Making Progress

             The service team came on Wednesday and remained for a good part of the day.  They came on Thursday but did not stay as long.  An electrician came on Friday and added electric tape to chewed area - Roland could have done that - and there wouldn't be a bill . . .

            Jenna and I went to the laundry mat yesterday.   I knew I'd need to do laundry before Wednesday but have a commitment to the library on Monday and as Tuesday is a holiday and the laundry mat may be closed, I decided it needed to be done yesterday.

          Roland stayed to water plants and other gardening.  We gave Jenna a choice and she went to do laundry with me.  I'm happy that she made that choice as I had forgotten the detergent, and later realized I did not have enough change in quarters and so went across the street and wrote a check for twenty dollars over my canned good purchase (I had felt obligated to purchase something.

           Jenna is a great folder.  She really was a tremendous help.  After we returned home, she to Roseburg with Roland.  I put clothes away and made our bed without the extra blanket.  Neither Roland nor I have slept well because it's been hotter in the house than it has been outside - even he has had the covers off from time to time.    

           Roland had opened the front door and had the fan going into the house and another sending cool air into the hall - which was fine for about an hour after we returned.  At 5:00, it started to get to warm.  Roland had already blocked the back room - if you would call it that.  I don't think it's large enough to define as a room.  More like entry-way space really.

            We decided to try the air conditioner.  Two seconds after I shut the front door (literally) there came a knock.  How could anyone possibly be that close to the door and I had not seen him?  He had come to take another reading.  He said the area had dried in the back and removed the fans and other device that been hooked up for the last four days.  He'll be back tonight to recheck Jenna's room and hopefully will be able to take away as well.

            She still won't be able to move in right away.  I don't think she realizes that drying out the moisture is only one step in the process.  She's expecting that they'll have her boxes (boxed up room) returned the minute the fans are pulled out from her room.  They won't be.  The hole in the wall still needs to be repaired.

           I'd love it if Jenna would be responsible enough to go through each box item by item and discard what she doesn't need.  I could do homework while she is going through boxes.  Realistically I will have to go through them with her - reminding her the less items she keeps, the easier it will be to maintain her room.

            After two nights of sweating and not sleeping, I slept with the air conditioner on last night and the switch hadn't tripped!  I had forgotten I had moved the extra blanket.  Roland said that he had been cold last night.  He probably didn't sleep as well as I.

            I have to prepare a lesson to teach the CTRs.  I was teach teaming with Valiants, but the CTR teacher is out of town currently - and so are half the primary children.  I've started many a post of my position in primary but have not completed - there are actually many thoughts in the works that never get posted.  Somehow they no longer seem important enough to post.

             

Learning Excel

When I was working at Swire Coca Cola

Roland and I felt I should be staying home
with the boys.
In February, I said I would be leaving in April
My last day would be April 15th.

In March I was asked to take a class in

Excel.  It didn't seem to matter that I
was leaving. 
It was a fun class - different program than what
I had at home, but I could adjust.
It was nice.

I was grateful that I had been given that opportunity

and keep notebook as well.
though there were many things I learned
that I would never use personally
there seemed to be some that would benefit me
at the time.

Now I am taking an Excel class
again.
I am floored at how much information
can be created in
Excel. 
We are barely just touching surface with
this class.

It is fun to learn and create.

Next week will be my last week for 
these two accounting classes and 
then I will be starting something new

No Room For Jenna

            Have you ever felt inconvenienced by a situation, but later on down the road, you realize that inconvenience was/is a blessing?  It’s even more awesome when you can recognize the blessings in the process of being inconvenienced.  I can see the blessings;  Jenna sees the inconveniences that become more inconvenient to her with each passing minute.

            I noticed when I mopped the floor in the back room, there was a nasty splotch that wouldn't remove - a stain I hadn't noticed before (I'm actually not all that observant) nor had I noticed the floor had gotten softer.  I had just chalked that up my own aging and slowing down.  It seems like each time I did laundry, moisture would leak out between the walls and the floor.  Oh . . . . that is not good.

             Roland contacted our insurance company to find out just what is covered.  On Wednesday, they sent out a team (I think there were a total of seven that had come and gone throughout the day - mostly grouped together.  I think I counted only six at one time) and had taken a picture of the floor while the washer and dryer were still intact, but it is my only picture of the floor before it was ripped out and the back door has been off limits ever since..

            One of the lucky souls had the opportunity of crawling under the house to look for beneath damage.  He brought out the mummy remains of a cat.  He said it wasn't bad.  Surprised that ivy continued growing underneath.  Those viney plants are like weeds.  They are forever growing.

             We had told Jenna to clean her room before they arrived.  We are always telling Jenna to clean her room.  Now it is off limits  – but not like the back room is.  There is a hole in her wall and a fan on the floor.  On Wednesday  a worker packed 21 boxes filled with items from Jenna’s dressers and under her bed.  Those items included shorts that she hadn’t bothered to put away.  Too bad.

            It felt like there were 15 people in the house yesterday – removing items from her walls, dresser drawers, they removed her bed and dressers.  Most of her room is now in a storage facility in Winston.  It seems weird that I had mentioned the government invasion from E. T. and then we have a company come into our home to "set up shop".  We have seen more people coming in and out of our house in the last two days than there have been in the entire time we’ve lived here.  They all seem like young kids – the same age as my boys.  All working together.  All skilled in different areas.  It’s actually kind of impressive.

            Initially we had called a plumber – who still hasn’t gotten back to us.  And then Roland called the insurance company and they sent out the crew who tore up the floor and are drying out the mold.  Roland had always said that Jenna’s room smelled bad.  I can’t smell.  Even now with the open walls and floor and the fans set up in Jenna’s room and the laundry room.  Our house looks like it did when we first moved in.

            But instead of drawers on the back porch,  there are five with Jenna’s clothes inside our tub and a suitcase in the bathroom and she is sleeping on the couch thinking about things she might need from her room – knowing exactly where they are – or were.  Only a fan and the carpet padding.  No furniture.  The stuffed animals were left in her closet and two items remain on her wall.  That’s it.

            We did lose power in the back half of the house twice now.  It’s happened before – but usually it’s been the front of the house that’s gone out.  I wonder if the fans are on generators. 

So what are the blessings?

            We aren’t out of town.  We had already changed our plans for August.  The work may not be done by then.  We had our hottest day on Saturday.  Wednesday was at least 40 degrees cooler.  40 degrees!  The cool breeze was nice as we have been unable to use the air conditioner – perhaps all summer. 

           I didn't notice any unbearable heat until last night.  The temperature says 59 degrees outside right now, but there is not breeze.  It's quite hot in our room.  If I try running the air conditioner, it will just trip the switch again.  I am sweating like I have just run a marathon. 

         The water damage could have been so much worse.  It's the dry season right now and that will help our house to dry quicker.  I’m hoping this will be a major teaching moment for Jenna.  I’m not even worried about the finances right now.  Also a blessing.

If Dead is the Look they were Going For, They have Succeeded

          Though I have had a small hand and say in making funeral arrangements, I have not had the opportunity of having to find a mortuary nor have considered every financial expect.  Before either of my parents had passed, there needed to be a record of what funeral home to contact should they expire.  My dad lived out his final days at Cottonwood Hospital in Murray, Utah.  Ironically, he had also been born there (or so I was told) but at that time it had been called Cottonwood Maternity Ward and wasn't the full blown hospital where he had died.     

          Mom had used a local mortuary as a contact I’m guessing because it was familiar territory as it had been used by other members of our ward.  Before mom passed, Corey had made arrangements for Premier Funeral – though none of us had heard of it before, it really does seem the most economical way to go. 

          Premier doesn’t offer a chapel or a show room in which members can walk around and look at caskets.  They offer a catalogue – which I suppose doesn’t go over well with some people, but Corey and I were fine with it.  Premier has a lot to offer – for one thing the body is embalmed right away – at least where it is possible. (autopsy would be an exception)

          Jeanie was already gone when the paramedics arrived.  Possibly before she fell- or why she was falling.  Her mother said that seven clots had been found in her lung(s) and not just one.  I don’t know what shade she was when the paramedics arrived or how pale she must have gotten in the morgue.  It feels a bit morbid wondering. 

          I was not impressed with the makeup job - but I have no idea what of Jeanie's facial condition when she arrived to the mortuary.  Perhaps they had done a marvelous job with the "canvas" given - I just didn't see that.  Mommy and Daddy had looked so natural, so peaceful, as though they were sleeping.  Jeanie looked like a corpse – like in a really low budget movie when everything looks fake.  It appeared that she had jaundice underneath the make-up.  It was hard seeing her like that.

          Biff had never been involved with any plans concerning funerals – except when we had asked him to be a pall bearer at my mom’s.  But that was the extent of it.  He had never gone to look for a casket or a burial plot.  I’m sure the funeral home they went through was the same one his in-laws had used when they had buried their other two children.  It was right next to – perhaps even part of the cemetery.  I think Biff just went along with what they wanted.  What did he know?  They had been through it before.  Roland and I have both gone through it, but we weren’t there.  We weren’t involved with the decisions or give advice or hold our son’s hand.

          I don’t know that his in-laws would have felt comfortable using Premier as they had the viewing in one location and the funeral in another.  The mortuary was in a familiar place where family and loved ones had already gathered.  They would have had to make arrangements for another chapel with Premier. But I think they would have saved a tremendous amount of cost.

          My son, Randy, had set up a fund for Biff and his daughter – a plea to help pay for expenses.  The goal was to hit 5,000.  3,000 had been raised in eight days by 62 different people. I cried every time I would see donations being made.  I know there were many who knew Jeanie personally, but still many that did not know her at all.  Some hadn’t even known Biff for that matter, and that touched my heart.  My nephew, Brian, was the first to contribute to the cause.

          I don’t know how many chapels and "comfort" rooms the funeral home offered.  I would guess at least seven.  It felt as if there had been seven different viewings all scheduled for Sunday night.  Perhaps there had only been four or five.  We had to pass them all in order to get the room where Jeanie and family were waiting.  The lines were long.  I’m sure that is why they had put us at the end.

          When mom died, we had her at the Relief Society room in the building where she attended church.  We were there Friday night and the mortuary took her away and brought her back the following morning and then we moved into the chapel. Premier had driven her back and forth.  I'm not knocking the full blown centers but am in favor of using Premier again.  They did an awesome job for us.  I was overwhelmed by the amount of traffic involved with Jeanie.  I never felt overwhelmed with Premier.  The situation was always calm and respectful. 

Enjoying Riddle

       The school library will be open three times during this summer.  Yesterday morning was the first day and I took Jenna to return the books we already had and trade them for something else. We had also stopped by Soco to have a meeting with the committee for the  Children's Summer Reading Program.  Jenna asked me if I'd take her to the library in Riddle which was also on my agenda, but it does not open until 3:00 on Tuesdays.  We returned home before we went to Riddle.  I took care of some school work.
       Jenna had wanted me to present my Costco card at the library for identification.  I've had it for over seven years.  The picture is of both Jenna and me.  She had really wanted to be in the picture that day, and I was just going to have her stand in front of me, but the man who'd been waiting to take my picture said that we could both be in it.  I like the picture so I keep the card.  Jenna and I both look very different now in real life.

      After we arrived in Riddle and went inside the library, the librarian told us that there was an activity outside.  We went to the pavilion where the drama coach of Riddle High was conducting a session for eight teenagers who had shown for the activity.  Jenna found one of her friends at the activity.  They both seemed to enjoy themselves.  I took a few pictures with my cell phone.  I have cropped out the other kids as I did not ask permission to post them.

pretending to brush her teeth

the instructor had teens pretend they were walking

in various situations

the last two are mirror mirror.  

Jenna had so much fun hanging with her friend after the activity, she forgot about the library or reporting the other books she read.  We may return tomorrow.

Tired of Waiting

I HATE waiting

I Despise it

Waiting for the plumber

to return my call

Waiting for Tony and Rochelle

who often don't show at all

Waiting for Roland to

follow through on plans

Waiting for City Council and

board members to make a

decision about the libraries.

Waiting for the show to start

Waiting for someone to answer

Waiting for the question

Wasting time waiting while

watching Aunt Jean play with

the dog. 

Waiting for dinner

Waiting for the rest of my family

to get up on Christmas morning

Waiting for the mailman

Waiting in line

Waiting for law enforcement

Waiting for the results

Waiting at the doctor's office

Waiting for the cars to move

Waiting on tables to customers

oblivious to a busy situation

Waiting for the snow to be plowed

Waiting for the temperature to drop

Waiting for the food to cool

Waiting for the car

Waiting for a broken

heart to heal

One of those facebook questionnaires:

Stuff about me based on questions I read from an interview of Ellen Degeneres in People Magazine:

What is a typical day at home like for your family? Roland and I both take courses online - I do my daily checkpoints each morning.  Busy myself with classes -which wasn't a big deal when Jenna was in school;  she needs more attention.  Try squeezing water aerobics or some sort of exercise into routine each morning. This morning Jenna and I walked around Millsite Park.

Are you a morning person or a night owl? I've always been a night owl, but have changed my routine in Oregon as Roland has to be to work by six;  after he awakens, I'm awake - usually anyway.

What have you learned not to worry about? Things that are out of my control; I can't control.  So why worry?

What advice would you give to your younger self? Learn all you can; if someone sets you up on a date, don't cringe or be resentful.  Look at it as an opportunity to make another friend.

What's the best part of being married? Building our stregnths where the other may be weak; learning from each other.  Loving each other.

Is there anything you do that drives him crazy? I tend to exaggerate or get bent out of shape when I have to talk to a machine that obviously doesn't understand me (phone to business)

What's your worst habit?  Jumping to conclusions without giving others the benefit of the doubt

What have you learned about love? It isn't perfect. 

Do you have any guilty pleasures? Sometimes I enjoy watching an introductory reality show that doesn't seem to ever repeat itself.  e.g. "Forever Young" (found here) "He's a Lady" (found here.) 

What's something that makes you cringe? Fingernails running down the chalkboard, squeaky wheels that need a good oiling, raw rhubarb

Another Kind of "Road Trip"

          During our winter break from school, students had the option of participating in a discussion on a Winter-what-you-doin' course - I guess you could call it that.  Students were not required to participate -  it was just an option to earn prizes.  I participated just for fun.  I didn't have any other classes.

          This summer the school is offering another "fun" participation with a course called "Road Trip" which I thought I'd be interested in learning more about, but had totally put it out of my head the week we had returned to Salt Lake City.  On the day of the funeral my alarm went off.  "Road Trip" appeared on my screen.  I didn't understand why my alarm had gone off to remind me that I was on a road trip (keep in mind  that I had lost a tremendous amount of sleep by then)

          Before we got on the road the next day to head home (to Oregon) I notice there was an email from one of the instructors reminding us of the "Road Trip" activity through the school.  OOOOhhhh . . . that is why my alarm had gone off.  It hadn't anything to do with our physical road trip.  Okay.  That makes sense . . .

          I had to ask to participate in the Winter-what-you-doin' course as it did not come up automatically.  "Road Trip" did not appear in my curriculum feed and I was okay with it.  I now have two accounting classes and oodles upon oodles of thoughts which I need to record (even if they never get posted) and decided just to forego the schoool "Road Trip" as it would not be a priority for my time.

          While cramming for both of my classes on Thursday, I noticed the "Road Trip"  course had been added to my agenda.  Well, I definitely don't have time for it right now.  I am taking two accounting classes AGAIN - I am still not understanding the language - especially in this frame of mind.  I am still feeling the fatigue.  It's as though my mind has disconnected itself from the rest of my body.  Why doesn't the fat take a hike?  I wouldn't even care to see the fat go permanently.  But I need my mind.  I don't like being this tired.

          I went ahead and clicked on road trip just to see what my options are.  Students have the opportunity for writing assignments between June 11 and July 8.  There are four activities to choose from.  We can write about them all or we can forego participating. 

          Activity #1 option:        Like any great road trip, school is an adventure that requires planning, preparation, and not stopping until you have reached your destination. 

Let's jump forward to a time when you are finished with all your college courses. You have worked hard and graduated. Yay!!! You've been hired to the job you have always wanted, and you are on the road to having everything you waited, worked, and planned for. It's time for a little rest and relaxation. 

Activity #2 option:        You are in school working hard to learn the skills and expertise to get that dream job. Have you thought about what it looks like? Is there a specific company that you want to work for so bad you would do almost anything? Is it close to home, a pretty good commute, or clear across the country?

 Activity #3 option:        The United States is an amazing place. There is not a single state that does not have a historical or natural wonder to enjoy. National and State Monuments and Parks are great opportunities to learn more about our country's heritage or enjoy the beauty and majesty of nature.

What is in your backyard? 

 Activity #4 option:        We have amazing instructors at Independence University. They care about their students and their success. Their goal for each and every course is to help students understand and become proficient in the course material. That way, each student will be successful in the career they have chosen. 

So what do you know about your Instructor?

           I'm certain I could write about my dream vacation much better than my dream job (I don't think a dream job exists in accounting) but I decided to go with activity #3 option.  I've pretty much have written much about the subject in my blog already, so why not condence it into just one assignment.  I came up with over 750 words (not counting title page or references).  I turned that in on Friday.

           "Oregon is My Backyard" has already been "graded".  I will also be submitting an assignment for activity #4, but I will be doing it on one of my former instructors.  I think those are the only two assignments I will be turning in for "Road Trip" this mod.  I haven't looked ahead to see what the subjects are for the next  two mods.  In July and August I will be involved in the Summer Reading program through the Friends of Myrtle Creek Library - and hopefully we'll have our library up and running by then.

Two Saturdays

       Today was the forth annual Citywide yard sale.  It is my first year having knowledge of it.  There is a map on facebook and a list of locations within Myrtle Creek and Tri City.  I would think it would make for a more meaningful to have all the streets downtown  or all along Old Pacific - not get-in-your-car-and-drive=-from-location-to-location - that can be done on any given day . . . but whatever.  I was/am obviously not in charge.
       The Friends of Myrtle Creek Library had access to one of the buildings downtown.  The yard sale (from what I understand) is normally held in August.  I don't know why it got changed to today.  It was rather unproductive, I thought.  I don't guess the woman in charge realized that today would be the hottest day of the year (and hopefully the temperature won't ever rise above what it was today.  Over 100 degrees fahrenheit.  That is SOOOOO wrong. This state is not supposed to get that hot.) which could have been a factor.  It was also the day for the big golf tournament (or so I was told; really not into that whole golf thing)
       Roland went with me to the old laundry (where the Friends of Myrtle Creek Library were gathered) and hung out for a couple of hours, but left as new friends started filtering in and customers had been rare all morning.  It wasn't necessary for that many friends to be present.
       Jenna has been at camp for four days and returned this afternoon.  She missed out on the yard sales, but even the heat is bothering her at the moment. 

        Last week we marched in the rodeo parade to promote the Children's Summer Reading Program sponsored by the Friends of the Myrtle Creek Library

Jenna and I didn't have the opportunity to make our own

tutus as we had gone out of town

These were taken at the school parking lot

as we were waiting for those ahead of us

to start filing out

not a totally accurate map, but you get the gist

         I understand we finally got the city's approval to use the designated library building.  We open on July 3.

August Grandbabies

            We met three of our granddaughters for the first time this month.  Devin and Ally will be turning two in August.  That was the time we had initially planned to visit our families in Utah.  I was excited that I would be able to give these two granddaughters their birthday gifts in person and that I wouldn't have to spend extra money on postage.  Looks like I'll be spending the money . . .

            I have made quiet/alphabet books for Jenna, Anna and Ester.  It's initial intent was for something that they can look at during sacrament meeting to keep them entertained (and hopefully quiet) during the meeting.  I started to print out just a few pages, but did not have all of the pages of ready to print as I was still hoping to get updated pictures - though not in the manner they were acquired.  I was hoping for an updated picture of Jeanie as well.  I no longer have that option.

            We met Devin first.  Randy had invited us to stay with him and Carrie at their house (formally ours) and so of course we were introduced to their daughter.  She tends to cling to mom and dad.  She is very smart.  She likes to control any given situation and will throw tantrums if she doesn't get her way.  I've seen her smile for the camera, but most of the photos I've seen of her, she always looks so serious.  I think she looks more like her mom.  She is the same height as Ally, but has lost her baby fat.

            Ally is the opposite of Devin.  All smiles and on the move.  She is a happy hurricane in great need of discipline.  She's quite stocky and absolutely no question about which parent she resembles.  Her face is an exact replica of Biff's.  If she wants something, she grabs it.  If she falls, she picks herself back up again.  She is tough. She loves her dad and her grandpas.  She'll go to anybody, but won't sit still for long (another trait from Biff).

            We spent the majority of Friday with Randy's family, David and Ally, and Roland's sister, Jean, and her husband, Bert.  Bert reminds me of Michael Caine's  character in Going in Style. Bert and Jean had arrived the day before we had.

            Roland and I had run some errands on Saturday and Jenna had spent the night with Anna. Biff returned with Ally before Roland went to get Jenna.  At least four of us were at the table playing cards while one or two adults kept watch over the two girls.  When Roland went to get Jenna, he took Carrie with him just to give her a  break.

            We did not meet our youngest granddaughter, Liz, until the following night when we were at the viewing.  I snatched her up and held onto her the entire time my brother and family were waiting in line.  I visited with them and did not let Liz go until Jean insisted she have a turn as well.  I guess it was a first time for her meeting Liz also.

            I wish we could have had the time to spend with each family as we had planned.  Sometimes life will throw you curves and there's nothing you can do to change that.  But you can choose your attitude toward each curve.  Sometimes it can be smooth, but often there are bumps in the road. This hurried roadtrip (I don't want to call it a vacation because there wasn't much about it that lived up to my definition of "vacation") seemed to contain a lot of bumps.  Still trying to smooth over them all - but it takes time.  It will take longer for some more than others.