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.