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.