Very Interesting Read

It was providence.  It was providence that a week ago a book came in the mail from our insurance company for Lane but I believe it was meant for me.  I was startled to see it was written by Rick Mystrom, our former mayor in Anchorage.  Mr Mystrom has been a Type 1 diabetic for fifty years.  Since our home has two diabetics, both kinds and probably all of us potential diabetics I opened the book and started to read.  I am now done and it all makes sense.  I would recommend this book to everyone in my family.  Hint.  Hint.  You can borrow mine.   I just don’t look at a slice of bread the same anymore. . .

2nd Grader

We FaceTimed Easton tonight for his big seventh birthday.  We all sang Happy Birthday to the second grader and asked him questions which mostly Brecken answered.  We got him a globe that lights up for his room and a Kids Atlas which should continue to spark his interest in Geography.  Intellectually he is so much like Bret.  Bret was always eager to learn, remembered facts and had a keen interest in various things.  When Bret was about Easton’s age he loved space and was intrigued with the solar system.   I remember buying him a book on the Solar System and Bret devoured it with great enthusiasm.  I am thinking I see a future Geography Bee champion in Easton.

Crimson Dream – Part 2

The Crimson dream has come true for Rhea.  Charlie passed over the car, the key and threw in his spare change for the young high school student.  Rhea, the girl without a license yet, is the owner of a 2007 Crimson Red BMW and is on cloud nine.  The way I look at it is Rhea is the youngest of seven, the only child at home and her Mom and Dad are getting old.  That about the sums up the purchase, oh and the fact she is a good kid and drives quite a distance to school each day.  And so until September 21st I will escort her to Seminary and school so we can get lots of driving practice in.  Here is Crimson and Rhea looking very fine!

Dreams Come True – Part 1

Rhea and I sat in the living room this morning wondering what we should do about her car situation.  We hadn’t heard back on the one car she really wanted so we looked on Craig’s list trying to decide on another car to look at.  There was no school today so heading to Anchorage would fit in our schedule.  Loving to be “proactive” I followed Rhea’s suggestion to email the guy again and he responded.  Within an hour we were driving into the big city and she so wanted her dream to come true.  We met Charlie, the owner of the dream car, in the Jewel Lake area.  Mike met us there and we got to know him and the car.  We were impressed, happy and yes we made an offer.  Charlie agreed to it and he would hold the car until we could get back to him.  Such a happy girl –  such a beautiful car.

Need Power

My calling at church is thirty days preparation and six hours of just plain crazy.  I do like it though.  it kind of reminds me of when we did weddings.  Today I got to the church at one and set up the tables, put the linens on, lined up the chairs, cut the radishes for the centerpieces and filled the tops with parsley.  I draped the backs of the chairs with the linen bags I made and strung my lights at the front of the room.  I wrapped forty loaves of bread and tied them with jute.  I loaded up the baskets at the front with bread and filled a basket with CD’s I burned yesterday.   At six o’clock I was ready to go and proud of my accomplishments . . . until the power went out at 6:30pm.  We improvised throughout the evening and all thirty or so women were great about the inconvenience.   The Samoan/Filipino/Mexican food was so good and by the time clean up rolled around we couldn’t see much at all.  Good friends helped wrap things up and then tiredly I stood at my car at nine-thirty chatting nicely when the lights came on.   Go figure.  Next month if we have power I will be so so happy.

 

We Are A Family

Last week I individually made cardboard sheathes for every Cutco knife we own as well as two filet knives and a pair of kitchen shears.   I then bubble wrapped the bunch and sent them off to Cutco. I took the box to the post office and reluctantly slid it across the counter to the employee dreading the fact my knives were leaving my clutches.  I have been told there is about a two to three week turnaround for them to sharpen and return so I have been preparing myself for the absence.  Then came the email and life is good.  They have my knives and all is well.  They will care for them and return them soon.  Cutco, I love you!!!

Autumnal

I learned today that there is a word autumnal which means anything that has to do with autumn, the fall season.  I feel like I have diagnosed myself and now have a name to my condition.  It is rather exhilarating.  Pumpkins are an autumnal food, thus my urge to bring out my brown ceramic pumpkin for my living room decor.  Sweater weather is autumnal which explains my stacks of sweaters in baskets waiting to be rescued.  If you feel a chill in the air in August you could say that is a sign of autumnal weather coming.  Only now have I had a desire to hang my white globe lights from tree to tree for an evening ambience which is because of my autumnal tendencies.  The wind is blowing and the leaves are falling and I am really ok with all that.   I kind of want to scream from the mountain top, “I love autumn!”

Early Morning Bliss

Early morning drives to Seminary and school.  Blisslful.  Rhea’s music repertoire.  Fog presentations. Stunning sunrises.  Dedicated LDS youth.  Quiet waiting time.  Driving the speed limit – thank you Phillip.  Protein drinks.  Yuck Rhea.  Our favorite new road.  Crispness in the air.  Driving instruction.  Ron Jones and Jeff Taylor – dedicated good men.

Fifty-Seven

Hit the big 57 today and I am really doing ok with it.  It was a great day because I never had to do a thing.  Brooke and Micah fixed dinner and I sat around and answered the phone when it rang and enjoyed all the well wishes.  Here are my top seven highlights in no specific order:

1.  chocolate cake made by Micah -loved the mousse

2.  the gift certificate from Lane for either a car wash or full body massage (hmmm?)

3.  chicken parmesan made by Brooke – loved it.

4.  necklace, vacuum,  phone charger, movie,  Hockey bag, gift certificate, money and new wooden key holder rack made by David

5.  FaceTime birthday messages

6.  birthday messages from my grandkids

7.  total relaxation

Click to Watch Blaze’s Birthday Wish

Potato Soup

With a crockpot of potato soup in hand, rolls of burlap and large wire ring loaded in my car I jetted to Galene’s house for our monthly craft day.  Phew did we need a get-together.  Deb and I demonstrated how to make a burlap wreath and away the gals went for about an hour or so.  Every one turned out so different and pretty and we were so proud as we took pictures of our creations.  There is something to be said for creating, visiting and bonding.   We took our group picture minus Alex who always takes our group selfie (gotta take the selfie stick next time).  We missed Vicki who was away on FBI business and family fun.  I love my friends.  We really are a great group.  I am reminded of a quote, “Friendship is born at that moment when one person says to another: “What! You, too? Thought I was the only one.”  That is us, until September’s craft day.