Perhaps It Is Just an Outdated Word?

 

I often come across clues for the word nee

when I am doing crossword puzzles.

I remember learning this word as a youth. 

My mom had explained it to me and for some reason

it has stuck with me all these years. 

I don’t know why. 

I have never used the word in conversation

nor do I remember her using the word in a sentence

but I will write the three letter word

whenever I come across the sometimes obscure hint

and Roland will ask what it is. 

I don’t know why it stuck. 

I don’t know anyone outside of the puzzle creators that use that word. 

I don’t know if they use it in conversations. 

How bizarre!

Cold to Freezing

 It is colder outside than 

I remember it being the entire 

time we've lived in Oregon.  

I have even been sleeping with 

blankets which is highly unusual. 

I don't use blankets all too often 

except around my feet.  

Jenna has school for the next two days 

but will not be attending seminary at all.  

The students who attend the local high 

school are off for the week and 

thus is seminary.  

She wants things to return to normal.  

Most people do.  

We have an upcoming holiday in the U.S. 

It is called Thanksgiving.

There are many people who will 

spend the holiday with extended 

family members to eat a traditional 

meal that many include turkey, 

sweet potatoes, 

cranberry sauce and 

pumpkin pie among many 

other side dishes.  

Our governor has asked us to limit 

Thanksgiving to only six people this year.  

Though not everyone in the state 

will honor that suggestion, we will.  

There will just be the three of us.  

We won't be having our 

traditional Thanksgiving meal.  

Jenna would like pizza. 

Why not?

That Was Refreshing!

 

                President Nelson created a video (here) which many have watched and have accepted the challenge. Facebook was flooded with posts of gratitude.  How wonderful that was to read such positiveness on the home page rather than backlashing, politics, the virus, etc.  Many of the posts were written by people from my past – some who have not been on facebook for years, some of which I had no idea I was even friends with.  How great it was to connect with gratitude.

        I had started this month posting the 30 days of gratitude creating some new thankful favorites and perhaps duplicating what I had posted last year (here) but will not make a comparison until later on.

        Jenna tried to accept the challenge but may be feeling as grateful as Corrie ten Boom had been for fleas (see here) and had written:

         “I wish I could be one of those girls who could hug [her] bear and take a nap and everything will be better but no, I’m not that type of a girl and will destroy anything when I’m upset GIVE ME SOMETHING TO PUNCH!!! But that’s not what the prophet wants.  He wants us to be grateful so I’ll mourn on that.

        “I’m grateful I take online courses I absolutely hate. . . socializing has become super hard but I do enjoy being able to manage my homework and classes at my own speed rather than 8 hours of strai[gh]t 45 minute lectures.

        “I’m grateful for social media specifically tik tok. Say what you want about the gover[n]ment being after us and that kids spend way too much time making these videos.  I’ve made friends on tik tok and it help[ed] kept me s[ane].

        “I’m grateful fo Bonnie.  She’s not my dog but I always say that she is.  Bonnie is always wagging her tail and is such a sweet dog to be around. . . “

         She did include a few more things, but ended up deleting the post.  I am grateful I took a screenshot of it before she took it down.

        She did not add the hash tag #givethanks as so many others have as we were encouraged to do.  I get annoyed with the hashtag.  I never understood why it gets used.

         I hope that my gratitude may show 365 days of the year and not just in November or around the Christmas holiday.  Aside from too much complaining I have been looking for reasons to be grateful during this pandemic.  I am so grateful for many who have come on board.

What Is Up With Bruce?

 

         Bruce is not the only rooster who crows or comes into our yard.  I don’t know how many there are or why they crow.  Perhaps they are boasting about planting seed in their harem of hens.  I know they don’t get returning to standard  after six months of daylight.  But still.  That accounts for only one hour difference.  Not five or seven.  Half past midnight I hear the annoying cock-a-doodle and can’t figure out why.  It’s raining.  Is Bruce complaining because his feathers are wet?  Dude.  Take a chill pill and find some shelter.  Don’t just stand in it and complain your lack of understanding why there is moisture falling on you.  I can’t sleep with your built in alarm.

          I got up to relieve myself and checked the clock before I returned to bed.  That is how know it was half past midnight.  When Bruce finally stopped complaining or boasting or whatever it was he was crowing about, I could hear Bonnie snoring loudly in the hall.  She used to sleep in Jenna’s room.  Jenna had even built a temporary door that Bonnie could use to freely come and go without upsetting Jenna’s privacy too much. 

 

Jenna always ends up on the couch.  Even before we started watching Bonnie.  Bonnie has camped outside mine and Roland’s door for the last two weeks.  Her snore is quite loud.

          Roland generally does not snore unless he has a cold – which he has had for almost three weeks now.  Not a terrible cold.  Enter-the-night-when-first-lie-down-to-phlegm-filled-mornings kind of cold.  But eventually clears until it’s time  for bed again.  I told him he could take care of the drainage by sitting up, but he claims he can’t sleep that way.  Sure he can.  I’ve seen him sleeping while planted in front of the TV.  I have also seen him nod off at church.  Pews are not made of comfortable sleeping material. 

          I don’t know that Roland’s snore is louder than Bonnie’s but he is closer so it seems like it is.  I can’t complain because in this marriage Roland rarely snores.  I have been the guilty party.  But everyone agrees that Bonnie has a louder snore.  She evidently also gives off a stench that I am grateful that I cannot smell.

          Back to Bruce who still brings his harem and turkey friend into our yard hoping to get a quick fix of whatever Roland and Jenna should throw their way. They used to run from us whenever we would walk in their direction – though none of them have ever been the target of what we’re after.  Now they’ve gotten gutsy walking up to our porch as if it is their personal domain.  Jenna has captured several pictures of the fowl invaders.

 
          The rain has not kept them away.  And it has rained a lot.  Right this very minute the sun is peaking through.  There are birds in our yard but not as many as in our neighbor’s yard.  They even come out in the rain and approach the porch when they hear someone coming.  Perhaps Bruce 1, 2 and 3 aren’t crowing about the elements at all.  Perhaps they are beggars saying,

          “I have seen all three of you come out of your house now and I just want you to know that I am hungry.  You fed me once which leads me to believe that it is your job to feed me whenever I darn well feel the need.  And if you don’t feed me I will stand here all day and yell at you and make your lives miserable.  So if you don’t want us to crow, send an endless supply of food.”

 The nerve!

Statistics

         Currently there have been over 57,600 recorded cases in Oregon and over 700 deaths due to the cornavirus disease.  

As of this week Douglas County makes up for 862 cases with 10 deaths.  Douglas County is 5,134 square miles with a population of just over 112,000. The largest city within the county is Roseburg with the geographic size of 10.93 mi² (whatever that means . . . math) with a population of almost 24,000.  

Douglas County is considered to be a part of the Red zone. As of tomorrow to at least January 22 all students attending Roseburg schools will have to do so online except for K-3.  Apparently they are to remain in school until the authorities learn that it was probably never a good idea to do that in the first place. I don’t know about the other surrounding cities, but the two school districts within the area in which I live seem to be in full operation right now and will continue . . . or so is the plan.  I think they should keep it safe by following along what Roseburg is doing instead of chancing that things my get work – which I expect they will.  Students get sick at this time of the year without COVID.  And then there’s Thanksgiving coming up. Seminary is still going.  All in person learning as far as I can tell.

2020 may have cancelled a lot in the way of holidays, birthdays, graduations, and other events.  LOTS of events missed or celebrated virtually, dates moved around  - for example my cousin celebrated Thanksgiving outdoors – spaced out tables.  They had the event on a really nice day in October.  I believe there’s snow on the ground right now where she is.  We have rain her.  Lots of heavy rain.  Falling. 

Jenna took this picture from I5

Bonnie doesn’t like the rain.  She mopes around longing to bask in the sun.  We’ll give her a bone toy for her to chew and entertain her.  It’s her mama’s birthday today.  We haven’t seen her since she went to Salem over two months ago.  I bet she’s missing Bonnie. 

What an odd century 2020 has been.  Brought out a lot of creativity with some.  For that I am grateful.

I'm COLD

 

I had resided in three

different houses when I lived

in Utah.

Each of them provided

gas furnaces as a source

of heat. 

The heat source in Oregon

has been electric – which

tends to dry me out more than the gas

ever did. 

I don’t particularly care for electric heat

and have felt overly hot each year

except for this one. 

But it is 2020 – why

should anything about

this year decade feel normal? 

I have worn my long sleeve

pajama tops and used the

covers for the last two weeks. 

Highly unusual

– for me.

Cold, Wet, and Two Week Order

 

Yesterday was cold and wet

Bonnie does not like the moisture

as it falls from the sky. 

She spent most of the day sleeping

except for when we took her to the vets. 

 

The governor has issued another

“Stay at home order”. 

It starts on Wednesday and will go

until December second.

Restaurants and bars or for takeout or delivery only

Which, in my opinion, is how it should have been all along.

 

Currently barbers, hair salons, and outdoor recreation are allowed

along with youth programs, childcare, K-12 schools?????

Really?  We’re going to eliminate social gathering activity to 6 people and church maximum at 25 people but it is okay to have contact sports and hold schools with hundreds of children.  What????

I don't see hair salons and barbers as an essential.

Jenna and I haven't had our hair cut since January.  

Roland asked me to cut his.

My hair hasn't necessarily grown longer - but definitely thicker 

and Jenna looks like a wild woman with all her thick hair.

 

Do not spend Thanksgiving with extended family –

but it is highly probable that some people will. 

Enough people to expose their kids

who will return to the schools and spread the disease. 

And then we will have to shut everything down . . . again.

When will this nation learn? 

 

It’s wet and cold outside. 

I’m staying home not only to stay safe

but also to keep warm.