Beneath the Wraps

 We left the hotel just after 4:00 a.m. on Saturday.  Jaime likes getting breakfast at Denny's and so we went there for food.  Richard and I don't care for Denny's and were each disappointed with our meal - though we had not expected much to begin with. I would rather have McDonald's than Denny's. Jaime said it could be our last time for going to Denny's.   We drove by way of Boise.  Though we hit almost every rest stop between Salt Lake and Myrtle Creek we seemed to make good timing.  I think it was after 5:00 when we drove passed the sign that indicated we were in Douglas County, but then it took another two hours before we arrived in Roseburg. (I have mentioned how incredibly large our county is) We could see the smoke before we arrived in Glide. For the most part I don’t check my facebook or email while on vacation.   I’m on vacation.   This is how things looked when I returned   Before our backroom was built Richard had hung two...

At the time we checked in the staff had asked if it was a special occasion.  We told about late grad/college hoorah and they asked Jaime if she would like a pin.  She had declined but as she thought about it wished to change her answer.  But later when another staff member asked, I said that Richard and I had an anniversary coming up and they gave us anniversary pins which we had given to Jaime and Sam. I had always wanted to do an anniversary in Disneyland – perhaps with my sister and her husband as they were married in September also. I had planned on buying the white Minnie Mouse band with ears and a veil.  But omigosh – it was weigh too hot for me to want a veil weighing at the back on my neck. We really did pack enough clothes to change each day – not two or three times a day.   But our clothes were so drenched with perspiration that they had to be washed.   Shortly after we checked in Jai and I went in search for the laundry room which was in anothe...

                Wednesday was a more relaxing day as the only driving was on the part of Tony who had loaded up the car and came on down to spend with us.  I had washed three loads of clothes before they got here and I think they ended up doing four.           We played or started many games.   I think there were more games we hadn’t finished then there were those we finished.   Richard made fish for our lunch and decorated cupcakes with the kids.   I think Tony and family left shortly after 7:00 and decided to head toward Medford in order to see the temple.   They said they returned to Roseburg after 11:00. Yesterday required more driving as we went to the Wildlife Safari. It seems each time I have gone to the park there seems to be less number of animals than the last time I was there.   We did see a group of staff members watching a cheetah in the parking lot.  ...

          I don ’ t mind doing laundry as a whole.  Sorting is no big deal.   Adjusting the knobs and dials on the machine is also no big deal.   Even the folding part I can tolerate.   Returning the clean laundry to its rightful place is the most unpleasant part of the whole ordeal.   Still, I prefer it to putting dishes away.  

This post really has nothing to do with Earth Day . . . it just happened to take place last week: Thursday April 22nd.               I woke up early and thought I would surprise Roland by lowering my bed and snuggle with him.   However when I started scooting toward him, his side of the bed began to rise and then he told me he thought I was doing it.   I didn’t have his remote!   But neither did he.   We searched for it on top of the bed, removed the covers one at a time and looked beneath the bed.   I lowered my side and climbed on the bed to see if the remote had fallen between the crack that separates our mattresses. It had.   Only it hadn’t fallen as far as the floor but had somehow nestled itself under my mattress.   I had to use a long object in order to push it out.              I took Jenna to seminary so that Roland could go back to bed if he wante...

             My mom loved to iron when she was a girl.  She grew up in a day before permanent press and I was still in school when the iron didn ’ t seem so important as during the years prior.   I don ’ t know why my mom loved ironing – although it had gone from “ love ” to “ I don ’ t mind ” over the years.  I loathe ironing.  Really HATE it in fact.  I always end up burning myself.  Whatever I ’ m ironing ends up with at least two creases where they needn ’ t be.  Other than the ironing part, I don ’ t mind laundry – sorting, washing, drying and folding. I don ’ t especially enjoy putting clothes away.              When I was younger my mom taught Patrick and I how to do the “dishing” chore.   We first learned to dry and then put away and then she taught us how to wash by hand and finally unloading and loading the dishwasher.   I seeme...

                When we first moved to our house in Tri City, Roland set up a clothesline between two trees.   Initially, he tried the pulley thing so that I could hang the clothes from one position.   It didn't work to our expectations and I spent that first summer walking up and down the line hanging and removing laundry.           I like having the sun dry the clothes and I especially like how it can brighten the whites.   A light breeze will make it dry faster, but a strong wind will make the fabric stiff.   The towels feel like sandpaper either way, so generally, I just toss those in the dryer and add will add clothes that have been on the line but don't seem wearable.   Also, I don't enjoy ironing and would rather have the dryer remove the wrinkles for me.           Roland did put i...

             The service team came on Wednesday and remained for a good part of the day.   They came on Thursday but did not stay as long.   An electrician came on Friday and added electric tape to chewed area - Roland could have done that - and there wouldn't be a bill . . .             Jenna and I went to the laundry mat yesterday.    I knew I'd need to do laundry before Wednesday but have a commitment to the library on Monday and as Tuesday is a holiday and the laundry mat may be closed, I decided it needed to be done yesterday.           Roland stayed to water plants and other gardening.   We gave Jenna a choice and she went to do laundry with me.   I'm happy that she made that choice as I had forgotten the detergent, and later realized I did not have enough change in quarters and so went across the street and wrote a check for twenty do...

This post was created two summers ago.  I don't know what button I hit that made the post change to Feb 2015. Today the winds blew strong - but it was warm outside.  Go figure.  We did use the air conditioning in the car (never have I done that in February) and although it has been warm today, it hasn't been SUMMER warm. I wrote a few verses about how I am personally handling this heat (not well) and emailed them to a friend who made it into a song.   He’d sent me the chords and the fingering.   But seeing it on paper really doesn’t mean that much to me.   I think it was sweet of him to send it to me. I've had two showers today but my body doesn't know it I've planted flowers and beets but my garden doesnt' show it I wash more clothes in summer than any other season I'm so tired all of the time and summer is the reason Why can't heat just stay away from me Allow my body to breathe free Allow my mind to think clearly Please just...

I was planning on hanging laundry today – two loads at least.   I looked outside to discover I have only two lines – and certainly more than two lines worth of clothes.   If it was mid –summer, two lines might be enough.   As I have mentioned in at least one other post, by the time I finish hanging the laundry in the blazing heat, they are ready to take back down. But today there is a cool breeze which is nice against the blazing heat.   Blazing?   Summer hasn’t officially started.   Do I dare say the sun is blazing when I know the heat from the sun right now is nothing compared to what it will become. Our washing machine needs to be cleaned.   I can smell it.   If I can smell it, it must be pretty bad.   I couldn’t smell the dog when everybody else was commenting on his stink.   I didn’t know.   I took him into the front yard and hosed him down and used a dog shampoo.   I remember when I could smell, t...

I can hear Trume’s grandpa He is raising his voice As he often does when Trume Is getting on his nerves “Who’s he yelling at?” I wonder – for it is a school day Trume is in the first grade. I hear a light knock at My door – followed by the doorbell (as I was too slow getting there – even In my cracker box house) Ordinarily I would guess Trume Except for he should be at school. He’s in the same district as Jenna She’s at school. I check the peep hole Don’t see anyone.   Trume – Really?   He’s not the brightest Although his grandma claims otherwise “Jenna is in school, “ I say.   “How come your not?” Evidently grandpa didn’t feel like taking him Or maybe he forgot. How could he not remember? Grandma took Trume’s little sister To daycare.   Wouldn’t it make sence that If she was gone that Trume should be also? I’m doing laundry I use the washing machine more in the summer Than any other sea...

          I can remember when my mom gave each of us a bunch of safety pins for us to use on our socks in order to keep them together when going through the wash.   I can’t even imagine what would happen if I asked Jenna to pin her socks together.   She can barely get them off her feet.   Sometimes they make it to the hamper.   More often they don’t.           Sometimes she will put on socks that DON’T match.   A blue sock with a red sock, a dress sock with a causual sock.   A long sock with a short sock.   She doesn’t care.   Whatever’s convenient.           The other day she left the house with an orange sock and a white sock – but they both had owls on them.   (I think she might be starting a trend, actually) and I spent the day searching for mates.   What a chore.   ...