Sunday, June 21, 2015

Week of June 15 - June 21, 2015

Highlights:

Spiritual
I attended the early morning session at the temple on Tuesday and Wednesday. Dad attended an evening session Thursday.

We had a wonderful Sacrament Meeting for Fathers' Day. We are so blessed to have such spiritual giants in our ward, and two men, former bishops, talked about Heavenly Father and Christ being our Father, and of the important meaning and symbolism of the Sacrament and repentance and the Atonement. I watched our deacons pass the Sacrament, and thought about Adam performing this sacred ordinance for the first time today. We learned in Sunday School about spending Sunday in study and preparation for partaking of the Sacrament. In Relief Society, we were reminded of the importance of following the prophet. It was such a wonderful day of learning. I don't know if it's because we are so blessed to have the temple right by our building or what, but the Spirit bears witness to me each and every Sunday of the truthfulness of the Lord's Gospel and that there is so much to learn!

I finished my visiting teaching for the month. I spoke with one sister on the phone, trying to get an appointment, but she had a jam packed week and so we just visited for a bit. I also wrote my letter to our sister who only wants mail contact.

I indexed 50 names on Monday after my housework was done. Then it was announced that Freedmen Records from the 1860s were released, and I have been working on those. These are contracts written in handwriting on notebook style paper with freed slaves and their former owners, for work, pay and living quarters and food. They are very interesting!!! So many former slaves indicated no last name, could not write, women could not sign but their husbands did.

Total records indexed so far 2523

I completed reading the Book of Mormon and started reading it again. I am in 1 Nephi 15. Dad is reading in the New Testament and is in Mark 11.

Family
The Wilkins Family
They have had a busy start to their "Oh, The Things We Can Do" Summer! Swimming lessons and water polo were to start this week. Allison also has math books to go over with the older kids so they can keep their skills sharp. They are looking for constellations this week, too. They also enjoyed a special night at the dollar theater viewing "Cinderella". I may just have to see this movie, since everyone I know raves about it!

The Ethan Rice Family
They had a good week. Kaylee had a great time and Grampy Wally and Grandma Liza's house. She got to go to the mall and ride the train and carousel with them on Friday.

The Doran Rice Family
Doran and Amber's family friend and long time pet, Chloe, has been suffering with congestive heart failure. This little girl has been part of Amber's life since before Kelsie was born...and thus all of Kelsie's life. New medications were tried to see if her fluids could be relieved, and, as of Sunday evening, she is holding her own. They are looking forward to their vacation in two weeks. They are flying into Detroit, Michigan and visiting family there, and then traveling to Ohio to see Amber's dad.

Morgan
Morgan and Kyle worked here on Monday afternoon, poisoning weeds, cleaning up debris. On Tuesday, for their day job, they had to cut up a mesquite tree. They cut it into smaller usable logs and Nathan graciously went with Dad to help pick that up. The got quite the trailer full! On Wednesday, they came by and sawed up our fallen saguaro




and moved the fountain left in our yard by a friend years ago into the lower courtyard.

Kayty
Kayty went to the dentist on Monday, and begins her series of work next Monday. She shopped and bought her favorite One Direction shoes

Saw Jurassic Park World, which she loved, went to Bachelorette, worked, and hung pretty things on her wall.

The Nathan Rice Family
We found out Thursday morning that Nate was named Employee of the Month at his Lowe's location! So awesome! He has been so busy doing homework! He tried his hardest, but had to miss the Rice Man Fishing Trip. We know it's a worthwhile sacrifice, though.

Jessica's baby shower was such fun! Her sister in law, Cynthia, went to so much work planning and decorating. I made chicken salad for croissants and rolls, Nano made a vegetable tray, Grandma made bowls of fresh grapes and watermelon, and Cameo made yummy homemade salsa and onion dip to go with chips. Lorrie Hudson got the cutest cupcakes and I hear they were awesome!

Lorrie Hudson made an adorable diaper cake

Even with being the only dude there, Kooper had a good time.

We were asked to dress as though we were pregnant. Balloon baby bumps were available.













Kaylee really loved the cupcake!
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Nate came by late Saturday evening and started working on a cradle for Annalee.

(I thought I typed this already, but since I cannot find it now, I may be repeating...)

Work
Dad went to the Engines facility on Monday and was able to discover at least four things that need to be addressed. He spent Tuesday and Wednesday running to special assignments from his old boss. It must be crazy for him to figure out WHO he is doing What for!

His biggest problem has been that, last Wednesday, Honeywell forced him to download a new version (special version for Honeywell) of Microsoft Office called Office365. It STILL is messing up his computer and he cannot be in contact with anyone at work, nor attend any online meeting. The help desk hasn't helped at all, and their supervisor yells at them for spending so much time trying to help Dad's computer. (pigs...)

Update: Thursday, he was sent an email that invited him to a meeting on Monday to let them know what they are supposed to be doing in this job!

He also got a call from his bosses' bosses' bosses' boss thanking him for his work getting so many parts off the Honeywell top ten. ( Sure made the crazy email easier to take).

He recommended his old friend, Randy Greason, for a position in his old/current job, and he spent time helping him with his resume and doing some training. 

Dad's Garden
The heat is getting to the tomatoes. While they have a shade cover, it's been 114 degrees, which seems to just be telling the plants to give up. I picked a one pound seven ounce "Church" variety tomato on Wednesday night, and a one pound four ounce one Thursday morning.

As of today, total tomato count is 1391.

Herbs are doing well, thanks to the sunshade a friend made for us. We have plenty of oregano, thyme and sage. Basil is more in the sun and is doing well too. 

Peppers are still going like crazy, though who could even eat one! He also got some pequin peppers from a bush in the oval garden. He had someone come over and even buy some peppers!

Zucchini gave up the ghost and was pulled up (no more zucchini weeks). We have cut off the remaining grapes and bagged them to toss. It seems that, when the vines lose all their leaves in January, we have to cut back all the vines,  gather all that stuff and burn it and hope the mildew is gone.


Dad's Truck
He worked on installing disc brakes. It went well, except that the jack moved without them knowing and now he has to replace the tie rod since it is bent to the oil pan. :( The heat is really hard to work through, though after the sun begins to set, it isn't half bad outside.

Other Highlights
Though the weather was HOT, it was dry and before sunrise, and after the sun went down, so I pruned and raked and hauled. Indoors was nice and cool, so I dusted and vacuumed, mopped and sealed more flooring. By Tuesday, I had most of the high traffic areas done. Later in the week, I got all the weeds, needles, and a bunch of mesquite beans all raked up and in the trashcan.

I went for my annual check up at the doctor. Took five tubes of blood. Glad that's done for a year!

I packaged up extra truck parts for sale on Ebay. Now, Dad can list them and they are ready to ship!

We started what might be a Fathers' Day Tradition. Dad, Ethan, and Doran (Morgan had to work and Nate had too much homework left) headed to Woods' Canyon Lake for a fishing trip. Woods Canyon Lake was way busy, so after Dad got a fish,


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Small mouth bass caught by dad...one of seven caught




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  they headed out and found Willow Springs Lake, with a perfect campground for our campout in July!

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 They came home late in the evening and had a great time! Sounds like a tradition!!!

Fathers Day was great for dad. Kayty started early and brought him a new white shirt, gold tie and pocket square for his suit, which she proceeded to tell the different ways of folding and of her favorite. That girl has learned so much at work!!!


On Sunday, he, enjoyed funny facebook messages, cards, non-chocolate candy and jerky,  had homemade biscuits and sausage gravy for breakfast (I even gave the leftover re-roll biscuit to Beau...never a dad but a pretty good dog around the grandkids).

Nate and Jess surprised him and came to church with us! He and dad both enjoyed the Fathers' Day pie that the Relief Society prepares for them after priesthood meeting. Doran called in the early evening. And Ethan, Cameo and Kaylee stopped by and brought Papa a cute frame with a pic of Kaylee, and we had a fun visit.



Not so Highlights
While I was picking tomatoes Thursday morning, I lifted one tomato cage, as I always do, searching for tomatoes on the underside...and what do I see....A SNAKE!!!! I screamed so loud I am surprised the subdivision next to us didn't call the police. (Beau was out there nearby, but our "trusted protector" made no move toward anything! ) When Dee woke up, I took him out...and there were TWO, not one, snakes. Dad said they were gopher snakes and not dangerous (in my opinion, all snakes must die!),


 so he proceeded to cut the one out of the bird netting he was tangled in.



The other one, which I was supposed to be watching, but, from my vantage point up two steps on the ladder, I lost track, seemed to get away. The big one wrapped itself around another tomato plant, like a boa constrictor.

Needless to say, my tomato picking days are OVER!

Later, I walked into the kitchen to see this....
Yes...Mr. "Nice Guy Snake Lover Slytherin Housed Parseltongue" was helping this creature get the rest of the bird netting off his neck. Really???

We walked outside Sunday evening for a final tomato check for the weekend. I picked up a piece of bird netting and....I SCREAMED!!!! There is was! That doggone snake again. However, this time, the thing had died while caught in the netting. Hooray!!!!



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