Beneath the Wraps

(Because I am too tired to come up with a fresh post right now) What was the last thing you put in your mouth? My toothbrush Where was your profile picture taken? The picture on my facebook page was taken at Granger 14 th Christmas party eight years ago Name someone who made you laugh today –   initially answered at 6:00 a.m.   I hadn’t laughed up until that point.   Jenna offered a family prayer at 6:10.   She mumbled like a shy kid reciting something in front of class.   Good thing God has radar hearing. How late did you stay up last night? I went to bed before 9:30.   I fell asleep before 10:00 If you could move somewhere else, where would it be?   Tillamook maybe, or closer to the coast. Never been to Astoria.   That would be sweet. Ever been kissed under fireworks? I’m certain that Roland has kissed me under the fireworks Which of your friends live closet? Jenna and Roland Do you belive ex’s can be frie...

            I was in a 6th-grade math class yesterday.   The instructor had put a similar illustration on the board – only the dimes and nickels were laid out in the same manner.   And three or four of the pennies were shinier than the one that is in the center of the pennies in the above illustration.   The instructor asked which set of coins was different and why?             The first answer was logical for a math class.             “The dimes are different because all of the other coins add up to 25 cents.   F ive nickels make 25 cents.   25 pennies make 25 cents.   A single quarter makes 25 cents.   But five dimes make 50.”             The instructor asked what might be some other possible answers.   I...

For those who have followed Corey's (calls himself Cody) blog but stopped because he did, I have a post he shared to facebook and I have his permission to repost to my blog: I'm addicted to sugar. When I say that I don't mean it as a joke. I really have a problem and it affects my health in a negative way. I love the taste of sugar and I eat way too much of it. I have great difficulty resisting sweets and when I do eat sweets I overindulge (why eat one brownie when you can have six?). And yet, I am fully aware of how terrible my sugar consumption makes me feel. I sometimes have little energy, I will often just not feel very good, and what's sad is even when I don't feel good I will still indulge in sweets that make me feel even worse. It's like an alcoholic turning to drink or a smoker who can't seem to kick the habit even though he knows he's slowly killing himself. My mom was diabetic. I myself have been diagnosed with being prediab...

Yesterday was National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day.   I noticed the flags lined up and down the bridge as we made our way to the Ward Christmas party.    We had a brunch this year.   A 10:00 morning meal is great for so many reasons.   Breakfast.   Everything is catered.   No setting up of tables, decorations and so forth just to take it all down again (at least not by the ward members) no responsibilities of signing up to bring a dish in addition to reminder calls and a hodgepodge assortment of food.   I think the greatest plus is that it is light enough to see where we are driving.   The light invites.   Driving in the dark often seems so dismal. Roland had been asked to play Santa Claus who hasn’t been a part of any ward Christmas that we have been a part of in Oregon.   Roland had memorized a speech about how our focus needs to be on Christ rather than Santa – for Santa wants to worship Christmas in a righteous way an...

                It was quite dark yesterday morning even between 7:00 and 7:30.   I was able to drive myself to work yesterday as my shift didn’t start until 8:30 and the elements had lightened by then.   I thought that Roland might have to drive me today as my shift started an hour earlier, and probably would have had him take me in if I hadn’t gone with him at 6:00 this morning when he dropped Jenna off at the church.   The darkest part of the commute was getting out of my neighborhood onto the main drag.               I had given myself 20 minutes for a 6 minute drive and so I had plenty of time.   Yesterday I was in the detention room (or in-school- suspension  as it is called at that particular school) but today I had crosswalk duty which I have only done at that school one time before.     ...

Cold and Freezing Fog.  Does that mean a solid fog that can't be driven through?  Interesting. For driving safely in "freezing fog" conditions, see here

                 Light of the World Calendar suggestion for yesterday was to think of someone who is an example of Christlike service and showcase the example on social media.  For the most part, I think most of the Christlike examples I know would not wish to be showcased on social media.  My dad was such an example who preferred to remain behind the scenes and not have others glorify his acts.  He liked to go about things quietly and remain unnoticed.           I’ve mentioned Josh Norton’s name in a few of my assignments.  He was the lifeguard manager when we first moved to Myrtle Creek.  Last year he became the city recorder.  He doesn’t mind the social media – I don’t think.  Josh is a great guy who is quite the go-getter and has done so much in bringing the community together with activities and showcasing community members.  When he is not ser...

When the “Come Follow Me” program was announced last year, it was also announced that our Sunday church meetings would go from three hours down to two but that we, as members, were still responsible for filling that third hour on our own and were provided with a manual – one per family.   Jenna and I both predicted that many, though may have started out with great intentions, would not keep on their studies on their own.           As the program was new to all of us, I thought our family could invite others to learn with us and we could all struggle through it together.   Not that going through the scriptures is a struggle.   I had taught the youth when the Church did away with traditional manuals and so had a familiarity – the trying to learn it without instruction seemed a little more trying.             I felt inspired to invite families or individuals to learn wi...

When I was younger, I remember mom loading the dishwasher with certain dishes and washing others by hand.   There were some dishes that were marketed as “dishwasher safe” indicating that it could be washed in the dishwasher.   Most dishes were considered not to be dishwasher safe. Later, things turned around in which all dishes were assumed to be dishwasher safe unless indicated otherwise.   Meanwhile dishwashers seemed to add more safety features and not everything questionable has to be placed on the top.   There are some plastics that can go on the bottom – even if the dishwasher is turned to the “pots and pans” setting. Some dishes will come with a notice that “needs to be washed by hand” or “not dishwasher safe”.   But those instructions are not always carried over when said items are donated and purchased at second hand stores.   I don’t know what Jenna’s obsession is with water bottles – Army water bottles in particular.   I thought ...

just before 5:00 p.m.  It gets dark early Ever since we moved here, I had been hoping to turn the back porch into a game room.   We’ve had contractors come give us estimate but have never gone through.   I don’t know why all of the sudden Roland thinks we can afford it now. Their trailer remained in our driveway for four days The first counselor in our bishopric does that sort of work, and had come to our house to give us an estimate, but told Roland it would be wise to get the roof fixed first.   After all, the house was built in 1993 and probably has not had a new roof in all that time. until they moved it out front  Granted, this is really not the best time of the year to be roofing.   They started a week ago yesterday.   They had planned to return on Monday to do the skylights but the "storm" came.  The wet weather kept them away on Monday and Tuesday.   We weren't expecting them Wednesday as it is the day befo...

Yesterday was Thanksgiving.   We had told those we had invited that dinner would be at 4:00.   Except for the turkey, I think everything was ready to eat at 11:00.   Well, most everything.   Roland had not bothered with the rolls or peas until after Chris arrived – which was shortly before 3:00. Chris is on of Jenna’s friends from school.   The invitation was extended to Chris’ entire family – but Jenna did not communicate that.   Grandma had already taken the turkey out of the freezer to thaw by the time she got word.   And so it was just the four of us. I remember having had small Thanksgivings before.   Two years ago we had invited a couple.   And there were only five of us with mom on Thanksgiving Day.   We had had our Thanksgiving dinner on a Saturday when Patrick and Sunny were in town.   There were 18 of us.   But on Thursday it was just my mom, Roland, Jenna, Biff and I.   He had known Jeanie at that poin...

            It feels like a Saturday.   I suspect most of the days this week will feel like Saturdays.   On the 21 st my post gives a little detail about my dental experience.   The Novocain wore off eventually – long after the dentist was closed.   I don’t know when I first noticed that my teeth were not feeling right.   Well, two in particular.   Was it the tooth he just worked on?   The bite on the right side of my mouth made contact before anything on my left.   It didn’t hurt but was quite annoying.             I remember the dentist and his assistant having me bite on a paper and saw off some more.   Wait a minute!   I don’t think I am finished.   Something is sticking up that’s not supposed to.             That was Wednesday.   I allowed myself t...