Beneath the Wraps

  Jaime said she would not have classes today or tomorrow and could I come get her? but she would need to return on Saturday as she has tickets to see a play. An hour and a half is not that far But gas prices are outrageous. Perhaps I could just spend a  few nights in Ashland. Richard said it was okay.   We prayed about our decision. John Mayer did not reveal a promising forecast - though  yesterday did seem more driveable than it is currently. I went and got my hair done yesterday and was talking to my hair dresser who also advised against driving down with all those mountain passes to go through. What mountains?   I'm from Utah.   Those are just hills. Snow is/was in the hills. It melts pretty quickly. Too cold to snow. But not too cold to freeze. And it has rained. I could slip on ice. Or another car could slip into me. So many drivers seem to be in a hurry. I wouldn't be in a hurry. I would be hitting every rest stop between here and Ashl...

     You know it's hot when Richard is the one who suggests to open a window or turn on the fan.  Surprisingly I don't think I felt as warm as he did.  I was comfortable and in no hurry to leave the bed.  Perhaps 20 min or so had passed before I decided to get up and open the window at least a crack.  I also threw his pajama top over the vent - he must have been hot!     This morning I noticed the box had been moved from the vent in the bathroom.  I will have to find something less bulky.  But as for now the window remains open.  True there is a chill - but I have put on a long sleeve shirt.  The scenery is so pretty outside .

 Each of us in the household have been sick - though Biff hasn't experienced what the rest of us have - and hopefully it may pass him completely.  Claire looks awful - which is how I imagined I must have looked.  I never felt as horrible as Richard sounds.  He did sound better last night than the night before.  Still not sleeping great - but at least it was not his cough that was keeping him up. I always open the windows to let in the fresh air - also because I'm always hot.  When Richard comes to bed he always complains that it is cold.  Thus yesterday I made certain that the windows were shut, the fan was off and the vent wasn't covered.  I was still awake when he came to in the room.  We watched TV and I fell asleep.            It wasn't overly hot in our room this last night but I had tossed and turned for much of the night trying to adjust to the temperature as I could not decide weather I was hot or co...

                It ’ s weird how one ’ s mind works sometimes and what odd things might trigger memories that haven ’ t been considered for decades.  A movie title had come up in the grid that reminded me of an odd relationship with my next door neighbor sometime after his wife had passed.  Keep in mind that he was old.  I had gone out with his two oldest grandsons at one time or another.  There is no way I was looking for that kind of relationship with the grandfather!  Give me a break!            Yet, for some reason, he seem ed to feel the need to call me to suggest I might want to read a certain book or watch a certain movie.  I don ’ t know why he singled me out of all people – but would call a few times a week.  Each time my mom would answer she ’ d teasingly tell me it was my “ boyfriend ” on the phone.  Granted, he was a lonely old man (who was hard of hearing, I might...

            Ever since they had moved into our house, Biff and Claire would sleep in until 10:00 or later.  Okay.  I get the exhaustion from traveling – but come on.  They did manage to make it up on time for the first Sunday meeting they were here.  That was the last time. Three weeks later Ally was enrolled in the local school and then the family started getting up at 8:10 and out the door half an hour later.   Still dragged.   Still delayed.   But after Biff started his job in Roseburg, the family was up and out by 7:30.   Such a waist of gas going back and forth so that Claire could have the car.   Theoretically they could put Ally on the bus but choose not to.   So for an entire week Biff would drive the family to his work in Roseburg and Claire would take the car to the school, walk Char around and return to the house to sort and clean – pick Ally up from school (with Char) return to Roseburg....

            Since we moved into the ward Jaime has suggested a ward trunk-or-treat.   Now that she is gone, the ward did their first trunk-or-treat this year.   The trunk-or-treat activity started at 5:00 followed by a party featuring a chili and corn bread cook off.    It had a better turn out and a lot more participation than I had expected.   There were several contests for trunk d é cor , costume, and chili (to name a few) I was surprised that we had two costume winners in our household.   Ally took 1 st price for children 11 and under.    Richard won 1 st place for over 12 category.  Neither our trunk (which we had not expected anyway) nor chili won – but there were several chilis.   I don ’ t know who was supposed to test them all.   I think there were at least 20 and almost as many corn breads.

                After we returned home from the ward party on Saturday I could feel my throat starting to get sore.  I made the mistake of taking a lozenge and allowing it to sit under my tongue all night.  My teeth hurt the following morning – and I just got to the point where I am no longer pained by cold drinks or food.  Now I have to start all over again.         I missed church on Sunday – turns out that Richard was the only one to leave the house.   Ally had a slight cough and I had heard that her throat was sore.   She didn ’ t act sick.   Not like I was sick.   Still, I don ’ t know why both mom and dad had to stay home with her.   But whatever.   My head throbbed.   It felt like the beginning of a sinus infection.         Carolyn had asked if I would like to go get coffee with her and Dan on Friday but I told her I...