Beneath the Wraps

                   Jenna had attended a class and learned that our ward now has two sets of missionaries.  I met them today.  The one who has been in the area the longest had been called to serve a country in Asia.  I think he said his calling location was changed before he had arrived to the MTC.  His companion had served four months in Japan before being transferred to Myrtle Creek.    The other two elders were called to Spanish speaking missions: one to Mexico and the other to Peru.  Though they are no longer serving in those countries they are still on a Spanish speaking mission.  Interesting.             The ward counsel was told that church services would be starting up again.   This is the third time that’s been announced.   Would be nice to have it be the final time.   The plan is to restart on September 13 (a Sund...

            Too often when Jenna and I had gone walking she would want to pick up litter and collect treasures.  I wasn ’ t overly fond of having her touch all that she did but tried to make a habit of bringing two plastic bags for each walk – one for the garbage and one for the treasures.  It was her idea to beautify the earth and so I did not want to discourage her from trying to clean it up.  The litter she found mostly consisted of paper though occasionally we would find straws, wrappers, or sticks from suckers. Her treasures would include rocks, leaves, shiny things, clothing items (which would get washed before I ’ d allow her or her stuffed pets to wear them) and pine cones. Her thought process today is really not much different.   She ’ ll continue to collect things to be thrown away or whatever may grab her interest – including masks that have been left in the parking lot.   She hasn ’ t touched any of the disposab...

           B efore Jenna was born I started keeping a journal for her – writing it in first person as though she were writing it – guessing what she was thinking.   I ended up with 10 volumes from 2004 – 2013.   I had stopped printing pages the year that my mom passed.   I continued with scrapbook pages left in the computer and flash drives and continued our first year in Oregon, but then allowed her to take over - which she has discontinued. Anyway, we have been rereading through her books during this pandemic.   I appreciate having recorded what I did as there is much I have forgotten.   I remember myself having been uptight all of the time – but perhaps not as often as I had believed.   I had always felt blessed with such a happy girl and wanted to help her stay that way – trying hard to stay positive though not always successful and it shows in my writing particularly when her sisters would visit. I was not so much agai...

             Roland enjoys watching educational programming mostly to get ideas on how he might do things.  One of the programs he watches is Homestead Rescue .  We recently watched an episode called Under Siege ( here ) in which the Raneys go to Montana to help a couple that seem quite resistant (I personally would have just told them to forget it – but Raneys apparently have more compassion than I do).  The couple say they want free range pigs.  However their pigs have torn up the property in the process and the piglets don ’ t survive.  I was reminded of that show this morning when one of the younger pigs escaped into our yard again.   This time it was just the spotted one who did not have his companions with him (I ’ m guessing he ’ s a teenager who doesn ’ t do well with restrictions).   The pig is not our responsibility, but at the same time Jenna believes it is her calling to make certain the pig at least...

 Jenna found the pineapple mask had dropped between the passenger seat and shift stick.  I'm happy to know that I didn't contribute to the parking lot litter after all.

Just beyond exit 103 is a Winco warehouse but it is over 45 miles from there to the nearest Winco store, thus we do tend to go there often but would make it our primary store if it was as near to us as the warehouse.   It appears that before yesterday the last time we had gone to Winco was in December.             I had worn a pineapple mask that I had made for Jenna – or at least with her in mind.   We had gone to Riddle the end of last month to participate in a youth activity.   They were painting jeans and I had been invited to paint also as the turn-out was a lower count than the art supplies.             I had painted a pineapple on denim fabric.   While I waited for it to dry, I retrieved a plain white cotton mask from the car and pressed it over the pineapple painting to create a mirror image.   Jenna and I had both worn the mask for in-and-...

  I get sinus infections when the air is dry or polluted.   In addition I also have an eye disorder called Keratoconus.   According to Mayo Clinic it is the clear dome-shaped front surface of the eye that thins and gradually bulges.   Corey has the same disease.   I remember him showing off his eyes to various family members one Christmas.   We couldn’t see it by looking directly at him but if we looked to him at the side, we could see the eye bulging out   perhaps not as exaggerated as it appears in cartoons but that is what it reminded me of.       Walt Disney's Roger Rabbit   It is said that correction may occur with glasses or soft contact lenses. It had been strongly Corey to wear contacts, but I don ’ t think he ever felt comfortable with them.  He was able to get a cornea transplant, but I cannot.  My eyes are a weird shape  and not designed for laser surgery to work properly.  I don ’ t think it...

            I was at a class off some kind.  There appeared to be four to six students – each had at least one doll.  The doll was supposed to represent a baby that we had left at home.  We were sitting on couches with pillows and blankets.  I felt squashed between two students – one who was the only male participant.  And when I noticed the female student had left, I scooted over so that there was a space between me and the male student.  My vibrator seemed to get caught on his afghan – which in the dream was his afghan, but in real life it looked like one my mom had made.           Two of the students had built a tent out of their blankets and were sitting inside.   And then our instructor appeared along with several parts for a do-it-yourself-motorbike.    KMT It was my turn to build/ride first.   I remember a mechanic walking out and shaking his head, and...

            This last Saturday was the hottest yet since our move to Oregon.  Hotter than the last week in July has always been even thought Summer Fest was not held this year. Apparently it had bee 104 on August 28 last year.  I had forgotten. We had moved to Oregon for the moisture and weather consistency.  We have seen one of the two since our move here  – but neither all year round.  Three digit temperature – part of 2020 ’ s taunting.       106 Saturday and was suppose to be over 100 yesterday but only got to 90.  It was overcast most of the day.  We even felt a few drops in the morning.  Roland doesn't like to work outdoors when it's raining.  Jenna and I prefer  it.  If we're going to get wet anyway, why not with moisture from the sky than sweat through our bodies?       I had taken an allergy pill that knocks me into a coma – not that I wanted to be i...

          We haven ’ t fed the missionaries since the pandemic began until this past week.  For a while they were grounded to their apartment and the rule was to drop off food at the church and they would pick it up.  Perhaps that was easier for many members who unable to have missionaries come due to circumstances – for instance there are many single sisters and the missionaries serving in Myrtle Creek have always been Elders.              The person who was called to find families to feed the missionaries is quite diligent with her calling and somewhat aggressive as I ’ m certain she has roped people into feeding them when they may not have chosen to do so on their own.  The rules are quite different now due to COVID.  I don ’ t know how it is in each mission but in Oregon they are no longer allowed to knock on doors.  They have to stand outside until they are summoned.  They can visit with pe...

           Today was the day assigned to our stake to go pick pears in Medford – which we had planned on.  Jenna had even had a friend stay the night so that we could take her with us. But as I was talking with the RS president last night, she said everything had been picked clean except for the tops.  Thus the only jobs available was to climb ladders.  Neither Roland nor I are in condition to climb ladders and it didn ’ t seem to appeal to either Jenna or her friend either.           Jenna does and always has liked to climb.   But there is a difference climbing with the use of both hands and standing on a latter with a heavy bag that only gets heavier as pears are loaded inside.   And then to climb back down again?   That would be the toughest part for me personally.           I really doubt we could have gone this morning anyway.  Roland ’ s back ha...

            The air has been so dry.  This is NOT why we moved to Oregon.  We had moved for the moisture.  Probably we should have moved closer to the ocean.  I know I would have enjoyed the temperature more.  I can ’ t say it was the dry air that caused the wax build up that enters my right ear.  Always the right ear, never the left.  The last time I had a wax build up was when we lived in West Valley.  Jenna was either in first or second grade, so it has been more than eight years.  I was told the blob of wax was the size of a pencil eraser.  I suspect it is now roughly the same size.  I use ear wax removal and hot water in the shower.  I think it is smaller, but not out completely.  It doesn ’ t hurt but is annoying  especially at night when I feel the beating of my eardrum.  I don ’ t remember having experienced that before.         ...