Falling Into Place

            It's uncanny how much of my life or programs will fall into my path during courses I am taking, and I can use those experiences or episodes to tie into school discussions or assignments.  Take this week for example.  I have just started a class in communications and public speaking.  It started on Monday.  It was the same day that at least one of the elementary schools in our area had a fire drill.  I know this because I was there.

            Yesterday the fire alarm went off again. Word came over the walkie-talkies that "Everyone needs to be out of the building. This is NOT a drill."  Some of the students heard that, but not everyone did.  The drill took place during class.  The more serious threat was during lunches.  The children were safe.  I suspected that the fire was not a major fire but more of a trash-fire although I had no way of knowing for certain.  I personally had not heard the word "fire" but had heard one of the custodians requesting a need for the fire department.  It could have been a bad chemical in the air.  I didn't know.  I tried to focus on the comforting the children with positive thoughts.

            Rumors get out of hand on face-book and fires spread more quickly on social media than the flames near the faulty outlet or the smoke traveling down the hall.  Parents panic and make the situation worse when they hurry to the school to and demand to check out their students right now.  They are only making it worse for the emergency vehicles that need to get through the safety of the children that need to be accounted for.  None of the parents had been contacted about the fire drill that we had on Monday but all of them seemed to know about the fire trucks coming to the school in response to an actual emergency.

            The kids were safe.  The educators were safe.  There was an orderly manner of conduct - though perhaps not as smooth as it had been on Monday.  Still, everyone had been accounted for and were allowed to return to the school in under thirty minutes.  Parents need to learn to trust the system.  Hey, I'm a parent.  I have a student who's been on lockdown more than once.  She has been a part of fire drills, earthquake drills, and more recently intruder lock-down drills.  And I have trusted the system.  I know that my efforts to contact the school will only interfere with or delay the safety of my child.  I need to have faith in those who are with her and in a higher being.  Things will work out the way they're supposed to.  I feel blessed that I am not afraid.  I am grateful to all the educators who stand with our children and protect them.  I have always been grateful to the firefighters - especially in this area where I currently reside.  Most of them are volunteers.  

            They went into the school. They took care of the situation at hand.  Everybody is fine.  Well . . . I know there are parents who are not fine.  Perhaps they will never be fine.  Fire drills are a way of preparing for a cause or event.  Perhaps the parents should practice understanding the system and make it a priority to have a bit of faith and not panic! I have more appreciation for walkie-talkies and other devices of communication.  This week and last month have helped me to prepare.

Morning Fog = Super Warm Evenings

The fog looked worse when I left the house than it does in these three pictures.

I used to watch fog and clouds surrounding the hills south of us.  

The longer the fog lingered in the morning, the warmer it was in the evening

Not that 65 or 67 is especially HOT -but when you consider the snow storms

just three weeks ago.  Dreary skies.  Grey and Drab.

But afternoons bring blue skies with enough coolness in the air that it's bearable

But by 3:30 and 4:00 it is unbearable. 

The fog has moved to the north side where we are and surrounds the entire city like we've been sucked into an endless vapor

It doesn't have an order nor is it bothersome like smoke from burning leaves, but still envelops us as though we are on an eerie set of a Halloween movie.   I don't know what time the fog starts.  I'm not up that early. 

I know it lifts before 10:30.  We had a fire drill today and it was nice outside.  Still cool, but clear enough that we could see all the other classes that went out the same exit.

I can see across the hills this morning.  I wonder if that means if won't be as  hot for us today as it was yesterday.

Dash #157 Peter from the New Testament

Who is Your Favorite Person in the Scriptures?

I like Peter, the senior apostle of Jesus Christ, found in the New Testament. 

Peter has many human qualities.  (John 13:36 -38)

He is not perfect.

Sometimes his faith is waivered.  (Matthew 14:27 - 30)

He isn't always in control of his emotions.  (John 21:7)

He seems a bit hard-hearted at times.  (Mark 8:32)

Though he tries to understand certain things, sometimes he just doesn't get it.  (John 13: 8 - 10; 21:15-17)

He tries hard to please his Master. (Matthew 26:35, Mark 10:28; John 2:37)

He tries to defend him. (John 18:10)

He makes mistakes. (Luke 22: 34; Mark 14 :70-72)

He is forgiven. (D&C 64:2-4)

I relate to Peter because so many of his human qualities are represented.

He's not perfect.  But the Savior loves him no matter what.  And He forgives him. 

Peter gives me hope. (Matthew 16:18)

What's the Opposite of Right?

Another word for correct is the word "right"

It's opposite is "wrong", you can check this site

But let me ask a question if I might

"Isn't 'left' the opposite of 'right'?"

For example, I am right handed, yes indeed

Writing with my left makes the paper hard to read

Eating with my right hand also feels right to me

As eating with my left-hand feels wrong and sloppy

In school, we learn to read from left to right

But if I apply that to math, I won't seem so bright

For we go from right to left when doing math

Solving problems from left to right is not the right path

There is only one right answer but many that are wrong

If I try to line the digits where they don't belong.

So is it left and right or right and wrong

I am now finished with the left-right-wrong song.

Have I Seen You Before?

          I didn’t realize how common, familiar or recognizable my face was until my mission.  People allowed me to enter their homes when they thought I was somebody else.

          “Oh, you are not my niece, Pam,” one woman said after she let me in and then read my name tag.

          I predicted that she and her niece must not have been that close.

          I’ve had people seek me out to ask me questions or confide their entire life-history to me as though there was a neon sign on my head that said, “Please, tell me your life story.  Share all your woes with me.”

          It didn’t seem to matter if I was looking at a book or engaged in another conversation.  People would horn in on my territory and pounce on me.  I hadn’t thought about it at the time, but perhaps it was because they believed I was someone they had already met – like an old friend or a psychiatrist or something.

          I recall at least two times when a co-worker wasn’t getting something or needed extra help with whatever.  Each put in a request for me to assist which I thought was odd – especially the first girl  I thought was highly immature and would have liked to see her take a permanent leave of absence from the company.

          The other one was from another workplace.  I had been working there on a temporary assignment which meant I was being paid through an agency and not the company where this girl (I'll call her Tess) worked.  She was in a different department than I was and so I had little contact with her to begin with.

         Tess had been called into the office as she was struggling with a concept.  Tess had made a request for me to assist her to understand whatever it was that had been expected of her.   Thus, I was called into the office and told that I had been requested by Tess could I train her on how to do a step that was needed to make her job more efficient.   Okay?  I thought it an odd request as I was only a temp on a different payroll system and in a different department.  But I did accept the assignment to train Tess.

          My looks (or whatever familiarity it was) for the most part have worked in my favor.  People seem to automatically like me perhaps assuming I am somebody else, but I did have one job where the boss couldn’t stand me.  The job was only seasonal, and I was never happy there – but I don’t believe I ever had my lips pursed or gave the appearance that my wardrobe was too tight and if I wasn’t comfortable I would be certain that no one else was either.

          The seasonal job involved a bus line charter that would take passengers from the airport to one of three ski resorts or vice-versa.  Potential clients would call to reserve a time to be picked up from airport or location.  Sounds easy, right?  And yet there were passengers that would not get picked up because the information either hadn’t been recorded properly, related properly or delayed because of the weather.  If the third option was the reason, we were to contact those customers to let them know about the delay.  The transition was rarely ever smooth.  I don’t know why there was such complication with communication.  All I know is my first boss was let go I would guess because of so many unsatisfied clients.

          So then came along Ruth to clean up the mess that the first had left behind.  I suggested to her that we should have a meeting to learn whether we were on the same page or not.  When she finally did get around to having the meeting, I wasn’t invited.  I was complaining about it to one of my co-workers who said that I intimidated Ruth. 

          “She didn’t like me before I opened my mouth.  She waltzed in her, looked at me, and just started hating me for no reason!”

          Ruth let me go.  It was actually a relief on my part.  I did not care for the atmosphere and I especially hated the location.  I thought because it was seasonal I could stick it out, but I really wasn’t happy.  Ruth did me a favor.  She probably wouldn’t have fired me if she had known how great I felt inside.

          Roland has always had this kid magnetism that I myself have not possessed until lately when I have subbed at some of the schools in our area.  Often, I will be with behavioral or academically challenged youth who again will view me as a comrade.  I had met a troubled youth on a Thursday last month.  I had not seen her again until this month.

          “Have I met you before,” she asked.

          “We met on Thursday before the power went out.”

          She just nodded as though it were an acceptable answer but has asked me the same question the following day.  She recognizes me as someone she can trust.  Other instructors have had their struggles with this particular individual, but her behavior has been acceptable in my presence.

          Just this week I was introduced to another that struggles academically and displays emotional outbursts as a result.  The size of this individual indicates that she is much older than she is.  Her brain indicates that she is much younger.  Apparently, we are tight.  I did not know this until yesterday when she came in from recess and started to make a b-line towards me but was intercepted by the teacher giving instructions.  The student was upset that her teacher hadn’t allowed her to share with me whatever important thing it was.

          Perhaps it's the color of my hair that makes me trustworthy.  I look like my mom did in her final years.  Except she lost weight and I have gained it.  I wish I didn’t enjoy eating naughty things or at all.  I’ve eaten things that are good for me as well – but not in moderation, unfortunately.  

         I really am a trustworthy individual and overall polite.  Sometimes I feel irritation but try so hard not to express it to the individual I am frustrated or irritated.  Having a common/familiar/recognizable face has its advantages, I guess. Perhaps all those who think I look familiar know me from before we were born.

How Long Must We Wait

          A member of the ward had told me about the Burger King in Canyonville - which by the way is not called "Fast" Burger King or "Express" Burger King with good reason.  I'd forgotten about his comments until one day I decided to stop there on my way home from working at the school.  I could have seriously driven home and back before my order was ready.   And I had only ordered two items!

          I don't know how long it was (a couple of months, I would guess) when I decided to give them a second chance.  No.  The post office would beat them in a race.  I have usually just parked the car and gone in and didn't realize that the drive-through would be faster (though not by much).  Roland and I were at the DMV in Canyonville and decided to stop off at Burger King on the way home.

          After he paid, the worker at the drive-through said that our food would be a minute and would Roland mind pulling around to the front.  He opted not to do so.  After all, we had been inconvenienced already - and it's not like the food would be ready for the next six-plus cars that were behind us.  Why not just have their food ready when they pay.  Roland actually did everybody a favor by staying put. 

          We never have that kind of a wait in Roseburg.  At least it doesn't seem like we do.  Maybe.  Fast food my foot.  But hey, at least we know our food hasn't been sitting under a heating lamp all day, right.

Dash #622 Knock Knock Jokes

Knock-knock jokes are question-and-answer jokes, playing off of words typically ending with a pun.  For example:

person 1:         Knock-knock

person 2:         Who's there?

person 1:         banana

person 2:         banana who?

person 1:         Knock-knock

person 2:         Who's there?

person 1:         banana

person 2:         banana who?

person 1:         Knock-knock

person 2:         Who's there?

person 1:         banana

person 2:         banana who?

person 1:         Knock-knock

person 2:         Who's there?

person 1:         orange

person 2:         orange who?

person 1:         orange you glad I didn't say banana?

the word "orange" is a "play on words" for "aren't"

There is a reason I have chosen this particular joke as an example - I just didn't know if I should include it before or at the end of my post.  It was Jenna's first joke - well sort of.

I had just returned home to find her in her room perhaps just a few months before she turned three.

"Hi, Sweetie," I said.

"Knock-knock" she said.

I played along, "Who's there?"

She was silent for a minute and then continued.

"Knock-knock" she said again.

Once again, I played along, "Who's there?"

This went on for about five or six rounds.  I stopped playing along.

Finally, she looks up at me and says, "Banana" and I started laughing. I had no idea that she was telling her first knock-knock joke until that very moment.  She just looked at me like, "I just don't get why that is supposed to be funny".  I thought it was funny because she had told it incorrectly, but also proud of her accomplishment that she had attempted to tell me a joke.

I made this page for her scrapbook: 

Daylight Savings Time is a HORRIBLE joke.

Where is Everyone?

          I can't even seem to pinpoint the month when Marva and Shelly came back into our lives - or even why. Roland would cram gospel truths down their throats and Marva really did want to learn.  Shelly was more interested in having a father-figure in her life.  Unlike her mom, she is not interested in boys.  But neither of them are in relationships.  Marva is usually quite positive but doesn't know when to give her mouth a rest.  Shelly is too needy and clingy. 

          I believe the Elders started teaching her in November.  We had set up an appointment in our home.  We were stood up twice when she was having the discussions in our home.  I don't know how many more times she was stood up after they moved her to the church.  In this case, it was Marva who had chased after the Elders rather than the other way around. She begged for them to start teaching her multiple lessons at a time. 

          I was surprised to learn that Shelly would be ready to get baptized the same day.  They had entered the waters of baptism on December 29.  Marva was so excited.  Shelly was first to go into the water and Roland baptized her without any problems.  Marva is quite heavy and was not fully immersed the first time and so Roland had to repeat the prayer before he held her under the second time.

          Unfortunately, they had managed to miss every testimony meeting since they had started attending.  I think the last time I saw Marva was for a Relief Society activity on January 22. They no longer attend meetings - which is sad to me - after all the effort that Marva had put into literally dragging the missionaries to appointments.  I don't know why she doesn't come.  I'm guessing because there have been some members who have tried to teach her self-reliance rather than trying to live on hand-outs or welfare. Like how it might be more important to buy a loaf of bread and some cheese that may last a week as opposed to blowing your entire paycheck on high-priced buffet at Seven Feathers.

          Marva has selected hearing and gets a bee in her bonnet and is so focused on that bee that she doesn't even notice the hummingbirds or the butterflies.  Has she forgotten about all the other friends that she had made?  She's not punishing us but is depriving herself and Shelly - though I don't believe Shelly was ever committed. I think her only reason for coming to Church was because Marva was making her.

          Have they forgotten how Roland had allowed Shelly to call him dad and the time that they had spent together?  I don't understand how Marva could be so focused on something that isn't even real - but an image she made-up in her head.  She's done it several times before where she focuses on one thing that she might consider offensive instead of taking time to view the picture in its entirety.

          I know it sounds terrible that I haven't missed her dropping by unannounced and overstaying her welcome.  She would speak enthusiastically as she shared what she thought was amusing information, "This is so funny.  You're going to laugh"  I rarely did.  It wasn't even her fault.  I obviously go to bed earlier than she does.

          She has decided that she doesn't want anything to do with the Church.  Wish she would have figured that out before she was baptized.  Could be that the timing isn't right.  As I mentioned in this post, Satan never wanted her in the Church.  Doesn't mean that he has won.  It apparently isn't the right time.  Whatever.

          Church was really sparse today.  5 children total.  Outnumbered by the leaders as there were seven of us.  Bro. R. was called to lead the activities for the two boys in my class.  It was announced today and he attended my class.  It was great to have him there as he contributed to my lesson with his profound knowledge.  I always appreciate that. 

          We had our first choir practice for a couple of months.  I did not sing as it seems to invite unnecessary coughing on my part.  I took roll and waited for Jenna who was in a youth meeting.  When she was done, we returned home.  

Pioneer Cemetery

Right next to Penny Pinchers Gas Station is

the road that leads to Pioneer Cemetery. 

UP to Pioneer Cemetery

It goes UP and just one lane.

One lane going up and

houses on the way.

Are you kidding me?

Which of the lucky drivers

gets to back up if

there are two that meet?

We didn't know how steep the

road was nor how small the

cemetery is or that it is

fenced in. Roland said he

had been curious and so we

went to see it right after we

got gas. Neither of us had

our cell phones - nor had

I thought to bring a camera

photo by Steve Mattos

We were just going to the store

to return some items and hit

Penny Pinchers on the way.

The cemetery was interesting I

guess.  But it was a one time trip

I'm certainly not going to drive there

No, sir-ee, Bob!

I'm not driving UP UP UP and risk

falling to my death.

Most of the markers did not have

any kind of identification to

indicate who might be buried

beneath.  They all had leaves

on them.  The fancier ones

provided some information

perhaps even the ones in the

very back.  It was hard to tell

as they had blackened over

the centuries.  It's a very old

cemetery.

Were we Prepared for the Storm?

              Okay,  this will be my last  post about last weeks fire.

            We have been more prepared than many others, but still not as much as we had hoped or believed.  There is only so much that can be stored and used before we run out.  As Roland couldn't get the generator working that first day, he used a jump start from the car to hook to the fireplace.  It was our only source of heat for a while.  But the car jumping device did not provide the amount of power that the generator had.  I was also afraid of killing the cars. 

            Roland had gone to the store not just once but two or three times to replace items we had used (such as gas and batteries).  How fortunate it was that he was able to use a credit or debit card as there have been many who have not had the opportunity to use their cards in natural disasters.  If residences are able to find a place that's open, I understand that cash is the preferred method.  I hate when there are businesses that prey upon the weakness or panic of the public.  WalMart offered snow brushes for removing snow from windshields.  In the entire time, we've been here, we have never encountered the challenge of needing a snow brush.  To me it seemed that the target was not out of concern to the public but how to use the panic to make a profit.  That irks me.  

            Though we have many flashlights, Roland went ahead and purchased some more.  We now have enough flashlights for every room, both vehicles, and our evacuation bags - which fortunately we have never had to use either.  I wonder how they will fare when there does come a time we have to rely solely upon only our backpack supply.  Granted, they are heavy.  The weight alone seems it would sustain us for a few weeks.  But we won't really know unless we are faced with the challenge of having to use them.  We didn't seem as prepared for the last week of February though we had believed we were.   Thus it makes me question how prepared we'd be without the opportunity of having a car to drive or a destination to drive to.

            On Wednesday we moved everything from one fridge and freezer to one location to hook to the generator.  Some food had thawed out and Roland boiled an entire bag of ravioli, but I cannot eat it all and so I packed up containers to share with the neighbors.  By that time, many had gone elsewhere – probably to stay with family.  I think both of our neighbors across the street are on oxygen and the family next door has two small children.

            Jenna had taken the snow shovel to assist neighbors with clearing out their driveways.  She wanted to do it to raise money and asked Roland's advice.  Of course, Roland and I always provide opposite answers.  He had that Walmart attitude of preying on the weak and making a profit and I told her to do it for blessings.  She decided to take my advice but didn't reject any payment when it was offered. I believe she made more money that way.

            I returned to eat my own ravioli and have been eating ravioli every day since.  The mail was delivered on Thursday for the first time last week.  Our power returned Thursday night.  There is still one school in the district without power Friday morning. Another message that school will be canceled for Friday.  They expect to resume on Monday.

           I am grateful to the power company who still has workers out there continuing to restore power to so many who don't have it still.  Four days is nothing.  Many of those currently without electricity are also without water.  I pray that they will have the strength to survive and hope that their struggles will be lessened that they may return to the way things were.

There was one Horrifying Moment

            Even before Jenna’s two friends and most of their family had perished in a fire (see here and here) I have been paranoid of open flames and space heaters and such. During the power outage we had candles. 

            At first, Roland had placed a candle in one of the sinks so that we could have light in the bathroom.  Gradually it moved above the sink so that we could use the sink without putting out the flame.  He made sure there were no towels near or anything that could catch on fire.  So a few days later when I told Jenna to do the same thing, Roland went with her to make certain that the area of the bathroom she picked would be safe.  She started her candle in the sink also.  But her sink is evidently shallower than ours and the faucet was made out of plastic which I hadn’t even known was a thing.

            The smoke alarm in Jenna’s room had been whining since the power had gone out – like it needed fresh batteries.  I don’t know why hers went off and ours didn’t.  They had been installed at the very same time (see here) 

            The smoke alarm in the hall is electric – which I thought was weird – or rather it’s power source feeds off the electricity but is still able to work in power outages.  We learned that when the faucet caught on fire and the smoke alarm in the hall and the one in mine and Roland’s bedroom went off.  We chose not to call the fire department as we know they have been busy throughout the week.  Roland figured it was a problem we could deal with ourselves. 

            After the fire was out, he made certain that all the inside doors were closed and opened a window in the bathroom, the front outside door, and some other windows and handed each of us a towel to wave down the hall and toward the open door.  It seemed a bit amusing at first – I mean the very idea of a faucet catching on fire because of a candle.  Jenna kept apologizing, but I told her it wasn’t her fault.  This house is made out of cheap material. It’s a wonder that our roof didn’t cave in.

            I made comments about any passers-by who could be watching (not that there were, but just at the thought of it) that would question as to why we had the door open in the first place, and why we were all waving towels as though it were an exercise ritual or something.  The thought made us smile at first, but we quickly became exhausted.

            The alarm in mine and Roland’s room had stopped, but the one in the hall continued to whine – though the pitch seemed to be getting duller.  Roland said we had to continue to wave so that there wouldn’t be carbon monoxide in the air.  Only he could smell the remains of horrible odor – or at least I imagine it was horrible.  I couldn’t smell it when it happened let alone an hour later or even the next day.  How blessed I feel that Roland was able to get to the fire before it went out of control.

Ice Cream for Breakfast

            Before we had the generator hooked up, we decide to move everything from one freezer to the other.  The ice cream was extremely soft.

            “Jenna, would you like to have ice cream for breakfast?” 

“Like I’m going to say ‘No’” 

On Tuesday morning Jenna had ice cream for breakfast. I am such a great mom.