Beneath the Wraps

                I turned in my primary manual the week before Christmas.   It's been a while since I've taught Sunbeams though I have taught several classes in primary.   I remember having four different manuals that would rotate each year.   Apparently the sunbeam manual stays the same.   There are only three class names for the primary age children: Sunbeams, CTRs and Valiants.   The CTR classes are for 4 - 8 year olds and Valiants are from 9 until 12 when boys start attending Priesthood meetings and girls are put in Young Women.   When I had attended primary as a youth, each age group was given a separate name: Sunbeams, Stars, CTRs, Targeteers, Merrie Miss A and B, and Blazers.                      I don't know if I retrieved the sunbeam manual on Christmas Day or on New Years. ...

                I always thought I was unique about seeing faces in patterns or saying a certain vegetable or color that is not the same one that everybody else thinks of.   Jenna has watched a lot of "Brain Games" and as I have watched it with her, I have discovered that I fall into the norm.   What?!   I don't want to be normal.   I want to embrace my differentness.   What differentness?                 Last night Roland and I were watching 20/20 (found here and here ) in which Diane Sawyer interviewed a number of people and took us into a piece of their lives and I cried about the struggles of the average American working hard for so little - holding multiple jobs just to stay afloat.   And that is what most of us are doing - just staying afloat.         ...

            I don't know why, but my entire household was awake at 3:30 this morning.   Granted, there only three of us, but still . . .             After 6:00 pm last night, Roland continued nodding until he finally went to bed.   As usual, I fell asleep on the couch.   At 3:30 I got up and noticed the television light was on from the bedroom.   I got in bed with Roland and asked why he was up.   Apparently, he had been awake since 2:00.   And then I could hear Jenna stirring.             Roland went into his office while I attempted to fall back asleep.   It wasn't working and so I got up and signed in on my computer.   Roland's computer meanwhile had shut down and he hasn't been able to get it to come back up, thus he is not even at work today.   He called the sch...

                The 10th was "houseplant appreciation day" - initially Jenna and I had decided to purchase a plant and take it to our local pharmacist today in honor of "national pharmacist day" but as we are limited on funds this month, I decided to spotlight a specific pharmacist instead.   Unfortunately, I don't have the biographical account that I had hoped for.                 If indeed I have the right Clyde Meadows was born on May 26, 1936 in Salt Lake City.   He graduated from the University of Utah (though I don't know what year) He lived on Coronet Dr. in Holladay as of 1981 and worked at a pharmacy in Murray, Utah.                    Fashion Place did not open until 1972 but I believe Skaggs was there on the corner of State...

                I didn't see snow on the mountains this morning, but the snow came down hard this afternoon.   It didn't stick.   Western Oregon is calling this a "harsh winter"   What we've had thus far has accounted for a rather mild winter according to Utah standards.   I have read so many complaints about the snow and health problems in Utah - even here in Oregon.   I've had a stupid cough, but I don't have the sinus infection that I'm certain would have returned several times even though I would go to the doctor for my z pack if I were living or even just visiting in Salt Lake right now.   I haven't actually been to a doctor in Oregon since September of last year.                 I guess because I had heard snowfall was/is rare in this part of Oregon, I have taken several pictures . . . and yet I w...

We don't have argyle sweaters for which we wear on walks No argyle ties to speak of and we don't have argyle socks It's said that argyle day started with a tribute to the Scottish fare though I do have ancestors from Scotland I have actually never been there I may not have ancestors from the Clan Campbell but perhaps they wore argyle kilts and perhaps carried argyle umbrellas and snuggled in argyle quilts Thus we celebrate argyle day still no sweater or socks to wear so we made an argyle card and I made this lame poem to share. For more  ideas for Argyle day, see here

          Yesterday I received a phone recording to inform me that school had been canceled.   Outside there was more snow than we had seen since arriving in Douglas County - not enough to close schools in Utah.   I remember taking Jenna to school when the snow was higher than she was - though I'm sure even Salt Lake would consider closing if the snow were actually as tall as she is now.           Northern Utah is equipped with salt and bulldozers and snowplows, etc.   It's actually routine.   And the schools calendars account for snow days.   The citizens don't encounter the harsh weather in this part of Oregon - or so we've been told.   Bus drivers already have the challenge of a narrow and windy road with drops on either side.   They haven't been trained to deal with the elements of slick roads due to snow and ice.      ...

                Jenna is supposed to return to school this morning.   Thus far the buses have been delayed for two hours because of the frozen roads.   Last time I got the same message (over a year ago) school ended up being canceled altogether.   It's hard being off for two weeks and try to go back to a routine - at least for me.   Roland didn't seem to have a problem with it, and Jenna has been ready to return to school since before her vacation was over.   She was dressed and ready to leave the house since 5:30 this morning.                 I checked on my class just once yesterday.   I decided to save the lectures and posting for today.   I planned to do so just after she left the house, which she hasn't done yet and may not depending on the conditions on the road.   I'm afraid she may f...