Beneath the Wraps

                Biff and Clair have moved but failed to take all their stuff with them.  Meanwhile Jaime is moving in.  She has belongings in one shed and is going through all the stuff that was thrown in the other shed before Biff and Claire moved in.  We have organized both sheds to a degree.  Camping and tools is one.  Christmas, memorabilia and other miscellaneous items in the other.  Plus stacks of crap items belonging to Biff’s family though I think there is more on the deck than what’s in the shed.  I want it gone.                I was so exhausted and soar yesterday.   Today was much easier.   We did 30 minutes of work and break and work again.   Yesterday was overcast and 60ish until about two.   And we stopped – at least outdoors.   Jaime went through many of her stuffed animals yesterday and is going throug...

                  As I have been reading the scriptures I wondered where I had misplaced my personal scripture blessing.  I used to look at it often but realized I probably haven ’ t looked at it since we have lived in Oregon.  It isn ’ t where I thought it was.         I found some “ artifacts ” and a letter addressed to my posterity about the contents of my pink ammo can.   What possessed me to paint it pink?   I don ’ t even like pink.   But at the time I didn ’ t appreciate the drab green although I think I prefer it to the pink that appears to be older than it is.           The note was written September 6, 1988.   I claimed that I had left a camera cassette which isn ’ t there but there is a VHS and the contents are the same as what is descrbed for the Minolta.   I suppose I could include another camera cassette but with di...

          Shortly after we had moved in, a neighbor from across the street introduced himself to me.   He told me if we ever needed anything we could call him.   I think he was genuine in his heart, but his poor body was not in great shape.   He needed a ramp to get in and out of the house and was in no condition to climb our hill to inspect the house.   He had asked what changes had been done.   Because I had never seen the house before it went on the market, there was really no way to compare it but I don't know that he could visualize what I had tried to explain.          I could see that he was in pain as he hobbled out to the mailbox and back to the house.   I don't remember seeing him after that.   I think his children must have taken turns moving in for a while as I would see others go out to retrieve the mail or be out in the yard or what have you.   They would come and s...

            We celebrated Jenna's birthday at the end of the month ( see here ) because of the move.  Sadly more would have showed up if we had stuck with the original date.             Savannah and Bella had both shown up to the bowling alley with gifts, but Kyle did not have one - which is okay.  In the past we have always expressed our interest is with the guests themselves and gifts aren't even necessary.              Kyle was overly quiet that day.  Seemed sad, almost.  Was it because she hadn't brought a gift?  The other night we took her and Jenna to the movies as Jenna had been given tickets by the school earlier in the year for her good behavior.  They expire at the end of this month.             Kyle must ha...

My mom once told me that the first purse that she ever owned was red and had a picture of a cow.  She was five. I don't know if that's actually when she became obsessed with having a purse with her at all times.   But they seemed to be a part of her when I was growing up.   Back then she had several purses – assorted shapes and colors.   I don’t know how often she changed them.   I know she went through many. As a child, I don’t think I paid attention to the weight of mom’s purse, but as an adult, I realized she was often toting around the equivalence of a bowling ball – I kid you not.   And some of the heaviest purses were also the smallest ones that she owned. Okay, maybe as a mom it does seem necessary to lug around an extra case of bandages, a pocket knife, a sewing kit, a comb, 40 pens (only two of them worked) , a fork, and even a hot dog – because you just never know.   Much of the weight was due to the pound and a half o...

There are a handful of certain people who somehow feel magnetized to drive to yard sales – some spend their entire weekends exploring through junk and treasures and actually driving from yard sale to yard sale – not me.   Oh, sure.   When I was a kid it was different.   I felt so grown up walking away with treasures from various neighbors’ yards.   But now?   Unless we’re looking for something specific and happen to be passing the yard sell anyway . . . junk.   Lots and lots of junk.   The same you can buy at the second hand store.   Yard sales wear me down.   And today was no exception. Normally my sibs and I don’t hold yard sales.   Items are donated, thrown out, or given away.   Yard sales are too much work – and you end up donating or throwing away everything that’s left – which in our case was most of it.   Patrick was really dreading that part – but I told him he didn’t have to take it to a donation center...

          I don’t remember being in the ward when the name of Roland and his sons were read over the podium for new membership records. They must have been read the week that mom and I went out of town.           It was September of 2000.   We had gone to San Francisco to clean out my grandma’s apartment.   A place that housed her possessions but she had not actually lived there for over a year – and yet the rent was still being paid.   How wasteful.           Mom and I lined the halls with donations.   We had called Salvation Army, DVA, any thrift store or charity that would come.   Nobody would take it all, but every organization took a lot.   Hard to believe that apartment actually held all that much.   I never knew what a very Large apartment my grandmother lived in.     ...