Beneath the Wraps

               I had to make a few trips downtown yesterday.   The first was to mail a package to Roland’s mother.   Saturdays provide a two hour window between 11:00 and 1:00.   I’ve been told Myrtle Creek’s is the only post office in the county that is open on Saturdays.           Jenna and her friend had wanted to go trick-0r-treating, but the event didn’t start until 2:00. It was crowded.   Each year the city has offered trick-or-treating to the businesses downtown – though they had changed things up last year and “spaced” apart those handing out candy in the park and kept things in the park and not the entire 8 streets that make up the downtown area.   It continued to just the park this year.   Jaime wore her homemade costume “Sam” from Trick or Treat and her friend had gone as “Red Riding Wolf”.   They spent their last day of school (Thursday the 28 th ) ...

         Since we moved to Myrtle Creek and Jenna had become a part of the young women’s program, she has suggested that the ward do a trunk or treat.  Our ward has never done anything for Halloween – which is okay – but it is, without a doubt, her favorite holiday.  This year the young women’s president has arranged a Halloween party – the event starts at 6:00.  Jenna, meanwhile, has made another commitment.  Roland is working.  I was not too thrilled with the idea mingling with 50 – 100 people that may or may not be in the tiny church building.  If neither Jenna nor Roland are not going to go, I’m certainly not going.  I do feel bad for not supporting our YW pres. though I’m certain there will be a good attendance.  I have had such a huge case of the pandemic blues right now that I KNOW I will NOT be of great company.           As I had mentioned in a previous post, the pand...

          My youngest son seems to be making more money than he knows what to do with.  Boo hoo, huh?  His wife's family has paid for a few outings for the entire family - like going to Mexico.  Recently he just purchased tickets to go to Hawaii.  Roland and I never traveled.  We barely had enough to feed the family.            There was one time we had gone to Logan to see my brother's performance in something.  I can't even remember what.  Each of the boys had made arrangements to sleep over with various friends and had not shown any interest in going to the play.  Since none of the boys were at home and Roland felt too tired to drive back, we just got a room to spend the night.          Our youngest (the first to have made sleeping arrangements) calls about midnight to find out where we are.  Apparently the sleeping over plans had fallen through and h...

                I think I must have mentioned that Roland accepted a position at a jewelry store – supposedly local but has been training in both Eugene and Medford in addition to “visiting” in Roseburg.  He has used me as his sounding board before whenever he has been assigned to give a talk or lesson in church.  I would rather listen to it fresh than to hear him rehearse it – but I understand.  My mom did the same thing.             Well, now he wants me to be a sounding board for his work and I am SO UNINTERESTED in the quality of diamonds or the luster of diamonds or what makes them what.   I really don’t care.   And it gets harder to listen each time he tries to practice as I become more and more uninterested.   I used to wear costume jewelry all the time – until my mission.   Haven’t worn much since.   Roland would like to go out and make nice pu...

  I remember going to youth conference and taking notes – one or two words at a time.   When I would return to the dorms I would pull out my notes and elaborate on what I remembered based on the words.   I don’t remember things as well anymore and often the words I’ve written don’t ever get made into a sentence or paragraph.   The Roseburg Stake has always had its stake conference two weeks after General Conference. General Conference is great as each talk is recorded and I can return to read or listen, but Stake Conference is not recorded. I have gotten so much out of the virtual conferences rather than in person sitting on hard chairs in a room very far away from the podium.   Each year I have wished the recording would have been available longer than just watching it live.   This year was especially awesome. Only last night’s adult session and the general meeting today were broadcast.   The leadership meeting had to be attended in person and wea...

 Fog has lingered in the morning, but not today.  Jenna had wanted to meet with her friends downtown so they could take pictures with a foggy background.  It ended up just me (the photographer) and her - no fog.  Here are some pics with her in her homemade costume of Trick or Treat's Sam.

              Let’s talk Men’s Wearhouse – perhaps not all locations but the one in Medford specifically.  Jenna, Roland and I had gone on an outing on September 20.  Each of us purchased clothing at one store or another – Jenna and I found items in different stores throughout the Rogue Mall.  Roland’s purchase was at the Men’s Wearhouse located at the Sky Blue Plaza.                There were some pairs of pants that needed custom fitting and alteration.   The pants were then to be shipped to our address in Myrtle Creek.   As it has been a few weeks since the purchase was made, Roland decided he should contact the store.   He had meant to call on Monday but never got around to it or forgot or whatever. (He had written down the names of five phone numbers to contact throughout the day).   Thus he tried to contact them the following day but there w...

              Roland had to make a trip to Roseburg the other day.  Had to go to the VA hospital to have some work done.  Prior to COVID there had been more than one option to enter and exit the campus as the space is composed of more than one building.  But since COVID – there is one way in, one way out, and guards on watch to make certain the one way driving is enforced.  Also there are teams of health screeners to take one’s temperature before one is able to park.  If the driver or those entering any building doesn’t have a temperature is given a pink slip to prove that he or she has been scanned.     I don’t know what becomes of those who do have a temperature or a cough or flare-up or anything that might become worse if not treated – I mean, wouldn’t they still have to get in?   Isn’t that why they came? I just stay in the car and play on my kindle and so have not had my temperature taken or received ...