Myrtle and Creek

           The day we cleaned the shed two black chickens appeared – as though they had been living there and we destroyed their home.  They weren’t.  I have no idea where the two birds came from.  One was pretty much smaller than the other.  Normally Jaime has given names to all the animals that have come into our yard.  But she was not yet up.  Richard named the larger of the birds Myrtle and the smaller one he named Creek.

          We managed to keep Bonnie away from them during the morning.  I don’t know whose yard they had come from or why they chose to stay.  I let Bonnie out after 4:00.  I had forgotten about the chickens until I noticed her attacking Myrtle’s corpse. 

           Poor Creek seemed lost without her companion.  Richard would take Bonnie out and put her on a chain.  I don’t have the strength for the hook.  It has rusted over the years. I did manage to save Creek’s life a few times but failed today. 

           I feel bad at how their lives ended.  I feel helpless in the animal kingdom.  RIP Myrtle and Creek.

Maintenance

 

         For a week now we have been touching up our house.  The deck REALLY needed a make- over.  I don’t think it’s been painted/stained for two or three years.  It NEEDED a fresh coat of something.  And Richard was concerned about the trim facing west as it also needed a fresh coat of paint in his opinion.  Honestly no one is going to notice.  Nobody ever goes back there – especially to look at the shutters.  But whatever.  So here are some things we have done.

 

we painted the chairs after this photo was taken

clean up

          I thought I had posted about our make-shift shed that we made from the tarp of a greenhouse kit.  Richard built the frame to last – but the tarp did not.  It started out with good intentions but became more of an eye sore each time it was moved.  And so much junk accumulated over the years.  We took that down today.  It was a lot of work as Richard had built it to last.  Took us a couple of hours and whacking at it with a sludge hammer.   Made a trip to the dump.  It’s been exhausting.

JOY is an Acronym

 Jesus,  Others,  Yourself          -         in that order

Palm Sunday on Temple Square

 

Last night watched the most beautiful service spotlighting Palm Sunday.  An integration of faiths.

 I remember having gone to the tabernacle on Temple Square.  I didn’t visualize that I would have ever witnessed anything like this.  Pretty cool.

Conference Memories

                I think before the last two conferences (at least the October ones) Jaime has created Bingo cards that we might pay closer attention.  One year she picked a specific General Authority would wear a red tie.  I just had “red tie” on my Bingo card – no one specific.  I would not have even thought about the Bingo card except Dieter Uchtdorf was wearing a bright green tie which I liked.  I would have never guessed that a green tie would be worn.  Nor a lilac/orchid colored one with a circle/sun type pattern (that was worn by Gary E. Stevenson) followed by Amy Wright wearing a colorful orange suit.  I actually lost track after that – not that it’s important.  I didn’t lose sight of the message each had to convey.  It has been a really good conference thus far.

            Dale G. Renlund talked about being prepared and how the topic of the “last days” often make people uncomfortable.  I am one of those people.  Never have enjoyed of hearing about events that will take place.  But in my mind’s eye, I really thought I’d be on the other side.  I don’t like what Trump is doing to our nation.  Sign of the times.  But there are things he can’t control.  No matter how much he and his followers may want to deny evidence of global warming – he cannot control the weather. 

            I took comfort in his talk as I related in my own mind the events of resurrection – how the stone had rolled away.  It didn’t matter how many soldiers were placed to guard the tomb – the resurrection was going to take place.  The stone rolled away.  Those who were supposedly in charge could not change the elements or the events that occurred.  Same with the last days.  If we are prepared things will work out – maybe not the way we expect, but they will work out.

            Jaime is currently at a lake house with a group of her friends.  The nerds who graduated South Umpqua High in 2022.  I think it’s cool that they continue to make arrangements to hang out together.  It has been nearly three years since they left high school.  I enjoy watching conference with Jaime.  I miss having her here – but at the same time I understand.  She’s celebrating her 21^st birthday.  I hope she has an awesome weekend.

 

Preparing for Easter

 

Richard signed up for cookies for a refreshment after our Easter service.  Of course we had to trial run:

No More Dolls!

          Before Richard and I went on our Las Vegas/Gilbert excursion, his brother had mentioned that a package was on its way.  It hadn’t occurred to me what he was sending.  Richard had asked for the return of a doll that he had sent his mom.  We didn’t know that Robert was going to send half of her doll collection.  

We did find homes for the first two,
possibly the one in the middle.  

Richard wanted just one specific doll – but all of these came in addition to a boxed set of Lucy and Desi dolls as Lucy and Ricky Ricardo (which Richard had also sent his mom – in addition to a Raggedy Ann doll that did not find its way back to us.  Shame.  It is the only doll that I liked.

 

         Actually I do like the Ricky and Lucy dolls as they remind me of Richard and me.  She is pregnant with Little Ricky.  I was once pregnant with Jaime.  Richard said I might use it as a door price but I said I wanted to keep it.  I didn’t know that would lead to the purchase of more Lucy dolls (Lucy, by the way, was the name of his mother who had passed last October) and would have benefited more from the collection than I.  Don’t get me wrong.  I do love Lucy.  But I am not a doll collector.

 

my favorite Lucy doll would
be the first one pictured

         Both my Aunt Eloise and Aunt Kristie had collected dolls which they displayed in doll cases.  I don’t have room for doll cases.  I have a doll collection.  Just a small one.  But they are buried on a shelf. Most are worthless but I keep them for sentimental reasons.  There is no sentiment in the Lucy dolls or this one 

which Richard had picked up in addition.  I like that it comes with all these accessories – including binoculars and canteen (not pictured because they fell to the bottom of the box.  They were part of a clearance/clean out due to the floods that took place last Sunday.  Business owner is through.