Beneath the Wraps

  Richard and I will often watch BBC’s “The Repair Shop” ( here ) in which patrons bring their time worn heirlooms to be restored to another time.   It’s great to see so many attached to sentiments in our throw-it-out/replace/upgrade it society.   I don’t recall having any family heirlooms. My mom had been raised in poorer circumstances with many relics that may not have been considered antiques at the time – certainly not of value either financially or sentimentally.   We threw things away and replaced them – though I remember my brother and I both hoarding “stuff” as sentiments.   Perhaps even now.   But nothing worth restoring . . . I don’t think. I do have a set of scriptures that belonged to my mother.   The binding on the triple combination is torn in places and many of the pages have definitely seen better days.   But it is a treasure because I see where she has marked certain scriptures and written in the margin.   That for me...

    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...

Jenna had wanted to do a craft.  We went and gathered pinecones on Tuesday.  Yesterday we made these:   Jenna also found the perfect rock and painted a scene.   I thought it turned out well.   Roland had purchased some sensors for the house in order to detect anyone in our driveway or anyone on our porch.   One was more sensitive than the other and had gone off more times than needed.   He decided he would take care of it when he got off work yesterday in addition to putting up lights for the stairs and moving the initial light he had purchased which wasn’t serving the purpose as he had hoped.   We were about to lose light and I didn’t want him to climb the ladder and not be able to finish the projects he had on his agenda.   He was tired and I could sense that he was already frustrated without a darkness challenge.   I suggested putting everything away and trying again today.   He had the entire day off after all.   He...

            On December 24, 2014 my children decided to do white elephant gifts for what would be our last Christmas in Utah (only we hadn't planned for it to be our last Christmas together)   Jeanie recycled at least one gift that they had received, possibly both.                 They weren't wrapped, but left in black garbage bags, both huge.   One a bit bulkier than the other.   For some reason I was drawn to them - not knowing fully which to choose.   I settled on the flat one, figuring it was a painting of some sort.               Many people, when drawing white elephants, will allow a person to choose a wrapped gift or swipe an   unwrapped gift from somebody else.   I didn't know until later that Jenna had actually considered "stealing" the painting I had "unwrapped" but wanted the op...

            Tuesday morning I woke up with a stinging sensation on my left arm as though it has been used as a pincushion.  Why all the pain?  I must have encountered a plant that doesn't like me (most plants don't) or heat rash perhaps?  My arm doesn't appear to have a rash visually, but from the inside, the prickly feeling was driving me bonkers.             Jenna and I had gone to the library.  It wasn't until after I returned that I felt what must have been small cuts on my index finger (just under the knuckle).  Must be from dry skin.  Yesterday I realized it was a sliver of some kind - probably wood.  My left index finger was turning pink. I think I might have gotten it out when I soaked myself and opened up my pores.             In addition to our house trim in need of p...

        It's hard to believe that just over a week I had the heater on just before Memorial weekend - and now?  June 1st hits with high temperatures and warm winds and knocked me into a coma.  Would not have made a good chaperone had I gone with Jenna and her classmates on her first overnight field trip through the school.         The house is in need of new paint - actually, new railing - but paint will be less costly for us at this time.  Roland picked out the forest green I have wanted for each house that we had lived in but never quite got the color right.  Just after we put the first coat on, I wished we would have gone with blue. Jenna picked out a really pretty color - unfortunately not early enough. The green on the house shutters and trim match the railing . It looks more blue in this photo.  It was a steel blue before - a VERY faded steel blue.  Guess it's ...