Beneath the Wraps

                Uncle Ted passed away yesterday.   He and Trudy were our eldest living relatives ( here ). This year Uncle Ted celebrated 100 years of life.   His goal was living to 105.   Now Trudy survives alone.   She is a lot more frail than the last time I saw her.   Her health has declined since we have moved to Oregon.   My cousin has scheduled different family members to rally around the clock so that someone has been with Ted and Trudy at all times.   I wasn't there to assist.   And now Ted is gone.   I cannot even get back for the funeral.               We overspent when we went back to Utah to attend Jeanie's funeral and show our support to Biff.   We've also had the demolition of our house, but not a full restoration   and so it probably wouldn't be wise to leave it unattended. ...

            There was a magic show last night in Riddle but I missed it as I had told one of the girls that I would fill in for her at the library.   She hadn't been feeling well for a few days and my schooling is not as demanding when I have only one class.             Last night I worked my first shift at the library.   I felt bad for not having received proper training or retaining those few things which I had learned.   I really think we ought to have a training session and will mention at our next meeting.   As of now, we are using cards and pockets as was done before computers.   Everything is filed by date - which presents a challenge when the book is returned without a date - or a pocket for that matter.   I think some books just get put in the drop when users have finished looking at them in the library, but had never been checked ou...

               I never quite got the gist of that saying.   I tried to find out it’s origin and came across this post – and there were others that seemed support quote being related to the Morton Salt company – which actually explained the iconic picture of the girl with the umbrella.   But still the saying of “When It Rains, It Pours” was supposed to reflect a chain of positive and not negative.   Perhaps it’s the misunderstanding of “When it DOESN’T rain, it pours” but comes out “When it rains, it pours” - I don’t know.   There are several old sayings that I’ve heard used and have sometimes used myself, but now I want the origin to back up what I’m saying.             The reason I had even thought of it in the first place is because our house is slowly falling apart – but that was expected I guess before we moved in.   Instead of correcting...

           I remember signing up for a Relief Society activity where we were given pictures and pastel paper to make books for a quiet activity that our children (or grandchildren, whatever the case) might be entertained by the pages of words and pictures depicting a spiritual alphabet.   I must have spent the majority of my time cutting out squares and gluing thoughts and letters to the pastel paper.   I don't even like pastels - not since I was five or six.   But I kept them anyway.              Though the paper and majority of pictures were provided for us, we still had to come up with our own binder and sheet protectors.   We could do 8X8 or 8X12.   The 8X8 actually seemed to work up better as there seemed to be a lot of empty space on the 8X12 - but as I already had the supplies, I used those rather than make a purchase for 8X8.   I made a book for Jenna and p...

          On April 6, 2015, as we waited in the Portland airport for our return to Salt Lake City, Roland purchased what he believed was a crossword puzzle book.   It had actually turned out to be a book of fill-in puzzles, something I was not familiar with, but found enjoyed.   I have purchased many fill-in puzzle books since, and even some variety puzzle books.             With the puzzle variety I have learned that my favorite kinds of puzzles are fill-ins and brick-by-bricks.   There are some puzzles that I haven't been able to figure out how to play, some that seem more challenging and will take up more time than I am willing to give.   And there's some I just refuse to do as they involve math and I am so not in the mood (though I have been okay about sudoko - but not fill-in numbers.   What's up with that?       ...

After we arrived her over two years ago, we learned that Myrtle Creek has a celebration very close to the time when Salt Lake City celebrates Days of '47.   The ward in Myrtle Creek offers a service project the week prior to the community. The first year we had gone to Riddle Cemetery and used power washers to clean the stones.   There were several who brought weed whackers to   spruce up the grounds. Last year we went to the high school.   We brought weed whackers and power washers and paint brushes.   This year our service project was at the VWF.   We cleaned up the outside as well as the inside (at least some members did;   I was bothered by all the cleaning chemicals and chose to stay outside) This year we continued to build upon the equipment of weed whackers, power washers and paint brushes - carpentry was also added to the agenda.   So here are some pictures of what we did:     ...

                I am now taking two accounting classes.   The language is foreign to me.   I do okay in accounting 108 but I seem to be reading (and hearing) binary code for the other.   I have seen the names of only two other classmates who are currently taking both classes.   What is up with that?   Just because I don't see their names doesn't mean all my other classmates are taking the same two classes but with different instructors.   I personally would rather have just one at a time - or at least one on Monday morning and not have to wait for a walk through for both classes on Tuesday evening . . . and still replay the recordings over and over in hopes that I'll understand.                 I like my 108 instructor.   He's not boring.   He is easy to follow.   I understand wha...