I still don’t know what skunk smells like, even though Roland has pointed it out.

          Mom would get frustrated with herself when she couldn’t remember the words she was searching for;  she would get even more upset if someone tried to help her out by suggesting words.  She would forget what it was that she was trying to say.  I have experienced that myself – though I don’t remember having dealt with it much this year.  Jenna has figured out that it annoys me.  Roland hasn’t though.

          The change of life.  We all grow old.  Sometimes we forget things.  Sometimes we lose our senses.  Why do so many age quickly while others don’t seem to age at all?  I don’t get it.

          I miss my mom.

Missing Valentine’s Day

               

          I really did get a gem of a guy when I married Roland.  He is so thoughtful and compassionate.  For every year we were living in Utah, Roland would make or purchase valentines for my mom and my sisters.  We would drive to my mom’s house in Midvale and then my brother’s in Sandy (my sister-in-law, Sunny) and then later to the house in Kearns after Kayla and Bill were married.

          Valentine’s was always something different.  A box of chocolates or homemade cookies. One year we attempted Brigham Young Doughnuts in the shape of hearts. 

I could not find the individual pictures for this
post so her is a scrapbook page I had made. 

          Another year he purchased pizzas from Papa Murphy’s.  I think Brian (Sunny’s youngest boy) claimed that as his own.  Perhaps he shared. 

         Before we moved to Oregon, Roland extended his valentine giving beyond my family, but included all the single sisters in the West Valley ward (and there were A LOT of single sisters) with a candy bar with a note not to go nuts on valentine’s day but enjoy the sweet parts about it (or something like that)

          Since we moved to Oregon, his Valentine giving hasn’t gone beyond me and Jaime.  That’s too bad because I know he really enjoyed that.  I wonder if my sisters miss getting Valentines from him.

Holding Hands

            Modern Technology in some aspects has made our lives easier, but at the same time has seemed to create more challenges - particularly when there is a glitch or breakage.  Last week I had both my laptop and pc on my desk.  I could seem to receive the internet on my pc so long as my laptop was near - like an insecure child unwilling to go through with it on its own.  Oh, brother. 

            I've been using Internet Explorer on the PC as chrome seems to provide a tremendous amount of pop-ups (even though the blocker is set to BLOCK)  which is extremely annoying when taking an exam.  But lately I've been having issues with explorer as well.  I don't know why, but I have never liked Firefox.  And I can't open Yahoo in the PC at all.  

            I've been listening to the lectures on laptop just so I can set in a more comfortable chair than I can with PC.  My Management Instructor is quite knowledgeable of the subject, but he is soooooo monotone that I have a hard time keeping up.  Those voice patterns we call Siri and Alexa on our machines - they seriously put in more emotion into what they are saying (machines, mind you) than does my management instructor.  He does not sound robotic exactly.  His delivery  isn't even that exciting.

            I did not choose to attend the luncheon or games yesterday.  Often when I have two classes I have still made the effort to show up for either one or the other,  but somehow felt more pressed for devoting more time as I have two discussions, two assignments and two assessments for the week.    I would like to turn them in ASAP.  Once again I am shaking my head at the very idea of procrastination. 

            My goal for last week, this week and the next two are:

            1) to look up all my references on Monday so that I will have them available for discussion and possibly management assignment.

            2) snooze lecture on Tuesday morning - the subject really isn't that bad; it's his deliverance - or lack thereof.

            3) write the discussion posts and post them to the appropriate class

            4) sign into lecture of second class after it starts because I tried signing in early last week and as it turns out he is in another class and I ended up getting cut off.  Review takes about twenty minutes anyway.

            5) work on assignments for both classes.  Review.  Review.

            6) Review and correct if necessary and turn in either Wednesday night or Thursday morning

            7) take assessments.  But do not use chrome on PC.  check Yahoo emails on Laptop, take quizzes on laptop or use Firefox for PC. 

            So now I am done.  Except for the daily checkpoints (which can only be done per day) I am done for the week.  Hallelujah!  Frees up my Friday and Saturday for myself or house or community . . . away from the computer if I would like.

            I have had blog post ideas, but they have gotten lost in the shuffle of my mind.  I've also managed to squeeze in a few word puzzles during my breaks from the computer.  Currently I'm not reading anything leisurely.  The most interesting reading material I wish to look at lately has been whatever my sister posts to facebook.

Why Are There More Cars Than People?

          Almost every week that we drive to church, we get behind a car that isn’t going quite as fast as Roland believes it should.  He jokes about it because nine out of ten times we will follow it all the way to the Catholic Church before it turns into the parking lot.  Roland will then speed up though there is less than 20 seconds left before we arrive at the LDS church. 

This morning an ambulance passed us as we were heading to town.  It did not get on the freeway but continued on past the school.  And guess where it turned?  The Catholic Church parking lot.  We left the house a bit later than usual and so the parking lot was pretty filled by the time we got to church.  Every family must have brought a car for each driver in the family.  I don’t know why the parking lot seemed so full when the chapel didn’t appear so.  It appeared that half the pews were empty – more so than usual.

I gave my talk today- or a partial of my talk.  Once I sat down I realized what I hadn’t said and felt upset at having not included certain parts of my talk.  I did receive many genuine compliments.  I’m grateful that I hadn’t offended anyone and that my words were well received.

          A new couple was called to babysit teach the sunbeams and it appears there is an instructor for the CTR as well.  Danny and I had the smallest class this year.  Seven students with a total of 15 children in primary.  Danny and I decided to split our class – though not in the middle.  She will be taking all the older children and I will be taking the younger ones.  I will have only four or five in my class at the most.  I have already introduced them to the passport idea found here  and will probably continue with it as I believe it has appealed more to the children I’ll be teaching over the one’s that Danny will be teaching.

          Roland, who normally stays after church for clerical reasons, said that he would be going home with me today.  We stayed for choir practice but now we are home.  I’m going over my lesson for next week.

Scrabble Triggers

        Apparently the two classes I've been assigned both deal with criminal acts and contracts - at least this first week.  Weird.  I am actually done for the week.  Tomorrow Roland and I are going to the Riddle Library to enter a Scrabble tournament.  Roland has every ounce of confidence that I can win - even though he has beaten me several times.

        It's a luck of the draw.  When all we draw is one point letters, it doesn't matter how great or long the word, it has only been worth 7-14 points at most.  The longer words give the other players more options of places to go instead of a crammed up board filled with small words because they happen to be worth more points 

       In addition to the Myrtle Creek Library annex, the fund raisers have included a wine walk which I did not participate in.  The latest is with selling tickets to a spaghetti dinner that takes place on Monday evening.  It sounds like a great deal of tickets have been sold.  I hope it is profitable for those involved.  P/R and marketing is not my thing.  Roland should be more involved as it is his.

        To each his own, I guess.  Don't much care for army sized crowds, but do enjoy playing games.  I would rather an Upwords tournament than Scrabble.  Perhaps we will be able to have Upwords tournaments after we break the Riddlers of Scrabble.  LOL

        When I think of Scrabble, I remember a sister from my mission who attended the Woodbridge ward.  She LOVED playing Scrabble.  She and her family had moved to Missoula Montana before I had finished my mission.  I have not heard from them for quite some time.  It appears that she and her husband now live close to Tillamook, Oregon.  Wow.  Would have been nice to have known that sooner.  I'll put a letter in the mailbox today - or perhaps I should just call the landline number I have.  Not much of a phone talker.  Would be nice to get in touch again.

A Fish SO FAR Out of Water . . . and other frustrations

         Thus far I have watched one lecture - a talented individual who has experience in law enforcement and can evidently carry on several conversations at once - as he was able to talk without pausing, read comments and answer them in the chat box while he spoke . . . or perhaps he has someone sitting in his live sessions with him who can /will answer his questions.  But the guy is so monotone.  Oh, my gosh.  He says something that requires a sympathetic voice, but there is absolutely no sympathy in his voice.  On the other hand, he says something riveting and really . . . how do I know he means what he says? I don't think public speaking is his strong talent.  Not if he's suppose to relate sympathy or empathy.  Nope.  Not there.

          The management class I'm taking feels like a prerequisite to anyone having any desire for any kind of law.  I understand the law is needed to maintain a sense of control. But I also know that the law is not always just.  I didn't realize that when I created my last post.  I have a simple mind.  I think the law might have been simple at one time, but it feels so complicated now.  I don't know if I am in a class with experienced law students or not.  But I feel like a fish out of water - no swimming, no drinking . . . it's dry.  I'm going to shrivel.

          If the educators or administrators or whoever really expects me to read all the required material - why give me two classes?  There is no way I can read everything for both.  I did finally get my discussion posted.  We all have the same exact scenario to demonstrate with.  Snoozer.  I think I should be sleeping better than I have been. 

          There are gremlins messing with my internet settings.  The internet continues to faze out on my PC.  Even when it is up and running, it won’t allow me to use Yahoo before threatening me with some virus.  So, I’ve opened an email account – which I’m afraid to switch over on my laptop as my PC doesn’t seem to want to allow me the switch user accounts and I need the account attached to his blog.  Hello. 

          I prefer using the pc as the monitor is bigger.  I also prefer as raised keyboard and mouse = which I have hooked up to the laptop presently.  I keep it on the end table and hold the keyboard over my lap as I sit in an easy chair, but for the PC I have a squeaky office chair.  Today the PC has actually held its ground and I have not had problems with the internet – but that could be because my laptop is on.  It makes me think that my computer has insecurity issues.

          Well, now that I've had this short break, I guess I'll start on my assignment.  And I still need to work on my talk.  I don't want to procrastinate.  Probably shouldn't have posted this.  But hey . . . I still need a break.

Upcoming Week - I'm predicting BUSY

            I was asked to give a talk in Sacrament meeting next Sunday.  I am excited to have finally been asked to give a talk.  The subject is on family home evening which is even more exciting.  I was told to keep it at 20 minutes.  Oh, no.  That could be a problem.  Thus  far I think I have over 80 minutes worth of topic.  Lots of prayers will be said this week that I may directed to say the words that the congregation needs to hear.  Meanwhile I have this blog.  Aren't all my followers excited?

            I also start new classes tomorrow.  Another Management.  Another Accounting.  I think I will be more focused on my FHE talk as it is a subject near and dear to my heart and I understand the language.  I LOVE my family.  I LOVE how I was raised.  I recognize the benefits of family home evening as part of my upbringing and values I have passed on. 

            There is also a fund raiser for the library.  I posted flyer of spaghetti dinner offer, but really don't have any information except for what is on the flyer.  I believe six others have shared it to either their groups or personal pages.  We do have a great media support.

            Still waiting for tomorrow to see what my agenda will be for my two classes and if there is going to be a meeting at the library since the dinner is going on elsewhere - but perhaps it's for just the board - in which case I should go. 

            Not much of a post . . . I was actually going to create a post on my primary class . . . there were twelve in class today.  Two visitors and four were absent - otherwise I would have had sixteen.  Can you imagine?  Danny has talked about splitting the class.  She would have the older children and I would get the younger ones - but that's still a 10 to 4 ratio if that.  And the classroom that we currently meet in would have to be split - which is fine for me and four children - but I can't imagine Danny and 10 children squashed into just half the room size.  And being that Danny's been sick for the last three weeks . . .

            There's a lot on my mind.  Many started posts.  Nothing complete.  Not even this one.  And yet here it is posted.  Just a heads up if I fall behind for the next 1 - 4 weeks.  Accounting and Management.  I hope I am assigned to instructors that are more uplifting than the subject matters.