Beneath the Wraps

                We have done a few more home projects including power washing the house and hanging blinds.                The power “ wash ” came out more like a power “ rinse ” as the soap didn ’ t seem to be coming through.  After watching a tutorial Roland went back and did the cars – so though the house has not been washed – it does look much better than before.             We moved things around to get to the windows.  As we did so, a board fell to the floor near the couch between the living room and hall.  Bonnie had been outside but I had let her in.  She remained behind the couch and I didn ’ t think much about it until she started whining.  I asked her to come but she remained until I picked up the board and then she brushed pass the couch.             Really?  She was unable to move forward becaus...

 Last year when I enrolled Jenna for ORCA, they came back with her to enroll as a senior - which sounded absolutely cool to me. But neither Roland nor Jenna seemed particularly interested in advancing her - especially because Jenna wanted the opportunity of graduating with her class mates at the local high school and not online.  This morning she informed me of the death of one of the staff members who just recently died of COVID.  I don't know why she thinks that.  She doesn't seem to have a source. It is too late for us to enroll her back in ORCA.  As I mentioned, the school has been put on week delay from when they were supposed to start.  Oregon has called in the national guard to assist with the problem the state is facing with COVID (more specifically the Delta Variant) outbreak.  The state has made national news.  I wish we would have enrolled her as a senior.  Then I wouldn't feel like I am throwing her to the lions den.

               Bonnie has been acting squirrelly lately.  We didn’t know if it was because of her allergies or the elements that animals can seem to sense better than any mechanical weather forecaster.  I let her out yesterday and noticed that there was another dog near our unused black car. I heard Jenna cry, “Why would you let her out?!” “I didn’t realize there was another dog out here.   Besides, why wouldn’t I let her out?   Maybe she needed to go.” I don’t know that Bonnie had even tried going potty.   I tried luring back into the house.   She wanted to check out the dogs (turned out there were two of them) but was not vicious about it – which must have meant they were both male.     The border collie seemed a bit put off by Bonnie’s presence and would growl and then Bonnie would growl louder.   Jenna did not get a picture of the three of them interacting on the hill but Bonnie was obviously ...

       Jenna and I both need our hair thinned.  I called the hair salon just the other day to learn that they are shut right now due to COVID, but do plan to reopen.  Well, great.  Do I even want to go anymore - although the last time we went, it was just the three of us there.     A lot of businesses have closed due to staff members testing positive.  Businesses that are open are short-staffed.  I don't think any of us should be shopping anyway.  Unless it's essential - like toiletries and medicine.     Jenna was supposed to start high school on the 31st this month.  A reminder was sent out last week on the 19th.  Yesterday we found this post:      Oh, please.  Jenna could have finished her schooling last year at ORCA but had wanted the opportunity of socializing with her friends once again.  I wonder how many of them will make it to graduation.  I wonder if there will be a gra...

         Sunday ’ s meeting was quite awesome. Our bishop tackled the sensitive subject of following the counsel of the prophet.  He started off sharing one incident in Church history in which the saints were being persecuted and how the division that exists today was alive back then.  I notice that during my studies how often our own lives parallel with the saints.  In a way we are “ marching ” to our own “ Zion ’ s Camp ”  ( here ) as we struggle to do the right thing and shed our pride or judgment.   https://history.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/3- little-known-details-about-zions-camp?lang=eng        We have our free agency to follow the prophet or follow the crowd.  But I often feel that the “ free agency ” abused by others infringes on my own.  I remember airlines, restaurants, hospitals and other places who offered smoking sections – as if the smoke is seriously going to linger  only in...

 We had been walking Bonnie around Millsite Park.  Jenna pointed out the pinecones and asked if they normally grow on the trunks.   In all my days of seeing pinecone producing trees (and I have seen A LOT) I have never seen them growing into the trunk like what is pictured above.

                On Saturday I received my first COVID test ever.  I ’ m sure the person who was testing was being as gentle as possible – my poor nostrils.  I honestly was expecting that blood would come out of my nose.  It didn ’ t help matters when Roland (who ’ d been tested fair) coughed and spewed – or whatever he was doing.  He is NOT a wimp and I am so if he was having problems I figured it was bad.        It actually was not as bad as I had allowed myself to believe.   Nor was it as easy as my friend, Carol, had indicated the previous day.   It hurt!   And when I said it allowed, I heard Jenna behind me saying, “ Thanks, Mom ”          The person doing the testing told Jenna how brave she was – really?   Hadn ’ t I been any less brave?   We were told to wait 15 minutes for the results.   Roland started joking that “ mom...

     My brother posted an 11 minute video which he labeled  as “ranting” but he had some valid points. One was that if you are purchasing a ticket to the place where he works you are agreeing to a contract to follow the rules – one being “Wear the mask”.   You DON’T have to purchase a ticket if you can’t wear the mask either by choice or because you are not medically able to.   It’s a rule.   The mask has to be worn.   The employees have to wear the mask the entire time they are at work – which is three to four times greater than those who purchase tickets.   Not a big deal.   At least it shouldn’t be. Jenna and I have a mutual acquaintance who has decided to abandon her teaching career so that she doesn't have to get the vaccination.  OHMIGOSH!! Just overcome your pride and get the damn shot already.  Students are required to have certain vaccinations before they can be accepted into school - which I guess is one reason that s...

            When Estella meets up with Horace and Jasper they become family.   Estella’s desire to create fashion doesn’t work out to her expectations.   At least not for a while.   Eventually she is given opportunity to work for a prestige designer and learns things about her own past that do not set well with her. The first she learns is the location of a family heirloom she had lost just before meeting up with Horace and Jasper.   The Baroness has the family heirloom and Estella wants it back.   She arranges for Horace and Jasper to steal back her necklace and makes herself the distraction by shedding her darker personality which her mom had named “Curella” https://screenrant.com/cruella-main-characters-ranked-worst-to-best/ At the time of the break-in the “distraction” notices that the necklace in question is dangling from the Baroness' neck and removes the necklace as Horace escapes the guards who found him trying to ste...

          The prophet announced for church members to receive a vaccine and mask up to all of those who don ’ t have underlined health issues where a mask/vaccination would only jeopardize the underlined complications. Many who are capable of wearing masks and refuse vaccinations are upset just as there were some women upset about the revelation to stay home.  There were members finding it hard to believe black men would be able to hold the priesthood.  Each time we disagree with the prophet we are rejecting counsel from God. This act of rejection has been compared to those who shot arrows toward Samuel the Lamanite for preaching to the people a message that they didn ’ t want to hear.     Mormonad by Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints            It isn ’ t just the prophet relating this message but many political leaders as well.  Several states are making it mandatory for health workers and teache...

 I'm certain people are getting tired of my weather posts.   I am.   I have a couple of ideas in the works,  but still disjointed thoughts that don't seem to flow. I could hear the wind yesterday morning - I had not heard the rain, but it had obviously rained. The wind had blown it onto our porch. Here are some pictures I took as the sun rose:

 Do you see the hot pink that this permit used to be? It faded in the heat or was choked by the smoke

 Today is Friday the 13 th .  Mandated mask restarts today.  I would have not made the connection if Jenna hadn’t been so vocal about it. A year and a half ago (also Friday the 13 th ) we had our last day of school and were sent home for the remaining of the year.  They opened up too soon in my opinion.  Trump had bullied them and they willingly followed.  Now our kids are sick.  Our hospitals are filled up again.  Some say the pandemic is worse than last year when they sent us home. “We are a rural county” some say.   “We shouldn’t have to mask up as the larger cities do.”   Really?   Everybody in our county just stays in our county?   No traveling to Lane County?   Roland went to Lane County just the other day.   I heard that our county has the most cases and the least amount of beds.   Granted, there is only one hospital besides the VA.   We managed an RS activity last night – I would guess our last o...

  Real letter Corey had written to Jack in the Box : Dear Jack, Oh, you cruel, cruel clown! How dare you play with my heart and taste buds so callously. I wonder, Jack Box, if you understand the damage you have done to my psyche, tongue, and stomach by introducing the sensational menu item, your Hershey-filled Chocolate Croissant Bites only to rip them away from me like a child is snatched from his loving mother's arms. I assume you must delight in the ruthless torture of loyal customers such as myself. These sweet little flaky delights have been my one bright spot of sunshine in this dark pandemic-saturated world we currently find ourselves in. Congratulations, Jack! Like some devious drug dealer, you have succeeded in hooking me on these scrumptious pieces of heaven only to pull them away from me with no concern for the consequences to my now-dying taste buds. As that warm, melty, gooey, chocolatey goodness once filled those delicate flaky pastry bites, so was my soul filled with...

  We have another “Extreme Heat” warning. Last time the temperature did not get as hot as they said it would.   I don’t think it will today either though last time I think there really was moisture in the clouds whereas today has been smoky and now the skies are white and the mountains are hidden. I can smell the smoke through my window.   Yuch!!

              Roland’s boss had told her staff – “whoever has vacation coming up, take it now.”            Roland took off the last weekend in July and returned on Tuesday.   Meanwhile he received an email from the school that everyone outside of Utah will be laid off on September 6.   It’s not a big surprise for us.   We have known for some time that he could be laid off any day now.   At least now had an idea of when.              Roland returned and worked a day and a half when his boss asked if he had any sick leave.   Roland told her yes and she told him to take them off starting then.   Monday was his first day of sick leave and his last day of employment.   Everyone was let go.   So now what?            To be honest, he seems a lot more worried tha...

The airport is within walking distance.   Each year we can hear the helicopters .   Some are looking out.   Most appear carry buckets that appear to be half the size of the helicopter.   Each year the chopper noise increases – or seems to anyway.       More than it did in 2019 when the fires were so close and in 2017 when the entire state was on fire.   We were surrounded by smoke from every direction and wouldn’t have been able to safely evacuate as every direction had fires burning.   Even last year.     Smokey skies can sometimes make for amazing sunsets.   I would rather not have the amazing sunset and have no smoke.   Bless the firefighters who risk their lives to keep us safe. Here is one that Jenna took

            Would you believe that I finally joined the world of touch screen phone?   I changed my plan – or rather my carrier who does not support flip phones.   I went with them on a whim.   It will save us almost 10 dollars a month – which isn’t huge.   But if I can save 5 dollars here and 10 dollars there, it adds up.   Before you know I have save us 45 dollars not to mention the subscriptions to various things which adds up as well and before you know it I have removed over 100 dollars of unnecessary luxury spending.              So I now have a touch screen but have learned that the automatic machines at the other end of the line don’t recognize my pushing numbers.   Oh, that is so not cool.   I am already annoyed with automatic machines as it is.   So impersonal.   How many jobs have been replaced by machines?   A company does not have to pay w...

    https://www.happify.com/hd/5-things- you-can-do-if-feeling-overwhelmed/             I have had many ideas – some which I have jotted down but no complete thought.   It doesn’t seem to be a priority.   Whatever Roland is doing takes priority over anything that Jenna and I may have planned.   Right now it’s the back room – which is important.   But I also believe know that he needs to take breaks.              He’s taken Jenna to Roseburg a few times which has given me opportunity to blog and either a nap takes priority or else I just haven’t been motivated to write.   He gave me the assignment to paint the trim while they’re gone, but I can’t find a paintbrush.   Nor do I wish to spend my time looking for one the entire time they are gone.   I did put up some masking tape around the door trim – at least I put in some effort, right?   They are goi...

 I have been able to locate 3 cameras and 5 chargers.  Unfortunately  only one of the chargers will accept on of the batteries.  Thus I have been using a camera that Roland had purchased for Jenna during her sophomore year.  I have noticed the streak found across many of the pictures I've taken.  I tried to clean the lens but have learned that there are three scratches on the lens.  I took a picture of a white napkin and discovered the three scratches make a smile face.  How weird is that?