Some days we just have lots of things to do. Mike and I had a list that was long and busy but we did well. He bought a new truck, I worked on Relief Society stuff, I painted the beam in the living room, he mowed the lawn, we went to eat at Tailgaters and then we cleaned the church. Of course I made a list and crossed off each one but two which got bumped until the next day. When I laid in bed . . . I was out.
Have you ever noticed that some people gut laugh and some people don’t? I am a gut laugherer at times and when I do I can’t even get a breath in. The kids always say, “here she goes again.” I get so uncontrollable my stomach actually hurts but after it is all over I feel so good. I heard when you have great outbursts of laughter it actually reduces blood pressure and increases blood flow. “I love people who make me laugh. I honestly think it’s the thing I like most, to laugh. It cures a multitude of ills. It’s probably the most important thing in a person.” — Audrey Hepburn
I felt like our new “front door” area needed a facelift so I recruited my contractor (David) and my rock layer (Rhea). It didn’t take David long to screw all the redwood boards together and then into the ground. It took more rock than Rhea and I thought but Miss Strong Girl kept buying, loading and laying. It has made such a nice difference to the entrance and all it took was a little team work.
Devin loved Taco Bell during his teenage years and I used to tell him that he needed to work there because he loved it so much. I used to wonder if he would ever tire of a taco or burrito if he was employed there. I was thinking of that when Kelsey wrote the following caption on her Facebook post:
Even on our days off from commercial fishing, we still go fishing 
🤓
💛#Hoonah #itouchedthebutt
I will accept credit where credit is due. It just so happened that on my fridge are two itineraries, one is from Devin/Brooke and the other is from Bret/Britta. Next to those is a calendar and a menu from Kyla. They are all beautifully done and I am hoping they picked up some of their mother/grandfather organizational talents and scheduling finesse. I hope so. I think so. Irregardless I will take the credit.
With Mike and Rhea both gone it allowed me the day to serve others. I went to church, came home, made a dessert and journeyed over to a woman in our ward. We visited and got to know one another. Next stop was a sister having minor surgery in the morning. I dropped off a small meal as we chatted. I drove home tired from a long day but filled with a full heart. It doesn’t get better than that.
I had to run over to Pelesasa’s for something and had no idea I would be in the midst of a pig slaughter. Tala’s wedding is in a week and preparations have begun. There were three pigs that were skinned, gutted, frozen, then dropped into the pit for cooking. What I thought was going to be a few minutes turned out to be about an hour and a half of watching and learning. It is tradition that when preparing the pig and cooking it his feet need to be turned under always. It is considered rude and disrespectful it that is not done. Also, the men do all the cooking. Now there is a perk about the Samoan culture.
The time has come to reveal my kitchen redo. It took me a good week and a half, one coat of Annie Sloan paint and two coats of my wall paint “Restful White”. It was a long process and I am so happy it is done. I am also so happy that I did it. It bought me about three years or so until I really need new cabinets and new countertops. Mike . . . also a new microwave, stove and dishwasher would really finish off my kitchen redo . . . just saying.
Brooke posted this article on my Facebook page. She knows me well. Hallmark is showing their Christmas movies this month on the Hallmark channel. I told myself I wasn’t going to watch them. But I did. I am hooked and I don’t want the end of the month to come. A good obsession indeed. Thank you Brooke.
“You probably know that we’re more than a little obsessed with Christmas, so it’s no surprise that we were champing at the bit to get our hands on Hallmark’s 2017 Christmas lineup. According to Entertainment Weekly, the channel is releasing a record-breaking 33 original Christmas films this year (compared to the 26 released in 2016), which means we are in for a very busy holiday movie season. Some of the highlights from the newest movies announced include another Christmas movie based off When Calls the Heart, a movie directed by Jennifer Love Hewitt, and real-life married couple Alexa and Carlos PenaVega starring together. Other than that, you can expect to see all the faces you usually do during Christmastime, including Lori Laughlin, Candace Cameron Bure, and Danica McKellar.”
Grandkids always do the funniest things and we always wish we could record them all and we should. When we were in Delta Brecken showed me how me added his own profile on my Netflix. I laughed thinking it was his funny joke and he would delete it. The night I got home I opened up my Netflix page and saw all four of our accounts and I just laughed out loud. I have to keep it. It makes me smile every night as I relax to my favorite show. I think what makes it even more humorous is the face that is above his name. Thinking of you every night Brecken.
Tara Truly 