Golden Dox

               This morning I took Bonnie for a longer walk than usual – or rather she walked me.  I don’t know why she thinks she has to move at freeway speed.  I know it isn’t comfortable for her to have her collar choking her as I am leaning against the leash trying to slow her down.  She never learns.  For the most part she has pulled either me or Jenna along. 

          I don’t know what triggered my memory of Houdini or entering him in the pet contest at Cinco de Mayo celebration that Kearns does every year – or at least each year we had lived there.  We had this hairy dog who loved his boys and would often “escape” to look for them – sometimes ending up at the elementary school or pound. 

          There were several categories in which we could have entered Houdini.  He would have blown all other dogs out of the water if we had remembered his toys.  Houdini could catch darts in his mouth, bounce a basketball off his nose, and of course, fetch.  Since we didn’t have a ball or other object to use we had entered him in “The most fluffy” category.  I think he took second.

          There had been a category for most “unique” or something to that effect.  A little girl had entered her dog as not many people have ever seen anything like it.  I know I hadn’t.  I wouldn’t consider it ugly necessarily but certainly not beautiful - as a whole.  His head was beautiful.  It just didn't seem to match his body - at all. His head was that of a golden retriever while his body was that of a dachshund – as though Dr. Frankenstien had sewn the two together.  The oddest part was that his head seemed to be the same exact size as the rest of his body. 

          It didn’t matter how oddly shaped he was or that he wasn’t the most sought after pet among all that were there, the little girl loved him unconditionally.  He was her friend.  It didn’t matter if others thought he looked flawed.  In her eyes he was beautiful and she was overly grateful to have him in her life.

          It reminds me of a talk I heard at sacrament.  Given by Brother Brown.  We have several Brother Browns in our ward.  Each seem to shed a stream of tears before he even make it to the pulpit.  He talked about a statue he’d seen recently – someone’s interpretation of how Jesus must have looked after he had been lifted off the cross.  Bro. Brown said the image was of one who had been weakened and appeared to be in despair – not at all beautiful.  Not someone others would follow. 

          As he stood and gazed at the statue and allowed emotions to take over, he thought about unconditional love and what it means.  We need to love others regardless of their backgrounds or misshapen pasts.  We need to love others we may not agree with.  We must love them regardless of the choices they make.  It was a really good meeting.  I wish I had that kind of love, but I know that I don’t.  It is something that I need to work on.

May the Fleas of a Thousand Camels Infest Your Armpits!

               I HATE  scams.  I hate that criminals are preying on the weakness of others.  I keep an email account open just for junk – it’s not an account I have used often but some businesses require an email and so I give them one.  It would take me forever to wade through it if I thought there was anything serious about any of them that I would take the time to look more closely rather than scan, but since the holidays I’ve just been deleting without looking – which is kind of sad but definitely faster.

              It used to be that I could click on all in one sweep just by checking the junk box and all would be checked.  But they won’t all delete if there are red flags.  Those I have to do separately.  I get scams from hackers claiming to be Lowes, Paypal, Bank of America, Home Depot .  . .  mostly Lowes.  I have to scroll through to mark off each red flag and delete them separately from the normal junk.  QUIT LYING TO ME ALREADY!!!   It’s bad enough I have so many unwanted advertisements – let’s not throw scams on top!  ARRRRGGGG!!! 

 

 

 

 

Taking Precautions

               The last three times I was with Roland when he had driven to the VA it seemed like a big ordeal.  Instead of going the usual way which leads directly to the hospital, the back roads were required in order to keep all traffic moving in one direction  - only one way in and one way out.  

Along the way we would see masked workers who would come up to the car, ask questions, take temperatures – I think they may have even offered testing but I’m not sure. 

 

https://kcby.com/news/local/roseburg-va-health-care-system-holds-veteran-influenza-clinics

You had to be healthy to get a pink slip (see here) which was the ticket into the hospital.  If you were not healthy, no pink slip for you!  I’m at a hospital . . . that’s where sick people come to be treated.  Isn’t it?

          Yesterday we learned we could have gone in the normal route as we saw no workers – health workers that is.  We did see construction workers and orange polycones and signs.  Lots of detouring and a roundabout drive more than what has been expected since COVID. 

          Normally I just stay in the car and work my puzzles while Roland goes for whatever visit he is there for.  Yesterday it was his eyes.  I should have had him roll down a window as it was hot in the car and I was getting a glare – but he had the keys and I did not.  About ten minutes and two puzzles later Roland called to tell me that I could come into the building.  He did not tell me that there was a screening set up inside.

          I put on a paper mask – and it turned out to be a good thing that I had selected paper as cloth masks are now discouraged.  I was asked first what had brought me there.  I said my husband had called me to come be with him.  I was asked to look at a list of symptoms and report if I had any of them.  I said no.  I was asked if I had been around someone who might be sick.  I said my husband.  I was given a green ticket.  I don’t know if colors really mean anything or not. 

          This area is normally empty as pictured, but all the chairs were full when I entered.  It was the only part of the hospital that I saw people.  

The VA hospital always appears as a ghost town to me – like it was abandoned by all life except maybe the janitor because it is clean. 

      

  I sat down in the waiting area where Roland had his appointment.  A veteran sat caddy cornered from me and pulled down his mask and half yelled that he can't always wear it because he has asthma and the mask makes it hard to breathe.  A worker walked through a door and turned on the TV and said he was sorry it was not already on.  The maskless vet asks if he could turn the TV to the Hallmark channel.  I smiled behind my mask.  First of all, I don't think that the Hallmark channel is available at the VA.  Secondly, it didn't seem like something he would ask for but really was refreshing from anything sports.

        His cell phone went off.  I was amused that he had set his ring tone to Golden Girls' theme "Thank You for Being a Friend"

           I posted these three pictures to my facebook page.  

We had seen these on Saturday when we had gone to Roseburg so that we could get a booster shot for Jenna.  The caption of my post was “History in the Making” as there was a convoy of National Guard who was called in to assist with the high volume of COVID cases currently in the state of Oregon.

It’s Backwards – Welcome to My Laundry Room

               Often when we have been out walking Bonnie we will generally walk the same four streets.  Occasionally, we will allow her to lead.  She likes to go up where the new houses are being built.  Some are stick houses and some are manufactured – like this one.  

          It was in the street for a while as the equipment that was supposed to move it went out of commission – I don’t remember how long it had been in the street before it was moved – unfortunately with the front facing the backside (maybe a yard though that part doesn’t appear to be promising right now) and the backside facing the street.   

          It is understandable why they did it that way.  Not totally, but the mistake may have been in the awning.  After all there is an arch over the backdoor and two lamps at what should be the front.  Big windows – living room.  That is where the front door should lead, right?  But all that is visible to the neighbors below – not that either view is rather spectacular.  The home owner has a view of houses either way.  No checking out the living room window to see who might be in the driveway though.

          The way the house sets right now may have one saying, “Welcome to my house.  Here is the laundry room – right next to the door – just in case you would like to remove your clothes and come into the kitchen . . .”

          Roland and I had actually looked at a house that was closer to the high school.  It was turned around so that we had entered the back – oh, and there are my appliances right next to the door.  Hello.  Oh, if it’s spaciousness you want, continue to the back of the house which is really the front.  You will have a view of a rock from your living room.  What the heck?  Roland didn’t want to move there because the house was backwards.  I didn’t want to move there because of the shared driveway.  That can get annoying when the neighbors seem to have more vehicles than drivers.

          I think all housing came to a halt when it snowed followed by rain. There have been several popping up and mailboxes going in.  Thus far the mailboxes haven’t been assigned numbers. Further up the road is an unfinished stick house.  The roof had been outlined but not completed.  Must have been murder on those building the house, but from mine and Jenna’s point of view it appeared as a gingerbread house the way the snow covered the beams. 

          Weather has warmed up enough for the crew to fix the damage and continue with their work.  But I still think the other house should be turned around.

Wearing Me Down

 

              It seems that Roland has had a cold each year – usually as a way to start off the New Year.  Each cold seems to linger longer than the last.  This year could be different with all the COVID related illnesses going on.  We haven’t been checked.  According to the news the last batch of testing kits may not be providing correct results anyway.  I think it’s just a cold.

          Every time he gets a cold he senses drafts that really aren’t there.  He is always wearing thermals and wrapped in blankets.  I, of course, am hotter than normal.  We are generally in two different rooms so that each of us can experience a temperature that is unlike that of the other. 

          I fortunately do not have his hacking cough – though I have had a dustball type cough on occasion – nothing as proficient as his.  I have started in with a runny nose.  I’ve experienced aches and pains. And even weirder that . . . I haven’t had a period for over eight years now and it seems to be making a comeback.  Are you kidding me?  I’m almost sixty.  Let’s lose this menstrual pain and blood already.  What the hey? Time to make a doctor’s appointment.  Find out what is going on. 

          AHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!

Really? I Have to Make an Appointment Now?

               The first time that Roland and I went for a vaccination shot we had to make an appointment as I recall.  We parked in a parking lot and went through a tented area and were led to separate rooms to fill out paper work and receive a shot – which I never felt at the time it was given.  My arm felt a bit bruised the next day, but really not a big deal.

          When we had gone to get our second shot I don’t think there was a designated time.  We drove through the parking lot and the health guides came out to us and gave us our second shot. 

          Jenna was not old enough to qualify for the moderna which Roland and I had received.  When Pfizer came out with a vaccination for those 12-18 we took Jenna to the fairgrounds to get her first vaccination and returned less than a month later to get her second shot.

          We all believed that we were fully vaccinated.  We didn’t think we would get COVID.  Then there was a scare at the theatre and everybody in the cast and their family members were all tested.  Once again, we just drove through to get tested.  I thought it hurt – like the health worker was jamming the stick up my nose.  She wasn’t.  But that’s how it felt.  More pain that the quick prick of the vaccination. 

          But then came Delta and now Omicron.  It was suggested that vaccinated people get a booster.  Roland and I drove to the Casino.  There was no line.  We received our booster within minutes.  We hadn’t taken Jenna but she currently has an appointment to get a booster with the Pfizer.  Meanwhile, we think that we all need to be tested – probably before she receives the booster? 

          I understand that we have to schedule an appointment.  Thus far I have not had success in getting us scheduled.

New Years Day

           I remember taking down the tree on New Year’s Day each year.  It became tradition I would suppose for many families.  And gosh, darn, I will definitely miss the lights and decorations that had popped up in so many yards even before Thanksgiving.  The Myrtle Creek – Tri City area is always so dark.  It is nice to have the Christmas lights to remove some of the darkness.

          On New Year’s Day this year I read a couple of thoughts which helped ease the pain of this tradition that I have come to hate.  David Butler has a facebook page in which he shares uplifting thoughts.  On New Year’s Day he compared taking down the tree to the first Christmas – perhaps a week after the fact – when Joseph and Mary had to leave the manger and move on.  They could not stay where they were nor could they take the manger with them.  And why would they want to?  It wasn’t really a bed – a crib fit for a king.  And yet that is what it became.  The manger is a symbol.  The tree is a symbol.  Decorations.  They all have symbolic meaning.  And just because they are removed visually  does not mean we can’t still continue to hold them in our hearts.

          Meanwhile Corey has started a new blog.  Unlike his first blog in which he wished to remain unknown he uses his actual first name.  His goal is to provide uplifting messages.  I am certain he will be successful at it.  He mostly always lifts me up.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Candlepower

         He and Joh happened to be married on New Year’s Day. In his post he comments on spending their anniversary together and inviting another to attend a concert with them.  In his post he makes the comment that some think it is odd that they would invite another to celebrate their anniversary. His response “ . . .  seeing his eyes light up and seeing his spirit lifted is very joyous to us, and shouldn't that be what life is about--lifting others and making them feel good?”

          I admire my brother and so many others as David Butler and Emily Freeman for sharing their light. Thus even in darkness we can carry a light in our hearts.  May I keep that in mind with every new year I start by taking down the tree.

Jumping Out the Old and into the New

          Roland had agreed to pick up a friend of Jenna’s in Winston and take them both to the stake dance.  We allowed ourselves to agree to stay to chaperone.  It was fun watching the kids dance – or jump rather.  To every song!  I may have had the energy to do that when I was a youth but not now.  I can’t even go four minutes of jumping – let alone four and a half hours.  I hope that all of the youth may continue with that energy and never lose it.

         The last two weeks of December felt bleak.  It snowed after Christmas.  We had purchased sensor system last year so that we could be alerted to any packages or company that might drop by.  It is solar powered – needless to say we haven’t had many days of warning during those last two weeks of December.

         Currently the sun is shining.  The snow is mostly melted. What an awesome way to start the New Year.  May 2022 be more favorable than the last two.  At least 2021 didn’t feel nearly as long as the decade we call 2020.

Game Night to end 2021

 We had a game night with a two couples we have played with before.  We introduced them to “Virus” which tends to go faster when only two or three are playing as opposed to seven. 

There were some who got bored with the game and started using vaccination cards to assist other players who looked close to winning.  The one who finally won is the one who had come close to winning two times prior.  I’m glad he won.

              We played a second game called Five Crowns. 

              That turned out to be a long game too.  Roland has decided that we should order it for us – probably because he won the game without even trying.

              I LOVE playing games!  Well, many games.  Rummykub which we have all played before.  Roland didn’t want to overstay our welcome and we left after the two games as we had been playing games for two and a half hours.  Both Jenna and I could have played longer.  Perhaps some other time.

I Write For Me

           So often I will write down my thoughts as I ponder over the scriptures.  I write them down in hopes I will remember.  Sloppy cursive that I can’t always read.  I certainly don’t expect anybody else will. 

          Sometimes I jot down ideas when the computer isn’t available.  I plan to transfer my thoughts into something legible.  I still have many ideas stored in a folder for blogging reference.  Most of the time it gets ignored or else I move on from whatever thought I had.

          December 17 for instance.  I had looked up articles featuring Tik Tok and the disturbances it can cause.  It’s said that a fourteen-year-old was arrested for his part in upsetting the school systems and law enforcement who assisted with the safety of the students throughout the nation.  Two weeks later I still haven’t put it all together.

          I write for me.  If someone else can feel something because of my words – that is just a bonus.

Church is Cancelled Today

 Our bishop and second counselor are out of town.  The first counselor lives over an hour away - on good days.  Today would put him anywhere between 2 or 3 hours at best.  His house is probably buried beneath the snow along with any path that might lead to the off off grid property.

Here's how it looks in my neck of the woods - which really is a storm by western Oregon standards but seems an average day to someone born and raised in the Salt Lake area:

Christmas 2021

               We had signed up to feed the missionaries at 4:00.  We watched “An American Christmas Carol” and Jenna and I took Bonnie for a walk.  I think we talked with all three boys before Roland started dinner.

          Jenna says it’s tradition that we always have a breakfast meal for our Christmas Eve dinner.  So guess what the elders got? It wasn’t the traditional breakfast that we normally have.  Roland started cooking the meal just after 3:00.  Our meal consisted of steak, eggs, cornbread and hash browns with bacon.

Three elders arrived shortly before 4:00.  We put Bonnie in my room and fed the elders in the back room where we have the tree. Jenna does not like steak and could have made a meal out of corn bread alone. I think she had at least four pieces.

After the elders left we watched “Encanto” – well, Jenna did.  Roland and I watched part of it and fell asleep during most of it.  Shortly after 5:00 Jenna announced that she’d be going in her room.  Still tired, I asked Roland if he thought it was too soon for me to fill stockings and place the rest of the gifts under the tree. 

Jenna knocked on our door at 5:00 a.m. the next morning and told us that Christmas had officially started as she believes our waking up at 5:00 is also family tradition.  I guess it is, but then so is going back to bed after all gifts have been open – at least for the older folks.  But only Roland went back to bed and I fixed a light breakfast as I didn’t want only candy.

Jenna and I had learned to play a new game which Roland had received from Tony and Rochelle’s family.  It was fun.  We took Bonnie for a walk.  We each wore Santa caps and I wore a new outfit that I had received for Christmas and she was dressed as an elf. Jenna pointed out the snow capped hills behind the clouds that surrounded their base.  The rain has washed it out since our walk. 

At 4:00 Roland started getting hungry and we had our simple dinner of sausage and cheese.  Another tradition as of Christmas 2018 (see here).