It's over!

It's over, it's finally over.  I can't say I didn't learn anything in world civ class, but I sure didn't like it.  It was good for me though because I got back in the habit of reading for detail, writing papers and essays, and studying for tests.  And--- I proved to myself that I can do it!  I got an A- in both classes.  Now on to Tom's wedding and then I will apply for the program.  No more classes though until after mid-July -- 2 weddings, family reunion, and I'm behind on quilts once again.....

Hmmmm

I'm afraid I am becoming stuck in a rut..... maybe I'm just getting old. We are back from a quick trip to Utah for Melissa and Shane's wedding.  I'm glad to be back home.  Glad to be back to my routine, it's a lame routine, but it's mine.  Glad to have my bed back.  Glad to be back in my house with my things.  Maybe I'm just getting more possessive. 

Anyway, congrats to Shane and Melissa.  It was good to be there with them and with family all around.  I am very relieved that Rod was not called to be stake president, I didn't think he was going to be, but you never know.  I had a nice detailed conversation with Adam last night and it was very good to touch base with him.  Now I am alternately trying to brow beat myself into clearing off the treadmill and forcing myself to start using it, and saying for get about it -- you're entitled to some rest and relaxation.  I think I will end up somewhere in the middle.  I will most likely clear off the treadmill and think about getting on it tomorrow...........

Spring in WNY

That's all I can say..............

Almost Spring

Offically, at 7:21pm EDT, spring will make an appearance in WNY.  I have to say that this last week has given me some hope.  It seems to have quit snowing.  As we all know, anything can happen here and I'm sure we have not seen the last of the snow, but it isn't snowing.  Also, all the flowers that Dad planted along the sides if the creek appear to be as tired of the snow as we are, because they have leaped out of the ground this week.  Some of them already have flower buds on them.  So, it's time for the annual spring clean up.  I've already picked up 2 big sacks of dog poop in the back yard -- much more to be done.  Leaves that are left over need to be raked up, bushes trimmed, lawn to be fertilized, etc, etc, etc.  Where are the Lawn Saergents when you need them?

You might know....

Almost as soon as I learned that Susan had been taken to the Huntsman Institute, I knew that I would be asked to speak at her memorial service.  I incorrectly assumed that President Free would be doing the asking, and I knew I would have no problem telling him no and sticking to it.  I was going to suggest that he ask his wife, Maureen, to speak.  Last night Merril called and asked me to speak at her memorial.  How can you tell a grieving spouse no, you simply will not speak at his late wife's services?  This is not going to be easy.  I may just stand and cry for 8 of the 10 minutes he wants me to speak.  What can you do?

The last goodbye

I had a dear friend pass away this week.  It has been a particularly rough week.  She was only 59 years old -- a year and a half older than me.  Sometimes I feel really old, but most of the time, I just feel like me.  Having life remind me that I am mortal doesn't really frighten me, just a sober reminder.  Having said that, can I just say that cancer sucks?  They call it the loving disease because you have time to say goodbye.  For those of us who witness the progression of this insidious malady, I think we have a different view of it.  To watch someone literally wither away is devastating.  Susan was a force of nature.  I have never met anyone with so much energy, ability to get big things done, or positive influence on so many lives.  There was no task too big or complicated for her to tackle.  Except cancer.  I already miss her and my heart is literally broken.  The last time I saw her I was concerned about her condition, but I thought we had more time.  I was pretty casual with my goodbye that day.  You couldn't really hug her, she was just too fragile.  She was leaving in 2 days for a cruise that I thought would re-juvinate her.  The next day I was at her home doing some things she couldn't do for herself, but she was off at the outpatient lab getting a dose of chemo before her trip.  I left a note with a smiley face letting her know I had gotten everything done, telling her to have a wonderful trip, and that I would see her when she got back.  Now I know that that was to be the last goodbye.  Would I have changed anything if I had known?  Probably.  But I would have been just as sad as I am now and most likely could not have been able to express what was in my heart.  Susan knew I loved her by the things I did for her.  Making sure she had flowers to brighten her day from time to time, bringing her things I thought would entice her to eat, being the person she could say anything to and it not be repeated or criticized, doing what she needed to have done.  And, possibly that is the real lesson here.  Everytime we perform an act of kindness, and all help -- big or small is an act of kindness, we are putting our stamp on our goodbye.  It doesn't have to be big, it doesn't have to be eloquent, it just has to be from the heart, and we who are left behind need to remember that our crystal balls are a little cloudy and we did the best we could with the information we had.  Cancer still sucks.  I am still sad.  I still miss Susan.  But a smiley face on a yellow pad was probably OK for our last goodbye.

Really?

Is it really November 1st?  I can not believe how fast this year has gone.  And, I am behind on Christmas already.  I get these big ideas thinking I have plenty of time to complete them.  And, really, I do when I think them up.  But then all kinds of crazy things happen and I end up not having any time to complete them.  I haven't even gotten the fall decorations up from the basement yet!  So, yesterday Brother Dayton issued a new calling -- activities committee chairperson.  I need to know what your most successful activities and maybe even some not so successful activities have been. 

Genealogy Workshop

I taught a class in the Genealogy Seminar this morning at the stake center.  The seminar was mainly geared towards the public, but church members weren't excluded.  Anyway, I taught a beginning genealogy workshop.  This is a subject I can basically "wing" for 50 minutes, but since it was geared towards the public, I thought I should prepare a little.  So, I put together a really nice power point presentation complete with pictures, transitions, little bits of glitz and motion.  It was fun!  I haven't really worked on a power point since.... I think it was Shelton Wills funeral.  Anyway, it turned out really good, maybe even impressive.  It was entertaining and people learned a little something too.  Mostly I wanted just to whet their appetites and then refer them over to FamilySearch.org, or Ancestry.com, or the local FHL for further help.  And, it gave a new audience for my family history adventures.  I learned a few new things along the way and enjoyed the experience.  I guess that's all you can ask.

This and that

Yesterday some one flipped the switch.  All the fatigue I had had and the general malaise was just gone.  Vanished.  I feel great once again.  And, to top it off, my stitches came out this morning.  Pathology report says just a benign cyst and no sign of MRSA.  I am good to go!

Napping

It's a little hard to see, but Maddie is using Rumples rump as a pillow.  Some dogs are everyone's dog, and some dog's attach themselves to one person.  Rumples loves everyone and is always glad to see them come, but he is attached to Maddie.  He tolerates her hugs around the neck with goofy grins.  He lets her pat, and rub, and scratch him.  And, he will even serve as a pillow for her.  Even I could not be allowed to use him for a pillow, but apparently, Maddie can do no wrong as far as he is concerned.

Go figure...

I thought I was soooo clever making my own lotions that were solving all my skin problems.  Then, reality check!  Turns out I am allergic to beeswax.  How do I know?  Terrible, horrible, itchy, raised rash everywhere.  And, I do mean everywhere I was using the lotion.  Hopefully 6 days on steroids and steroid cream will calm it down.... if not, more serious treatment will be needed.  Great.  Go figure....

Always a circus.........

Just when I thought life might settle down into a routine..... I'm thinking now it might never happen. 

We're back

We had an unexpected trip to Utah.  This time for a happy occasion, well, happy for us, sobering for John.  Anyway, it was a good trip.  The weather was really good except for one day.  We made good time going out and coming home.  We had a good visit with everyone but Missy.... where were you Missy?  I even got to spend some time with Coreen.  It was much too short as always, but it was very good.  Now back to working on the retreat, my class, taking care of the dog.... he's got a new problem with his leg, and feeding missionaries.  It doesn't take long to come crashing back in.....

School

Yes, after being away from school 37 years, I decided it was time to finish that degree.  I took the plunge, ordered a class and it got here on Saturday.  I opened up the syllabus yesterday morning and nearly had a panic attack!  16 lessons, 8 speedback assignments (quizzes for those from the prehistoric era), 8 papers, 1 book response, a proctored midcourse exam, and finally a proctored final exam.  After a few minutes of hyperventilation, I finally peeled myself off the ceiling and started the positive self talk, "I can do this.  I can manage my time and fit this in.  This is something I am doing for me.  This is doable."  Yeah, right. Anyway, I gave myself 1 week to do the first lesson and paper.  They are now done on day 2.  The paper doesn't get turned in until the very end of the class, but I did get all the questions right on the quiz for an A.  OK, OK, it was an open book quiz, but still......

Vacations

I love vacations.  You get to see things you may not have seen before.  You get to eat great food and don't have to do the cooking..  Someone else makes your bed, cleans your room, picks up after you.  You get to talk to your spouse about mutual experiences.  I think we should get to be on vacation all the time......, oh, wait.  I think that's called retirement.  Hopefully, we'll have enough money to do some of this kind of thing then......

New Computer Monitor

My nice 19" computer monitor died this week.  Dad had some time this morning, so we went shopping.  It was interesting to see who has monitors and who doesn't.  Who want to sell you something and who doesn't.  Anyway, we ended up at Best Buy and got a 22" monitor.  All I can say is WOW!  It's like working on the TV in the living room.  Dad can sit and enter stuff in and I can see it from the sewing center.  Some of the programs don't quite know what to do with all the real estate.  It's NIIIIICE!

Displaying quilt photos

I never thought of displaying quilt photos on the blog until I read Tara's blog this morning.  I bet I have made close to 500 quilts over time and I have very few pictures of them. This is certainly something to think about.  Usually I am late getting the quilts to someone for some event, and I'm pretty much sick of them by the time they are ready to go out.  But, I do wish I had taken photos of them if only to see how my style, technique, and preferences have changed over time.  Well, maybe I will start with Ruthie's quilt.  It's nearly basted and quilting will most likely start tomorrow.  And, then on to the next one..... there are two more ready to quilt, one being cut, one that is all planned out in my head, and 2 more that I'm still thinking about for this year.  That's about it, unless someone comes up with a baby I don't know anything about yet, or get's married..... it would be OK if some of the children want to get married......

Ugly, Bad Trend

I am really hoping that this isn't the way our lives are going to be from now on, but you have to admit, it is a bad trend.  Monday morning, 3:00.  The phone rings, Dad is on call, they've been paging him, but we haven't heard it.  Big problems at Kaleida.  Big problems.  He is basically up the rest of the night and I don't get much sleep either.  Then this morning.  Even earlier.  2:30 the phone rings, I know he's not on call, so I assume something with Church. (For the 1st time in a long time, I don't assume it's any of the kids.  Am I a bad mother, or is this a new stage in my life?)  Well, it is something at church.  Church headquarters are calling from SLC to inform him that the door alarms and motion detectors are going off in the building.  They will turn off the alarms, but it's up to Dad if he wants to call the police.  We're 18 minutes away.  So, we call the police on the way down.  They finally show up, and there has been a break in.  Not much damage because the alarms scared the stuffing out of them.  They left behind a broken window, glass in one of the the classrooms and blood here and there.  The police aren't going to do much -- they say it was probably a bum.  I don't blame them really.  What are they going to do?  The chances of catching someone from the forensics in a building where nearly 200 people come to church is next to none.  So, back home by 4:30ish.  Dad is hungry so I fix breakfast and we are off for a walk before 6.  Finally back in bed by 6:30, but the sun is up and shining through the window.  The crazy robin is back fighting phantom predators, the baby squirrels think everyone should be up, and Rumples is at our door crying because his world has turned upside down.  We gave up on sleeping shortly after 10.

Sunburn?

Does anyone know if you can get a sunburn through your clothes?  I was wearing a t-shirt and I swear I got sunburn on my upper arm.

Rest now? Probably not....

     Stake conference of over. Whew!  I really don't mind all that much speaking in stake conference, but I would like to get assigned a subject, especially when we are having a general authority.  I'm not really hopeful things will quiet down, it's just wishful thinking.