REORGANIZING...

This has been a busy time for me - going here, going there, back home again, and off once more! Gee I'm starting to forget what home looks and feels like. But I think I'm home again for a while this time... can't swear to it though.
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Early this morning I started doing some much needed vacuuming, and as I vacuumed nooks and crannies I moved this and I moved that - the result being that all of a sudden I was reorganizing too. I reorganized the living room and dining room. I kind of like the change... hope hubby does too when he notices what I've done. It made me think how our routines are constantly being up-heaved and reorganized do to circumstances in our daily lives.
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Yesterday my husband and I were set apart as the Maricopa Stake 2010 Trek Boss and Mom... this means we are the ones that are doing all the planning, putting together, and seeing that the 2010 Youth Pioneer trek for Maricopa Stake is a success... wow tall order! We're in the process of deciding when and where it will be held, we'll have to go to some sights to check them out for feasibility. We gave out some assignments yesterday at the Stake meeting.
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You may ask what does this have to do with vacuuming? Well indirectly a lot I suppose, I'm having to vacuum out my life and get things reorganized in order to put the time needed into the trek. So far I've created a letterhead for our correspondence and I've created an e-mail addy for all trek e-mails. This also means getting up early enough to do my household things so I can still put time into my writing and painting ventures. It likewise means getting enough sleep so I can continue working at the Temple two days a week. It means that I need to spend less time dinking around and actually accomplish something. It means setting aside the proper amount of time for exercise - do you think I can walk the pioneer trek in the condition I'm in right now... I think not! I would be like one of those pioneers that died right in the first few days of the trek due to physical health... now I'm thinking that would NOT do for the Trek Mom... so more committed exercising and healthy eating. You get the picture... vacuuming out my life... ho hum
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INVISIBLENESS...

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Okay, is it just me or what? There have been many times in my life that I've felt like I must be invisible...
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When I'm sitting at church all by myself and people come in and sit by other people all around me and leave the chairs next to me empty. I must stink or be invisible, I'm not sure which... Nope, I know I took a bath and used deodorant, so I don't stink!
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Then there have been times when I'm sitting at church and everyone around me are welcomed, EXCEPT ME... what am I invisible?
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When I've written and made a comment to a group of people, and don't get a response... am I invisible?
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When I've been talking to family members and no one hears me... now I'm really starting to feel invisible. I pinch myself to see if I am there, all I get is a bruise. So, I go to the mirror and look in to see if I can see myself... yes I can see a reflection... humm? I wonder, can invisible people see themselves in a mirror?
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Well this week it has been confirmed - I AM INVISIBLE! Not invincible, but surely invisible. This is what happened...
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Remember I live about eight miles west of town out in the country. I take my dogs out and put them in their penned dog house each night so they won't run the neighborhood and cause trouble. The dogs pen is around the corner and behind the barn, so it gets very pitch black out there. I told my husband that I would like a motion light out there so I can see where I'm going. He complied and put a motion light on the front porch, he put a motion light on the back porch, he put a motion light above the shop on the front of the barn, he put a motion light at the end on the back of the barn.
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So with all those lights I've been able to go out there and have lights going on every step of the way keeping me from stumbling on a pebble or ant hole and falling or breaking my leg on a tumbleweed, you know I'm accident prone in the funniest ways... anyway that's another story...
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Well, when I got home from my camping trip and went out there to put the dogs up and NONE of the lights came on I thought my hubby had turned them off while I was gone and hadn't turned them back on. Three nights in a row I had no lights coming on. I finally remembered to mention this to said hubby. He said they worked for him. I said they don't come on even when I walk around in circles trying to trip them.
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So the other night when we came home from swimming at our daughter's house, he drove the car all around out there and every light came on. See they work. I said thank you for fixing them, he said he didn't do anything. I said yeah right. Later when I went to put the dogs up not one light came on. I went in and told him. He shook his head. Okay see, now its official - I AM INVISIBLE even my motion lights can't detect me!
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Last night... still not a light came on for me even when I walked around trying to get it to trip... yup I'M INVISIBLE.... Grrrr - this explains a lot - here I thought it was because I'm shy, nope its cause NO ONE SEES ME!!! I'm INVISIBLE... hey maybe I could use this to my advantage...
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Home again, jiggity jig...

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Wow it seems like 4EVER since I've been on here.

Well, I guess it has been.

I've been a busy gal ya know,

I was busy with family reunions...

Motorcycle riding, Golfing, & homemade Ice Cream...










and Swimming...

Were just a few of our activities.

Then family pictures & the baptism of our grandson were also among our activities.

I then went to my ANWA writers Retreat...

This is the group of us:

Then off Camping...

Yes, I set up this tent and hammock and campsite by myself... Ha, I'm so efficient!

This little Chipmunk my sister, Shirley, and I named Tubby, because he was so fat and chased all the other Chipmunks away when he was there filling his cheeks with our peanuts. He was sure fun to watch.

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This is just a few of my last two months activities... So rounds out my fun. Next it will be back to work on my novel, Today, Tomorrow, and Forever. Actually I've been working on it all day until now. So there you have it - a few things in the life of me, Zany G....

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Habits...

The other day I was driving up to the mountains for a fun camp out, when my glance set upon my hands on the steering wheel. More directly I noticed my fingernails... nope those aren't Mommas fingernails, they're mine! (Momma loved to care for her nails and did it faithfully, keeping them filed into beautiful shape and polished - always stylishly long.) But this day, as I gazed upon my own nails which were filed and shaped much like my mother's with polish on them too - I had to smile.
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You see for as long as I can remember I've been a nail biter. Chew, chew, chew... never being able to attain nails like my mother's, no matter how hard I tried - I would eventually start biting them again. I just couldn't seem to stop biting them, even when I didn't know I was doing it. I smile now because after all these years it's taken me until I'm officially a "senior citizen" to overcome that nasty habit! How funny is that!?!?!
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It goes to show you can teach an old dog new tricks - you can overcome lifelong nasty habits if you persevere. Even now that I'm home from camping and I've broken a couple of my fingernails - I went and got a file and fixed them shorter and didn't bite... yippee!
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Mother's Day

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Today is the day we celebrate our mother's. What I can do for mine is look up into the sky and say "Thank you mom for being such an awesome woman, mother, friend, and example." My mother was one of those elect women who everyone loved. She was loved by each of her 11 siblings who held her in high esteem all of their lives. She was loved by each of her neighbors, which extended beyond her neighborhood. She was loved and revered by each of us, her six children. She was especially loved by our dad, she was his sweetheart and he loved her and cherished her beyond her passing from this life. He loved to sing her love songs in Danish and in fact was singing her one the minute of her passing and he sobbed as she left him. My mom was an exemplary, elite woman! HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY MOMMA!

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By Momma’s Side

written by Joyce Smith

I love to go walking by my Momma’s side
And the way she steps out in a great big stride;
This can bring me joy & make me happy as can be,
For in this she has taught me to beauty of every tree.

I love to sit and read at my Momma’s side,
For the knowledge this has brought, gives me great pride;
As a child I recall we would sit on the sofa to read,
And from this I learned, for my own children, to do the same deed.

I love to sit at my Momma’s side and hear her sing,
For great joy and contentment this does bring;
Now I go about my own house with a melody in my heart,
And this has taught me, with a smile, to try & do my part.

I love to stand at my Momma’s side to do dishes in the sink,
To remove all the spots from them & from the house every stink;
While we were busy working together & making the house shine,
She taught me that more than money, a great wealth is mine.

I loved to sit at my Momma’s side to watch her sew me a new dress,
She would do this without thought of self, I must confess;
And she would spend hours making my dolls cute little clothes,
Is it any wonder that sewing is also a talent that I chose!?!

I love to have Momma at my side to go out and look at the stars
And to see all the wonders that are ours;
For learning to appreciate all the wonders in the universe,
Has taught me to sit down & put my thoughts in verse.

I love to go to Church with Momma at my side,
To hear all the stories & of the whale with Jonah inside;
For going to Church with Momma, don’t you see -
Instilled a strong testimony of Christ in me!

So I want you to know that having my Momma by my side,
Has filled me with a deep love for her and great pride;
For she has taught me all she knows and the B attitudes,
And for all of this & more, I owe her a deep debt of gratitude!

I love you Momma!

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My Book review

Due to being sick this past week-end, I spent most of my time reading. The novel I read was: Counting the Cost by Liz Adair.
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This is Liz’s fifth novel and I’ve enjoyed them all. I find her to be one of those novelists that can grab your attention at the beginning of the book and keep you spellbound to the last surprising chapter and page. Liz has a knack of transporting the reader into the story where they experience the action, loves, and heartaches of the lively characters within.
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This fictional account is a love story set in the middle 1930’s New Mexico and Arizona. Counting the Cost is about Heck Benham and his struggles as a cowboy out on the range, whose life is changed drastically by a forbidden love. Heck is faced with decisions that will take him from the cowboy life, which not only he’s good at but that he loves, to the love of another kind. I found myself frustrated with him at times and excited and happy for him as well. Having grown up on what I lovingly call “a poor dirt farm” in Arizona, I could relate somewhat with some of his homes, activities, his love of cowboy life and some of the crude ways he was forced to live.
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Life in the East for Mrs. Ruth Reynolds has been one of a total contrast from the life she’s asked to live when her husband moves her to a ranch in the west. One thing that I found both funny and poignant was when Ruth, in her fancy dresses & shoes, is required to learn to function doing manual labor with her delicately manicured hands. Ruth finds life with her husband to be one of great challenge. The decisions Ruth makes seem to have little regard for the cost to herself, her loved ones or those around her. I found that I admired her tenacity and persistence in being able and willing to do some of the things required of her, but also irritated by some of her thoughtless decisions.
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Lucy, Heck’s little sister, becomes a true friend to not only her brother but to the proud Ruth Reynolds. When Ruth discovers Lucy has a talent for sewing, she asks Lucy to teach her how. This new found talent brings Ruth excitement, challenge and life changes that she would never have thought likely. Lucy goes through her own trials but is still able and willing to help others and to teach Heck and Ruth both valuable lessons.
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Liz Adair paints a picture of human struggles in epic proportions. Trials of integrity, loyalty, forgiveness and the courage to face the cost of the decisions we make are all an intrinsic part of this story, where Liz takes us into the characters hearts and homes. If you’re interested in a good book to read, I recommend Counting the Cost by Liz Adair.
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Such is life - Swine Flu, etc

Wow I haven't posted for a while... not that I haven't missed you and wanted to be here - just didn't have time at first...

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Our friends Chris & Jeanie from Oregon, came to visit and spend the week with us celebrating our 45th wedding anniversary... great friends, great times! We shopped and hung out talking and goofing off - then on Thursday, our actual anniversary day, we took Chris & Jeanie to the Temple in Mesa and did Sealings. Our daughter Tonya met us there too and we had a great time doing that. After we took Tonya home and changed we went to eat dinner at a quaint little restaurant we had never been to before but decided it was good enough that we would go back again. Good food and service. We left there and found a parking place for our car and hopped the Light-Rail to Phoenix. We walked the rest of the way to Dodge Theater from the train stop, where we had a first time experience seeing the Celtic Women perform... what a show they put on! We had great seats too. Fantastic!!! But they didn't allow camera's so we didn't get any pictures. Bummer! We got home late but our spirits were satiated by an awesome day.

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Friday we went to Tucson, AZ where we went to the Air Museum and explored the aircraft stored there from the war and other advents. Don was in the Air Force for 20+ years so this was a highlight of his day and he even got to take me on a plane ride. (see picture) We explored the Air Force 1 in storage there from past Presidents of the U.S. back when. The opulence wasn't near the quality that I'm sure is in the current Air Force 1, but it was fun touring it and all the other airplanes there and to hear about them. After our tour we went over to the Air Force Base and vouched Chris and Jeanie on with our ID's and shopped around in the BX before heading back home.

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Saturday we had to take Chris and Jeanie to the airport so they could fly back to Oregon it was sad to see them go but our friendships were renewed and we were better for having had the week with them.
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Now here I sit weeks later just putting another post. This Thursday my sister Shirley came to visit and we had a blast going all over town together. We first stopped and had lunch at Arby's in honor of our father. Daddy loved walking down to Arby's and getting a "sandwich" for his lunch then walking across the parking lot over to Dairy Queen where he would purchase a Dilly Bar then walk home eating it. This was a daily routine for the last couple years of his life, so Shirley and I decided that since it was the day of Daddy's birth that we would celebrate for him by going to his favorite place to eat. We later went to Dairy Queen and got a box of Dilly Bar's with my daughter Tonya then left her with the other three when we took her home. We shopped more and when the day was done and we had wished our daddy a happy birthday several times we came back to Maricopa and to Dairy Queen here and bought another box of Dilly Bar's to take home (which by the way cost a lot more here in Maricopa - go figure.) so we could have a week celebration for dad.

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Well, we just about walked our legs off on Thursday so we decided to take it easy on Friday which ended up being a good thing because when I woke up Friday I was sick. This is not fun. I hate being sick. But I guess if you have to be sick this was a good time because I was able to take the time to do something I haven't done in a long time... read. Shirley and I sat across the room from each other reading our books, then putting them down and visiting, then picking them up reading again. I sat carefully because I kept getting dizzy, I had a huge headache and the whole nine yards of sickness with a cold. BUT I found a wonderful thing. My friend Linda told me in November to buy some Zicam and that if I started feeling like I was coming down with a cold to take the Zicam and it would keep me from getting sick or at least not so bad. I forgot I had it. But when I remembered I had Zicam I decided to try it and it helped greatly. Thanks Linda!

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I didn't go to Church yesterday though because I still had a little cough once in a while and was afraid that IF I went into a coughing spell that people would think I had swine flu and would mass-move to the other side of the room, causing the building to tilt off its foundation. I had visions of people fleeing the church from all exits yelling, "Swine, swine; seu-ie, seu-ie" in their best pig calling fashion, running for their cars and leaving me sitting on the pew all alone with a Kleenex dangling from my nose. Yep, that thought kept me home. Such is life.

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