Waiting

             Election Day was three days ago and we still don’t know who the president is for the next four years.  I am hoping NOT Trump and yet at the same time, I know there will be violence from some Trump supporters who don’t understand that bullyism and threats do not make any country great.  They are abusing their freedoms and taking away others’ freedoms. 

There are so many ballots – more than any other year.  Perhaps four times as many.  It takes a long time to count – especially if there are less volunteers due to COVID.  If Joe Biden wins, I hope he sends in a crew to sterilize the white house and not move in for another month or two after his inauguration – that is if Big Baby Trump and his groupies don’t make it such an unrealistic ordeal. 

Joe Biden has campaigned for being for the people – all people – whether he was voted in by that person or not.  Trump will not honor those who didn’t vote for him.  He won’t have any problem stepping on the ones who did.  Unfortunately, some of those who voted for him still won’t know any better. 

The economy is going to be horrible no matter which one gets in.  Trump will have his followers believing everything is great, that we will all be able to return to work and thrive and that COVID will go away.  COVID will not go away.  Other nations are getting second waves of COVID – but the Americans will never get a second wave.  You know why?  Because we will never succeed  at getting over the first!

Too many have the attitude of “Open right now.” “We need our jobs” “We need to spend money” . . . not only are we battling COVID but flu season is here.  There are states fighting the elements in addition to the COVID.  They’re not returning to work.  They have to rebuild their cities.  They have been damaged in several weeks.  Returning to work is not the number one concern right now.  It is rebuilding their homes, their lives, this nation . . .

The country opened too soon.  People got bored.  They somehow forgot.  The media reports cases within various schools – now taking precautions by sending the entire class, busload, pod or whatever into quarantine to be monitored for the next two weeks.  Football players and firemen are testing positive.  Really?  Who thought restarting football was a good idea?  Fireman are necessary.  Front line workers: necessary.  Resteraunts – a way to make a living for the owners and workers – but not necessary for the patrons.  Jenna and I haven’t had our hair cut since January.  It’s not so much that we need it cut as we need it thinned out.  But again, it’s not an essential.  It’s not like a necessity such as treatment or food.

The nation is apprehensive right now.  Our current president is a racist and a liar.  He has threatened to leave the country if he doesn’t win.  Good riddens.  I hope he does flee the country!  I hope he takes his family of supporters with him!  Maybe there will be room for them in Greenland.

Sleep Interupted

 Bruce didn’t set his alarm

 back to standard. 

I don’t think he cares. 

He doesn’t crow at sunrise. 

He crows 3-4 hours before. 

Are you kidding me? 

 

It’s dark. 

I’m trying to sleep. 

Bruce, if you are going to

continue going off every

morning before there is

even a crack of dawn, you

are no longer welcome in

our yard. 

You and your harem. 

I don’t hear them making

noise before

the crack of dawn.

 

When Bruce finally

shuts up I hear Jenna

talking to Bonnie – asking if

she needs to go out.   

Bonnie’s tag jingling down

the hall. 

I hear the door open. 

Jenna letting Bonnie out.

What time is it? 

Why are there

so many noises? 

I want to sleep!

 

I got up at 7:00. 

It’s now light enough

outside for me to see. 

That means I could go pick

up Jenna again – at least

until December. 

It gets dark at 5:30 p.m. 

What’s up with that? 

Feels like midnight at 7:00 p.m. 

 

I hate setting the clocks

every six months! 

Why can’t they

 leave us alone?

 

Still tired.

Let the Sunshine In!

 

                The skies are clear and the sun is shining through.  It’s about 54 degrees – 10 degrees warmer than three hours ago.  Looks and feels like a completely different day.

             This morning there was a dingy fog.  Thick. Appearance was not clean.  It felt eerie – mirroring the upcoming election.

            Tomorrow is the last day to vote. Whatever the results there’s going to be tension.  It’s as though the fog was a sign of what’s to come.

             Malitia if Trump should lose the elect

ion.  He will not leave the white house gracefully.  His mindless fans will protect him.  I cannot even grasp the behavior of so many who refuse to see what is right in front of them or hear what words come out from Donald Trump’s mouth.  They’re mesmerized.  I don’t get it.

             If Biden should lose the election – well, we are all doomed.  Perhaps there won’t be the same uproar of militia.  The pain will spread out over the next four years.

 

            I want the view of today to be a message for me to believe that everything will be alright. 

That Hymn Gets Me Every Time

 

          Several years ago when I had served in Young Women’s, the YW president decided that she would like all of the YW to learn a hymn.  The hymn she chose was “I Know That My Redeemer Lives” (here). 

          I had already memorized the hymn though not necessarily on purpose. I am always touched in such a way that my eyes are so moist with tears that the words seem to blur and I can never read the hymn.

          It was the closing hymn chosen for our sacrament meeting.  Perhaps if I had not tried to sing it behind my mask, I would have been okay – though I doubt it.  My eyes leaked and my nose started to run.  It was a newly washed mask! 

Loose Change

 

          Roland and I obviously grew up in different households.  What I accept in faith somehow irritates him – and I’m certain our upbringing has a lot to do with it.

 

For example:

 

          Sometimes when there is change in my pocket and I remove it before I go to bed, I will set it on top of the dresser or desk with intentions of putting it my purse or a bank but then forget about it and he seems to go ballistic that it is out of place and I NEED TO PUT IT AWAY

 

          One of the sibs he grew up with was a thief.  She often allowed all of her sibs to take punishment that she did.

          I, on the other hand, grew up in an environment where we showed love and respect to one another. 

         

          When we were all working at Snelgroves and would come home, Kayla would always take change out of her pocket and leave it on the kitchen table.  It was there when we all went to bed.  It remained when we would get up in the morning.  None of us bothered with it because we each knew that it didn’t belong to us.

 

          I could have never done that with the boys.  Any change on the table would have been gone in a heartbeat.  Sometimes rooms (drawers) would be ransacked as one would hunt for the right amount of change to satisfy whatever petty desire was at hand.

 

          I realize I need to be more careful.  But right now it is 2020.  There are three people in our house.  I think we’re okay with a few pennies here and a few nickels there.  We haven’t had much in the way of foot traffic – even before COVID.

Where Did My Neighborhood Go?

I left the bathroom and

returned to my bed after

my bladder interrupted

my sleep. 

I looked up at the

skylight to see the stars

which I couldn’t find. 

 

Odd that they had

been there the

night before. 

We have had decent weather

– though cold – the

skies have been clear. 

 

Until this morning. 

Thickest fog I have

ever seen since our

move to Oregon. 

I won’t be driving in this.

Not Exactly a Free For All

 

There was frost on

the ground and so

were the chickens. 

I don’t understand the draw. 

 

The roosters have

gotten brave enough

to approach us.

They will look at us

in the same manner as

Bonnie asking,

“Why don’t you feed me?”

 

At least Bonnie has an

excuse to look at us

that way. 

She has been placed

in our care after all.

 

The fowl are all trespassers. 

They are not our responsibility.

I have seen their owners

feed them but evidently we

have better grass, better

bugs, better vittles somehow.

 

The roosters have discovered

the bird seed carelessly

fallen to the ground

knocked over by greedy

birds eating from the bird feeder.

 

Roland thinks it is his

job to feed all of

the stray animals except

for the deer. 

The fowl are welcome

in our yard. 

The deer are not.

 

Right now we don’t

have anything that

the deer would be

interested in.

The fowl are

welcome to eat

all the bugs they want. 

 

The garden food is

for humans.

Other animals are

not to mess with

our garden.

The Temperature Has Dropped . . . Immensely

           My sister had posted a picture of the snow that fell upon the Salt Lake area.  We haven’t had snow.  We haven’t had much in the way of rain. 

          The sun teases us.  It seems to invite us to go outdoors to play.  After all, the skies are beautiful.  The trees are gorgeous with color.  It’s enticing – at least in the afternoon.

           Last month I was leaving the house at 7:00.  I would drive to the church to pick up Jenna.  I could see at 7:00 though it was more of a challenge to leave at that time by the end of the month.

           For most of this month I have not even been able to at 7:30.  I had made arrangements for someone else to bring her home.  Next month we set our clocks back.  Thus it will be even darker.

           The last three mornings brought freezing air – below freezing.  I’m okay with it.  True, I don’t like the biting cold.  But it is better than the scorching heat that we had.

           I wish it would remain a constant temperature all year long.  None of these high and lows that have been brought by Global Warming.   I want to enjoy the fresh moist air without feeling too hot or too cold.

The Pandemic Voters

When I was growing up in Midvale, Utah

I remember seeing grown-ups going to the

Elementary school to cast their vote in whatever

Poll.

I was in the sixth grade when Nixon ran against

McGovern.  I don’t know that I had paid much toward

Elections until that time.

I had the opportunity to vote the year that I graduated

High school. 

I’d gone to the elementary school where many

booths were set up.

We were in a different district than our

Neighbors across the street.

There were more booths available for their district

As they had three times as many candidates to vote for.

I have always lived in small districts which does

Have its perks I suppose.

 

The Presidential candidates at the time were Jimmy Carter

And Ronald Reagan.

I was on my Mission when Reagan ran against Dukakis.

I submitted an absentee ballot.

The last time I went to the polls was when Obama ran against

McCain. 

It had been predicted that there would be a large turn-out of

Voters and so in order to compensate long lines

Optional locations were provided for various districts to vote.

 

The location I was given was inconvenient to find – not just

For me but I would guess for a lot of people as

I did not have to wait in line and had heard comments that

“We haven’t had as many people as we had thought”  Well yeah.

Hard to vote if you can’t find the location you’re supposed to be voting at.

After that I signed up to “vote by mail” as it was/is an easier option.

Here in Oregon, we don’t have a choice.  The entire state votes by mail.

 

Citizens also have the option of voting early. 

There have been so many

Who have voted already. 

Probably more voting than any presidential election.

And there are still nine days left to vote!!

It has been announced that the results will not be counted

Or distributed until later in the week.

Yes.  I’ll believe that when it happens.

Right now I am skeptical.

I don’t want Trump in office anymore.

Why would they even allow it after trying to impeach the guy?

And having to pay all the taxes that he does?

And I am still blown over about some people I know who

Are Trump supporters.

Where is your head man?

I have friends who have always been devoted  

To the Republican party.

At least one has run for office under the Republican Party.

But not this year.

Let it be known that they do NOT support Trump

Even if it means losing face with the Republican party.

 

Once again you are NOT married to one party or the other

There is no binding contract.

Citizens are allowed to vote for who they want.

Or against who they don’t want.

A Frustration Many Share - Apparently Not Enough

                 I had heard that Portland was making all of their education virtual.  Other areas have had the option of returning to a brick and mortar school or continuing online.  There have been reported cases and temporary school closures. Are you kidding me?  Temporary? The announcement is as follows:  “              school will be closed today as one or more students have tested positive for the coronavirus.  The school will be closed tomorrow in order for a deep cleaning . . .”  Really?  The school is going to be closed so that disinfected and rid of all germs so that it will be safe to return the following day?  Give me a break!  One school was closed as it was understaffed and unable to find instructors.  Well, duh?  My concern about reopening schools has always been for the instructors as I had believed they’d be more targeted for the virus than would the kids. 

        I can't believe how many parents are sending their children to school.  Corona is not shy about who it targets.  It can affect all people of all ages.  Anyone can get it.  Even Trump.  Or so they say.  I had written a post about my skepticism but had removed the post temporarily when I learned he was in the hospital.  I returned it three days later when he magically emerged from the hospital and removed his mask because “he’s immune” – yes.  Because he’s a villain and the virus evidently does not work on villains. Rumor also has it that if he doesn’t win he plans to flee the country.  Oh, please.  Let that be true! But then again, who in the world would be nuts enough to allow him into their country?

            The media will give facts about COVID and advise to stay home – no large gatherings – even with family at Thanksgiving.  COVID outbreaks always happen after the holidays.  Oh, by the way the pumpkin patch is open if you and your family want to head on down.  What?  Did they just tell us to stay home and avoid crowds and are now inviting us out to an area that may be crowded? 

            Jenna will be crushed to have Halloween cancel this year.  We have been invited to a virtual Halloween.  I think we will have to do the same for Thanksgiving and Christmas.  Because it isn’t just about corona anymore.  The weather has turned and not everybody is dressed for it.  Cold and Flu season.  Militia and voting results.  Scary times.

May You Allow Inspiration to Guide You

A virtual stake conference was scheduled for Sunday.  Of course we couldn’t watch it at home as we had no internet.  Our options were to either miss church or watch the video at the church building. I think Roland was planning on working with connecting the internet as soon as it was warm enough, but I told him if he wanted to be blessed that he would have to go to Church with Jenna and me.

When we hold ward meetings each Sunday, the podium and microphone are wiped down between each speaker.  They did not do that at stake center in Roseburg (we did not go to Roseburg but watched the broadcast at the building in Myrtle Creek) and it was kind of freaking me out – especially since two of the stake presidency were quite moist with emotion.  I guess when you are on the stand behind the speaker you don’t notice what the speaker is doing or how he/she might be spreading germs around unintentionally.  I personally don’t enjoy sitting behind the speaker as I get more out of the talk when I can watch the person speaking.

I hadn’t grabbed my notebook when we headed out the door.  At first it felt too dark to even see what I was writing.  Jenna sang but I did not.  Even if I could have seen the words I have a dry cough from the fan being left on all night. It’s so awkward singing behind a mask at that.

One of the counselors shared a thought about ignoring inspiration is denying yourself privileges and blessings that God has intended for you.  I wish I could remember the exact quote, but I don’t.  It reminded me of a paragraph I had written down to give to the elders:

“Often we think that we want our lives to go a certain way – or perhaps it is expected of us.   Perhaps we acknowledge deity and ask for assistance to take us down the road of our desires.  God does provide us with assistance, often sending us tools that we may “grow” our own blessings. But often we don’t realize that what has been “planted” is not at all what we had asked for.  I have learned to trust my Father in Heaven’s guidance – even if it is in a direction I did not believe I wanted to go.  We can choose to follow in faith or we can be misguided by our own weakness or pride.  We can find tools that will help us on the path to eternal life or we can find paths that may lead us to destruction.”  from this post.

There was a couple who gave a talk together.  Their talk was about ministering. She talked about a sister who had been inspired to bring her dinner which triggered my own thoughts of receiving potatoes the year I was pregnant with Jenna (see here) and how touched I am about it still.

 There was another talk about prayer and specifically asking ourselves three things during the meditations: 

– what have I done today I shouldn’t have done –

 

What have I not done today that I should have?

 

What am I grateful for today

 

Jenna had heard that before but I don’t think I had.  If I did I didn’t commit it to memory – which by the way has not been that great. I left church feeling spiritually fed and wished it had been recorded so that I could watch it again.

After we returned home Jenna made lunch for all of us and I went outside with Roland who managed to make a temporary connection to the internet and so did not have to try and connect with the internet at the church.  Prayer works.

Finishing Saturday

          We had signed up to feed the missionaries for Saturday.  Roland had requested them to come at 4:00 but they said they could not come until 5:00 – which is their normal eating time.  We were doing another breakfast dinner but with a few changes – such as having waffles. Roland believed he could start the dinner at 3:00 and have it ready by 4:00.  I think with the amount of time he spent trying to repair the cable, he would just assume have not had to deal with the missionaries at all.  However the arrangements had already been made.

With the cable disconnected and his working to get it repaired, I started a countdown which I don’t think helped his mood at all.  I thought it would be nice if he showered before our breakfast dinner got started.  I ran over the list in my mind – eggs, waffles, sausage and bacon.  It seemed like there was something else but I could not figure it out otherwise I would have started the hash browns right away as they seem to take the longest to cook. But Roland had me start on the waffle batter while he was in the shower.

 Before I had even started my foot found some water which I slipped on.  I did the splits before falling onto my behind – which is not the only part of me now bruised.  My arm hit a spindle on the chair as I was falling down.  I think that hurt more than my butt.  Jenna was in a panic.

“MOM!  Are you okay?”

“No,” I was upset about how my day had gone.  I was on the floor crying and she offered a prayer that we would continue to get through the day and that we could keep focused on the positive.   was NOT a good day overall.  I suppose there were a few perks to it – like when Jenna offered a prayer that we would focus on the highlights and not allow the day to get us down.  I made the batter before Roland returned and Jenna started in on the waffles.

I then took my shower and returned to set up the chairs and food outside.  I was on eternal hold with the cable company when the elders arrived and Roland was still cooking dinner.  They had arrived early. Jenna took the dog outside and kept the missionaries company until Roland and I were able to join them.  I brought out the waffles and hash browns and told them to go ahead and bless the food and get started – which they did.

Meat still in the oven eventually made its way out and the eggs were still on the stove.  We brought the dog inside so that the Elders could enjoy their food without her lustful looks.

Roland made a temporary switch over to the local antenna.  I rolled my eyes as TV just isn’t that important to me.  It didn’t do anything for the internet.  Roland watched TV while I went into our room to type some thoughts for the missionaries as they had requested.