Beneath the Wraps

            While on vacation, I noticed a pain in lower left side of my mouth.   I was guessing a cavity – but I didn’t know what tooth.  After we returned home and I’d wake up with a sore mouth, I broke down and made an appointment with the dentist that I’ve been taking Jenna too.             It has been a while since I’ve been to a dentist.   I know I should go twice a year, but we haven’t always been able to afford it.   Not to mention I am an incredible wimp. (If you look “wimp” up in the pictorial dictionary, you should know what I look like)             I did not send Jenna in as a guinea pig to find my dentist.   Jenna LOVES to go to the dentist whereas I can't even admit to tolerating the dentist.   And it's nothing against the dentist himself.  I have a high...

            As Jenna and I were walking toward the school this morning, there appeared to be a car backing out of a driveway.   She took my hand and gripped onto a little.   “Death Grip?” I asked jokingly. “What does that mean?” she asked. I told her that her grip was really nothing but related the accounts of my dad’s “bone-crushing” death grip.   We called it the death grip anyway. As a child, I had always thought that my dad’s hands felt clammy.   Yet he was always holding the hand of one child or another.   He did it out of love and responsibility. By the time he was in his early 50’s, my dad had been the victim of several strokes – many which went undetected, as they were considered “mild”.   But with each stroke came the lack of communication between his brain and his muscles. His speech slurred more with every passing stroke – and although he knew exactly wh...

Yesterday was the first day of school this school year. Before the bus pulled up to the curb, there had been only one passenger. I predicted that the bus before it was running behind and overflowing with passengers. I learned that my predictions had been accurate as we boarded the overflowing bus this morning. Right after we boarded, the frustrated driver called into dispatch to make a complaint that he was already running twenty minutes late – picking up passengers from the bus prior to his as well as those waiting for the bus behind him. It wasn't fair that he should be late because the one before him had been late or in an accident or whatever. By the time Jenna and I reached our bus stop, I saw the driver reach for the phone for the third time. This time it was with a request that he would only drop off passengers and not pick new ones up. He must have been granted clearance, for when I went back to catch the return back to my house, it was the same driver and...

Roland enjoys baking. Often he will make a chocolate frosting to go atop any desserts he has made. He usually makes a lot more than is needed. For the most part I quite enjoy his frosting. I always save it to use on something else. Between graham crackers is good. And if I refrigerate the product, it becomes hard like fudge and is good to eat that way. Before we left on our trip, we had gone to the garden and took home some cauliflower which I broke and put into bags as we were leaving the next day. As I've mentioned in several posts, Roland does not enjoy my cooking for the most part – nor do I enjoy cooking. It doesn't help matters that he rarely ever wants to eat what I fix. It's been a while since I saw somebody's post praising mock fried rice. My rice is always so horrific, I was excited to try it – but did not have the opportunity until last night. I did not follow the recipe to the letter however ( This is the site I used)  as the recipe I used...

There was one year when Roland seemed to make more money than in previous years or even the ones that followed. He had managed to find a package deal through a travel agency and took us all to California just right after Christmas.   The boys were out of high school for the holidays.   Jenna was two. I have heard that between Thanksgiving and Christmas is the best time to visit Disneyland.   From personal experience, I know that between Christmas and New Years is the absolutely worse time to go. I remember riding the tram the first day we went to the park.   Jenna’s enthusiasm at riding the tram from the parking lot to the park was awesome.   All four of them were excited and enjoyed every moment. I’m not exactly certain why we had driven or taken the tram.   We spent two days at the park.   As I recall we just walked to the park the second day.  I know Richard and I went back to the hotel about four hours before...

            About half the blogs I read are by friends or relatives that I know.   But once in a while I am drawn to one that either someone else has recommended or one that I have come across myself.   Such is the case with Donna Carol Voss.   She posts to this blog usually once a week on Sunday.             I used to leave comments, but now she has a no reply and I haven’t been able to leave comments – not that my comments are important.   So many of her posts just resonate with me.   I just want to be able to tell her that.   Express to her how much I value her opinion.             I absolutely love the unconditional love that she expresses for each of her children and for those who are not members of the Church and being careful not to use labels and ...

       Jenna and I took a bus out to Kearns Friday morning.   A member of my former ward had passed, and I wanted to attend the funeral.        We have taken that route several times all summer long, but we had never had the driver that took us that morning.   She had a million dollar smile that was so sincere.   She greeted each passenger, as he/she was a personal friend.          I’ve had pleasant drivers before.   I’ve had many recognize me and assist with needs when I couldn’t find my pass or knowing exactly where to stop or even asking, “Which stop will you be getting off today”        Most drivers are quite friendly – though there are the occasional passengers who will provoke.   The driver’s I have seen have dealt with the situation well, but there are some who are obviously bothered and let the human side...

         I have always hated flies.   Annoying creatures that buzz around my face and land their teeny legs on my skin to share their germs.   My idea of hell consists of non-dying flies.          Mosquitos never bothered me quite so much when I was single.   They loved my brother, Patrick.   I could stand next to him anytime the mosquitos were out and never be bitten.   He could even be doused in an entire can of repellent and I with nothing, and the mosquitos would still go after him.   I had actually convinced myself that mosquitos actually died on my blood.          During the last five years or so, my blood must have improved in taste – or else the mosquitos are just getting more desperate.   I know the Red Cross is.   They had also taken my blood out of desperation.   It’s never been wonderful bloo...

      I am currently using an ancient Mac laptop – one that was purchased at a pawnshop at what we believed was a reasonable price.   Roland needed it for his class.   Frustration set in as he toyed with this problem for more than a year.      The keys on the top row would stick.   Well, 1-6 did.   It was okay.   He didn’t need the numbers.   But when the top row of letters (particularly the e, r and t) started sticking – well, that was a problem.  Most often, the keyboard from the computer was plugged into the unit.      We took it in to be serviced.   Less than a month later, the “r” key started sticking again and is often missed into the words now, unless one pounds on it.   So often when I am typing, the “r” doesn’t make it into my word.   It can be frustrating.      A spell check will usually pick up on my missing “r”s, but it will ne...

           Lola gave the lesson yesterday on the gift of the Holy Ghost.   She asked for participation – though the first example that came to mind took more time to explain than I thought was appropriate.   As I listened to her lesson, I came up with a few examples from my own life.          The first example I thought of was one of Warning                   I was 17 and hadn’t had my driver’s license for long.   I hadn’t learned to drive a stick and thus drove the family station wagon (since it was automatic).          My brother, Patrick, and I both worked at Snelgroves Ice Cream Store – approximately a 15 minute drive from where we lived. I had asked Patrick if he would move the Honda, which was behind.   Patrick was only 15, but ...

         About a year and a half after we moved in, Jenna was out in front playing with Wesley.   Wes introduced her to Blake, who lived around the corner.   Blake and Jenna decided to be friends and ditched Wesley who had decided to climb on the roof next door.   Both Blake and Jenna were mortified by his decision.          The next day Blake came over to play with Jenna.   It just happened to be her birthday and she had turned seven.   I had a party planned with many of her friends from the old neighborhood.   Jenna asked if Blake could go with us.   I told them both that we would need permission from Blake’s parents – or parent rather.   Like many of the children over here, Blake came from a broken home.          Blake left the house and made his way back in what felt like only two minutes.   He said it...