Beneath the Wraps

            To the best of my knowledge, nobody around here intentionally plants blackberries.             They grow like weeds.   Most people don't seem to like them.   They're not attractive plants.             When we first moved to Tri City, we would pick berries from an overgrown explosion down the street.   They were gone the following year.   But we did have the opportunity to hike our brown hill to get to them.             But now we have an opportunity to reach the blackberry goodness without having to leave our yard or climb the hill             They have come into our yard, I'm guessing by the wind.   They are starting to chock the lif...

written on May 27, 1996 May 18   continued We did get dinner.  We were (each group) greeted by a waiter who would take us to the next available table.  I don’t ever remember what we had – I know we sat clear at the end of the dining room, up, nowhere near a window.  I had hoped we’d be close to a window in the future. There was a lifeboat drill – life jacket rather.  We were requested to meet in the show lounger and bring our life jackets so that we would know what to do in the event of an emergency.  I saw more pursers, directors, and that sort of crew that night than I did for the entire rest of the trip.  I remember thinking one of the female crew members seemed rather curt and ornery – that was the only night I saw her –   during the demonstration of the life jacket.  I don’t even know what her position was.  She was wearing a full uniform . . . Did we go to a show that night?  I think we did.  Yes....

            We have tried saving up for a Disneyland vacation for the last three years - asking each of our children and my siblings to please save for October this year.   Each year we have dipped into our funds - not that we ever had enough to get us there.   Last year we had gone back to Utah for Jeanie's funeral.   Next year will be returning for a wedding between Biff and Clair.   I really would like to meet her and support Biff again.   But truth be known, I HATE weddings.   I'd much rather go to Disneyland.             We used this year's tax refund to pay off bills, replenish our food storage and an excursion to Enchanted Forrest - though the latter was not necessary.   After struggling from paycheck to paycheck every month, sometimes you just feel that you need to do something so as not to go insane.   So after Jeanie's ...

          I grabbed a notebook before we drove the girls to Coos Bay on Independence Day.   I figured I'd have thoughts which I would wish to write as they happened since my mind is not reliable at remembering anything less than a minute into the future.   I haven't quite slipped into being Dory as I am aware of what I've forgotten, but I seem to be getting close. https://movies.disney.com/finding-dory           After I had completed my thoughts, I turned the notebook to the front and found an entry I had created on May 27, 1996.   I was amused by much of what I had written and so thought I would share. This font refers to what was written in 1996        and this font is my own commentary in the present.   Originally, I thought I would start at the end of my trip and work my way back to the beginning – since the end w...

       Currently, I am taking two classes.   Neither is difficult, but both (especially accounting) are very time-consuming.   So time-consuming that I have been working on assignments or other class projects on Friday.   In the past, I have always had each of my projects completed before Friday, though sometimes I have taken time to review before sending on Friday morning.   This month I have not.        The University offers an online writing center where students can submit their papers or make appointments to get feedback.   Thus far it's been a very devastating experience for me.   But then again, I haven't used for almost two years. It appears I had only used it three times the very year I started, and may not have used it at all, but it was required in one of the classes that I took.        The idea is to get feedback on grammar, sentence structur...

          Corey has had to deal with the challenge of driving to work in Las Vegas construction or attempt to try and maneuver himself around it.   Ah, the good old days (not) of experiencing that very thing in Salt Lake.   I suppose Las Vegas and SLC can afford to put up detour signs - though it seems inconvenience - there is the option of using other streets.   Not so true in this part of Oregon.           I told Corey that has been another plus to living here.   Sometimes I have noticed Roseburg streets seem at a shutdown, but here in Myrtle Creek, the road construction has generally been less than a week.   Cones go up, signs go up, but they either move down the road or else disappear altogether.           There was the inconvenience of going South on Old Pacific during a few months last year, but hey, Old Pac...

            I wasn't able to create all the posts   I had planned.   After I had finished up my last post about our "Independence Day" day trip, I remembered Jenna had asked me to message some pictures that she had taken on my phone.   After I had completed that, I happened to check my grades and had received a comment from one of my instructor's that I had done my assignment incorrectly.           I was supposed to complete a mock memo rather than turn in an essay.   I received a 95 out of 120 which is awesome for doing the wrong thing.   But at her request, I completed the correct assignment which I did not believe was as good as the essay and Roland and Jenna had returned before I had completed.                I've had this same instructor before the first year I had been started.   She ...