Note to Self

           ALWAYS use Umpqua Appliance.  NEVER go with Sears!

It’s been less than four years since we purchased our 32’wide refrigerator. I don’t know how old our fridge is.  We bought it new – but who knows how long it was in the warehouse/showroom before we picked it out.  We had an option of three that would fit into the provided space in our kitchen. 

About two or three months ago there seemed to be a large build up of frost in our freezer.  We’d get an obnoxious humming sound and then the refrigerator stopped putting out cold.  We’ve had milk spoil because of it.  A Sears did fix our fridge – temporarily.  For a handsome price.  Eventually the frost and hum returned. 

Then I remembered having used Sears appliance when we lived in Kearns.  The guy that came to fix our furnace ended up turning it off and walking away.  It was dang cold!  What was he thinking?  What was I thinking?  It’s like their motto is: “Just get the money.  You don’t even have to do anything.”

We had purchased a fridge at a yards ale for only $5.00 (see here).  It lasted for eight years and going (we eventually donated it to another) Now that was a magnificent deal.

Umpqua Appliance is great.  I don't know how I missed finding them in the first place. Our technician, Christopher is very honest.  He explained what was happening, how to fix it,  how to maintain ourselves to avoid future repair.  He said should last us another ten years.  I will definitely be calling them again! Well, not for the fridge but for another appliance perhaps.

Among Other Things

           Jaime was looking for something in the shed.  She pulled out all the Christmas decorations and then some.  Are you kidding me?  It seems like Richard and I just cleaned the shed.  I remember throwing away a bunch of garbage and now we’re doing it again.

          I have always been a nostalgic person and have hung onto things.  Items I’ve had since I was twelve!  I thought one day I could pass on my “treasures” Make family history more exciting for whoever.  There is so much I have saved through the years.  Jaime’s stuff, my stuff.

          She doesn’t want it.  I guess I don’t blame her.  I don’t want it either.  Not anymore.  If we were to move again I would be leaving 90% of this behind.  So why not just get rid of it now.  Who else would want a box full of journals – at least 12 volumes of Jaime’s life prior to birth until just after our move to Oregon.  I think she was twelve when I stopped writing for her and let her figure it out on her own.

          She’s not nostalgic.  Our oldest saves things like I do – saves in boxes but never looks at his stuff.  Always misplaced.  Always taking up space.  My second son is also nostalgic.  He saves stuff unnessesarily.  And then there’s our youngest boy who has always been able to throw stuff away.  Doesn’t save anything.  Not at all sentimental.  There were a few times I envied that.  Not to have an attachment.

          Piles and piles and boxes and now a lot of empty bins and still more to go through.  Richard wants to make a trip to the dumpster.  I would like to put everything in a rented dumpster and have them haul it all away.  And I mean all of it.  There are items that could go to a second hand store.  Too many items.  Most in good condition.  Some just fair.  And some – well I certainly don’t want it.  I can’t see that someone else was.

          The hardest thing has been throwing away the photographs – which I have saved digitally.  Some on CD.  Most on flash drives.  But those may become obsolete as well.  And then what?  I’m at the point where it just doesn’t seem to matter anymore.  No pictures, no journals, no scrapbooking, no memorabilia.  Enough of the clutter.

          Jaime wants to have a yard sale with a lock box and slot.  Pay whatever you’re willing or just haul it off.  We don’t need it.  We don’t want it.  We don’t have room – not that we ever did.  Why are we saving it?

          I remember one sister in our ward who had one son and boxes full of family history.  She wanted him to carry on the family legacy after she passed.  He doesn’t have the passion.  He didn’t want her boxes of “treasures” and Jaime doesn’t want mine.  Or hers.  It’s just stuff.  We’ll be fine without it.  My youngest boy would have no problem discarding it all.

Happy Anniversary

          On Tuesday Richard cut his finger. We took him to the Veterans’ clinic where he received treatment.

          He had been in a hurry and the saw had grazed his bone.  He did not have to have stitches.

          I had offered to take food to a member of our ward though I had forgotten.  I should have set an alarm to remind me.

          I received a message from another when Richard and I were finishing up our celebratory meal.

          My phone does not tell me what time the text was sent but rather what time it was opened by me.  How lame is that?

          I had opened upon receiving but evidently it had been sent at least 20 minutes before I received it. 

          Long enough for the other (who was dropping off the food to me and I would take it the rest of the way – for she didn’t know where he lived and is having financial issues.  The one receiving the meal lives off grid and signal is lost before one is even halfway to his house from the exit) to deliver the meal herself.  So she was out of pocket when I called her back.

          Richard was told to take it easy.  He wasn’t sure whether he had the strength to vendor or not.  He had changed his mind twice within the hour.

          The truck wouldn’t start.  A sign to stay home and take it easy.  I would not allow Richard in the shed to work on projects or in the kitchen to bake. 

          He was told to keep his finger elevated.  I told him to stay on the couch and not work.

          Such a man child.  We went to the movies just before 5:00.  Celebrated our wedding anniversary watching “Coyote vs. Acme”.  I liked it.  Much much better than Roger Rabbit.

          Today Richard worked in the shed.  NOT taking it easy despite my advice.  He got sick and worn out.

          Too many reminders of love and pain.

20 Too Short 50 Too Long

             My favorite way of teaching is not so much to teach but to conduct.  Ask questions and see where the class members take it.  I learn so much more if we feed off of each other.  So I was excited to learn yesterday that we are expected to teach that way.  In just 20 minutes?  We were told to keep our answers brief.  My examples are NOT always brief.

            We are supposed to study at home.  We were always supposed to study at home.  But not everybody has or does.  It’s crucial.  So I’ve started.  In addition to reading and trying to understand, I study better watching “Come Follow Me” videos – and there are quite a lot of them on my plate and I don’t always get to all of them.

            This week I started with “Teaching With Power” by Ben Wilcox.  He gave three suggestions on what one might teach if prompted to do so.  His first lesson idea is called “Trust, Don’t Lean”.  He starts out with an analogy of a guide for repelling.  My thoughts started flooding in – so much that I could easily fill the 20 minutes by myself. 

            First thought I had was the one and only time I had gone repelling with my two brothers.  I think Steven was only nine at the time.  Frank was the name of the guide who was at one end of the rope as we made our way to the bottom.  As he prepared each participant with gear and instructions would ask, “Do you trust me?” 

            Steven would yell, “I trust Frank” .

            With each participant Steven would raise his voice in hopes that Frank would hear him.  When it finally came Steven’s turn to be dropped over the side (and I do mean drop) Frank asked, “Do you trust me?”

            Instead of his enthusiastic yell, Steven quietly said “Well, sort of.”

            How many times do we seek the advice of the Lord but are hesitant to follow his council?  Where is our faith?

            I thought about two talks given in conference of April this year. One is this week’s assigned reading for Relief Society is “Jesus Christ Is the Way” by Elder Brian J. Holmes of the Seventy.  The other one is “Choose Jesus Christ as Your Guide” by Edward B. Rowe.  Both such powerful talks.

            I thought about the TV program called “Wagon Train” where experienced guides lead pioneers from Missouri to California.  

During their three or four month travel sometimes there are those who don’t understand why they would lead the wagons one way as opposed to another or don’t have the patience to wait when the wagons come to a halt and they are asked to set up camp until the weather changes or the danger passes or what have you. Some choose to leave the wagon train while others allow their prejudices to take over and con others into following them rather than the experienced guides. 

            There are so many movies made about those making bad decisions based on their own understandings rather than putting their faith in the guide.  I thought of two – One called "The Mountain Between Us" which I describe here 

I don’t remember the title of the other but I think it was based off of one of Jack London’s books, A guide in Alaska take a spoiled couple to unfamiliar territory or attempts to.  They never make it to their destination as the weather becomes unbearable and the guide turns the team around.  They offer more money but there are certain things that can’t be bought – such as wisdom. 

So many examples!  I don’t know how short I can keep my comments so I don’t know how much I may contribute to either lesson.  It will be interesting.

Thunder, Rain, Bonnie

 

I remember having feared thunderstorms when I was a child.  I quite like them now – although the lightening still creates concern as of the many fires we’ve had in this state and I guess across the nation.

This morning the thunder was quite loud and the lightening looked close.  Perhaps too close. 

I am no longer afraid of the sound produced by the thunder.  Even though it disturbed my sleep I did enjoy the sounds.  I was in awe that Bonnie didn’t seem bothered by the storm.  But something else was ailing her.  She had an upset stomach.  But she inhales her food.  Something disagreed with her.

She’s an insecure dog.  Doesn’t like to be alone.  Didn’t react to the thunder.  She doesn’t like the rain.  Neither does Richard.  Missed two vendor set ups because of the rain.  We did go to the park yesterday.  It was slow but we did make some profit.  We have now added these Halloween decorations.

Motorcycle Ministry

           A few weeks ago we were finishing up our day as vendors in Myrtle Creek.  A consumer had talked to Richard about setting up as vendors in a church parking lot in Canyonville.  We were told it was open on Fridays. 

          We had gone on a Friday and saw one vendor set up and one waiting for direction.  We were finally told to set up in the dirted area if we planned on leaving before six but could set up in the parking lot if we planned to stay until six.  We chose the part day option.

          Richard traded the first vendor an amplifier for a large bag of figs and grapes.  I believe we got the better deal.  I think that vendor stayed only a few hours before he left.  Meanwhile another vendor set up camp next to us.  We were so far back it’s a wonder we made any sales.  We were told that we could vendor on Wednesday when they had better sales.  Uh, no.

          There is a food truck that gives out free produces.  They were in the parking lot and we were near the fence hoping to sell product.  We had a few lookers but no buyers.  After the food truck ran out of produce, they left and Richard and I could see no purpose in remaining in the lot – the ONLY vendors there. 

          As we were packing up we met Tony.  He presented us with 22 dollars and told us to allow others to take product at his expense.  I did not notice his motorcycle that day.  But he talked to us again yesterday.  He rides his motorcycle from Coos Bay.  I don’t know how often.  I did give away a tea light stand (which I’ve dubbed as a Jack-O-Lantern. 

We still have more items to give at Tony’s expense.  But we will be doing it at Myrtle Creek or Seven Feathers.  I don’t expect we will be returning to the Church.  It was worth a shot and we did meet some fine people.  But it doesn’t work for us as vendors.

Sold product as Myrtle Creek today and will still fulfill the passalongs at Tony’s expense. So nice to meet such a kind hearted man.

Missing Fruit

           The first counselor of the bishopric has been conducting the meetings for this month. It was fast and testimony meeting on August first.  He invited youth to come share their testimonies with warning if they did not do it that week that they would be called upon to share the following week.

          I have been in some wards where when speakers were not present the bishop has called speakers out of the audience.  Some are gifted enough to pull it off.  I would like to be one that can.

          Two years ago I would study the “come follow me” lessons as though I would need to teach.  And last year our bishop used the outline for sacrament meeting talks.  Thus I would study the lesson with a certain topic in mind that I could prepare a talk.  This year?  Sometimes I can find something to share from the Old Testament.  But not every week.

          When the youth were sharing testimonies about their time at camp, I tried to reflect on past activities that I had done as either a youth or youth leader.  Of course the leader ones stood out better as they happened more recently.  I had served the two years prior to my engagement and then marriage to Richard.

          One of the experiences that stood out was a reenactment of Lehi’s dream.  We were asked to hang onto a rope which represented the Iron Rod.  If called upon I would have given a talk relating to that experience as found here.