Beneath the Wraps

          We haven ’ t fed the missionaries since the pandemic began until this past week.  For a while they were grounded to their apartment and the rule was to drop off food at the church and they would pick it up.  Perhaps that was easier for many members who unable to have missionaries come due to circumstances – for instance there are many single sisters and the missionaries serving in Myrtle Creek have always been Elders.              The person who was called to find families to feed the missionaries is quite diligent with her calling and somewhat aggressive as I ’ m certain she has roped people into feeding them when they may not have chosen to do so on their own.  The rules are quite different now due to COVID.  I don ’ t know how it is in each mission but in Oregon they are no longer allowed to knock on doors.  They have to stand outside until they are summoned.  They can visit with pe...

           Today was the day assigned to our stake to go pick pears in Medford – which we had planned on.  Jenna had even had a friend stay the night so that we could take her with us. But as I was talking with the RS president last night, she said everything had been picked clean except for the tops.  Thus the only jobs available was to climb ladders.  Neither Roland nor I are in condition to climb ladders and it didn ’ t seem to appeal to either Jenna or her friend either.           Jenna does and always has liked to climb.   But there is a difference climbing with the use of both hands and standing on a latter with a heavy bag that only gets heavier as pears are loaded inside.   And then to climb back down again?   That would be the toughest part for me personally.           I really doubt we could have gone this morning anyway.  Roland ’ s back ha...

            The air has been so dry.  This is NOT why we moved to Oregon.  We had moved for the moisture.  Probably we should have moved closer to the ocean.  I know I would have enjoyed the temperature more.  I can ’ t say it was the dry air that caused the wax build up that enters my right ear.  Always the right ear, never the left.  The last time I had a wax build up was when we lived in West Valley.  Jenna was either in first or second grade, so it has been more than eight years.  I was told the blob of wax was the size of a pencil eraser.  I suspect it is now roughly the same size.  I use ear wax removal and hot water in the shower.  I think it is smaller, but not out completely.  It doesn ’ t hurt but is annoying  especially at night when I feel the beating of my eardrum.  I don ’ t remember having experienced that before.         ...

                 Apparently I did not include these pictures in any of my June posts of our trip to NY.   Randy had introduced us to golfing.   That is one sport he never seemed to bother with when we lived in Utah but when he moved to New York he realized that most of his co-workers viewed golf as an essential and so he learned the sport and purchased a set of clubs in order to fit in.           One thing about Randy is he has always taken to activities like a duck to water.   Seriously.   I have yet to see any sport, craft, or interest that he is not good at immediately . I do have a few relatives that seem to thrive on golfing.   I don ’ t find it all that enjoyable myself.           As I had previously mentioned New York had just gone into Phase 1 the week we arrived.   The golf course had not yet opened but the practice range was. Ra...

            I must have at least a dozen posts in which I mention that I really don ’ t enjoy cooking.  Roland does.  If he was not in my life and it was only Jenna and me – well, we ’ d be living on peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and milk.  I can follow a recipe, but cooking requires heat.  I hate the heat.           Most of the time I have cooked dinner Roland doesn ’ t like it.   It surprises me that there are two things he does request of me.   Two Separate dishes: Potato salad and Ham chowder.   Neither which I have a recipe for but have done from memory.           My mom was not the greatest cook – but then I ’ ve never had a sophisticated pallet and so never saw my mom as a lousy cook.   She wasn ’ t lousy.   Her food was edible, but it was mostly survival food – at least compared to Roland ’ s. I never tho...

  I was introduced to the Holderness family early in the pandemic.   I love most of the parodies that I have seen.   As of now I relate to this one the most:

Before we were given the stay-at-home order, Roland and I had ordered some tiles to finish the kitchen and change out the carpet in the bathrooms.   We had asked about toilet removal and were told that the contractors worked together and NOTHING would stop the production.   I think maybe COVID could . . .   picture from https://www.familyhandyman.com/list/100-home-repairs-you-can-do-yourself We do have two bathrooms and so would be able to use the one that wasn ’ t being worked on.   Still it seemed unpredictable.   We didn ’ t feel good about it.   Especially after Lowes called to say they had received half the order and they would deliver it.   Um . . . no.   We want the whole order.   None of this waiting around for what MIGHT or MIGHT NOT happen.   We cancelled the order and said we would try again once COVID had ended (because by that time the Stay-at-home order had gone into effect – and though we would have liked to support t...

  Today was supposed to be ward conference.   Though we were initially scheduled to return on July 26 Circumstances have changed and we have not Been able to attend   Last night the stake secretary provided a message A virtual recording which I watched this morning. It was only six and a half minutes long. Short but powerful.   The message was on the parable of the Sower and Compared this time to the seeds represented and Which ones we will choose to be You can listen and watch to this parable here

  We all need Hope Hope that we can attend church without worry about coming in contact or spreading coronavirus Hope that schools will be in session as they were before where our children can play together without Plexiglas dividers and social distancing Hope that one day we will be able to go out in public without having to wear a mask   Hope that we can learn from history and not erase anything and everything we might find offensive  so that we may learn Hope that we can provide for our families and not have to choose between having to leave the house in order to provide or staying home in order to keep safe Hope that all of us will learn that we are not really free if we are not safe Hope that we will not have to watch loved ones stumble and fall.   Hope that the persecutions and judgement may stop Hope that we may return to our better selves.                   ...

I hear different stories about athletics – which sports are open, which ones should be open, which ones should not open . . . there are athletes who would like to return to playing – they ’ re bored!   They miss playing.   Some have returned but without an audience – but they are still at risk in my opinion. Since the pandemic started I have heard “ I am not going to hole up for the rest of my life – I am not going to die hiding out . . .   If I am going to go anyway, I ’ m going to be doing something I love . . . “   But is it worth it really?   Getting the cornavirus will not mean you will die – at least not right away.   You could be in the hospital for two weeks to six months and not be allowed visitation.   You may show no symptoms whatsoever.   You may be hooked up to oxygen for the rest of your life.   Is it worth the gamble to play one last game of football or golf? Was getting the modeling job for Lucky Strikes worth throat ...

I remember my brother scouring the city for hand sanitizer back in April.   He finally managed to get some (I don ’ t know if it was an online order or how he obtained it – it was not a brand he recognized ) but he said it had a really foul odor that came with it. I was reminded of this when we were in New York and my daughter-in-law had offered me some sanitizer “ if I could stand the smell ”   I can ’ t smell and so do not know how stinky it was/is.           I was watching the news yesterday and learned that there were far too many hand sanitizers on the market which are harmful to the body.   It made me question the safety of the sanitizer that different family members had purchased.   Check the label.   Stay safe. For FDA updates see here .

                 Yesterday I shared a memory on facebook.  The photo was dated 2003 and therefore my memory was seventeen years old.  My first thought was:  Holy Cow!  I didn ’ t believe I had been on facebook that long.  I hadn ’ t.  Six hours after I shared the post I went back to it.  Nevermind that facebook hadn ’ t existed yet (or at least to the public) but the baby in the photo wasn ’ t even born until the following year that the post was dated.  I had not joined facebook until a few years before we moved to West Valley.  I had joined just before Jenna turned five.  The dates were wrong.               This morning I shared the picture of the fish wearing a mask (from this post) with a reminder that in addition to checking spelling and grammar it is also important that we check references.    I had obviously not che...