What I did Saturday

These pictures are for the family. Amber Morley (She is No. 1) is a chip off the old block. Look at those serves, look at the intensity with which she place. Awesome. Just like Mom.

The Americna Girl Store is a racket and I am a sucker

The Simpleness of the Way

Three scriptures have jumped out at me this week. Each is about the simplicity of what we are asked to do to receive guidance. The first is about the people with Moses who were afflicted and dying. All they had to do was look at the pole Moses put before them and they would be healed. Some could not do it because it was so simple. They couldn’t believe it would work. Others believed, looked and were healed. (Numbers 21)

The second is Naaman, the leper, who was simply asked to wash in the River Jordan 7 times. He was actually angry that he couldn’t pay to be healed, or that Elisha would not come out and perform a great miracle, and even worse, the River Jordan was not as great as the rivers of Damascus. But when he was humbled by one of his servants he was able to be healed by simply believing it would happen and then doing the simple thing he was asked to do. (2 King 5)

The third is in Alma 37

38 And now, my son, I have somewhat to say concerning the thing which our fathers … called [the] Liahona, which is, being interpreted, a compass; and the Lord prepared it.
40 And it did work for them according to their faith in God; therefore, if they had faith to believe that God could cause that those spindles should point the way they should go, behold, it was done; therefore they had this miracle, and also many other miracles wrought by the power of God, day by day.
41 Nevertheless, because those miracles were worked by small means it did show unto them marvelous works. They were slothful, and forgot to exercise their faith and diligence and then those marvelous works ceased, and they did not progress in their journey;

Wow! Three references that all tell us the same thing. All we have to do is believe and obey. Not asking too much is it? Wouldn't it be a shame if we lost out on blessings and guidance because of our own doubt in the simple things we are asked to do? We must believe even when we don’t understand. Believe even when we have doubt in ourselves. Believe and know that “I am God.” Wow!

What a ride...

• 6:30 a.m. dropped off Tarzan at the airport for a trip to see his Mom in Memphis, TN
• 7:30 a.m. phone call. Tarzan did not have a seat on the flight. They had overbooked and even though he was there 2 hours early, he was on standby.
• 7:45 a.m. phone call. Tarzan is informed that they had standby passangers who had been delayed on another flight and they got priority seating.
• 8:00 a.m. Tarzan had a seat.
• 8:30 a.m. Tarzan called from the plane
• 8:45 a.m. Tarzan was in the terminal again. They got all ready to go and had no pilot
• 9:00 a.m. Tarzan was back on the airplane and ready for takeoff.
• 11:45 a.m. Tarzan was back in Arizona. The got about 20 minutes out and the pilot announced they had problems with the flaps and he was going back. Tarzan reported the hardest landing he has ever experienced in his life. He kissed the ground when he got off the plane.
• 1:15 p.m. Tarzan is having lunch in the Arizona terminal. He was given a $5.00 voucher by the Airlines. His lunch cost $9.00.
• 1:30 p.m. Tarzan is now getting to know his fellow passengers and having a good time. They are working on the airplane.
• 2:00 p.m. I called Tarzan, no news, they are all just sitting around waiting.
• 2:15 p.m. I called Tarzan and his voice mail was on. I hope he is on the airplane.
• 2:30 p.m. only voice mail available
• 4:00 p.m. only voice mail available
• 4:30 p.m. watching news to see if their have been any airplane wrecks today
• 4:37 p.m. "WORST FLIGHT OF MY LIFE" Tarzan says he was in an exit row, the seats did not recline, there was no tray for your drink he had a little "trainer tray." There was a big 300 pound guy sitting next to him trying to help with his little tray making him feel like an idiot, the seat was hard and his (excuse me here) ass is numb so someone could pick his pocket and he wouldn't even know it. Needless to say, he was not in a good mood. I just hope the Hertz agent is friendly.

Positive Thinking

I was thinking today about my basic personality of positive thinking. I generally am not even aware of unpleasantness. Some of the sisters in the Ward were talking about how important it is to get away from negative conversation and I was thinking “Who talks negative in our Ward?”.

Then suddenly Satan’s pernicious opposition kicked in with no warning and I could only see negative things. I left early for work because I had a dentist appointment to get my teeth whitened. So, as a habit, I stopped by Fresh and Easy on my way to work to pick up whatever I need to fix dinner tonight. Yesterday, I needed Sesame Seeds, today I needed carrots, fresh green beans and a can of beef broth (Honey, ginger Pork tonight, Sesame Salmon last night). Fresh and Easy doesn’t open until 8:00 a.m., I got there at 7:30 a.m.
Next, I drove to Fry’s on Baseline and got what I wanted, but the self-checkout didn’t know what to do with my produce and no one was manning the station to help. Had to go find someone to help me, it was irritating that they were all just standing around laughing and talking, no one doing their job.

It is the first time I have been in a Fry’s for a very long time, that no one has greeted me, in fact, I spoke to the person by the front door and he sort of snorted and lifted his head without making eye contact. You know that nudge we do to acknowledge someone without speaking. As I left, I passed a group of three employees visiting about “last night.” I said, “Have a good day” as I passed, they never even stopped their conversation to acknowledge that I was alive.

I got in my car and drove to the dentist’s office. I was 5 minutes early. 15 minutes later they called me in. I sat down to get my teeth whitened and the girl came in and said, “It is going to be about 30 or 40 minutes before we can proceed with you. We only have one ‘dryer’ (whatever that means) and the other girl is using it on her patient.” The process takes at least 1 ½ hours so I would be REALLY late for work. I said I would come back another time. Got up in disgust and left for work, not bothering to reschedule. (Positive thought slipped in here—I just saved myself $300.)

Upon arriving at work, I had to pass through the security check and two security guards were standing there visiting, two who always speak to me. I said my usual “Good Morning” to them and they didn’t even look up. They just kept on talking to each other. I passed the second security checkpoint and said “Good Morning.” You would have thought I was invisible. I muttered under my breath “OR NOT.” Into the hallway, I passed a man who works in the office next to mine. Again, “good morning.” He scowled and looked right past me. I walked into my office, usually greeted by smiling faces and no one even noticed I came in and to top it all off, my veracious veins ache today.

At this point, I had had it. I stood there and waived my arms in encouragement like a basketball player trying to rally the crowd to yell. Everyone looked up. I said, in a loud voice, “GOOD MORNING.” Everyone laughed and I got a resounding “Good Morning, Sandi.” I felt much better and the negative thoughts dissipated.

RAK-Tired Feet

Today, I bought some mint foot scrub and mint lotion. Came home and just stopped everything to give Tarzan a surprise foot treatment. No special occasion, he has just not been feeling well.

1. Feet in hot Dr. Scholl oatmeal soak.
2. Towel on my lap
3. Right foot scrubbed
4. Right foot back in soak
5. Left foot scrubbed
6. Left foot back in soak
7. Right foot dried and lotioned
8. Left foot dried and lotioned
9. 1 Excedrin PM
10. Electric Blanket on
11. Good night's sleep

What a pleasant surprise. He loved it and all of the product was made by a friend with a small business (all natural products) so she got help, he got help, I felt good, everybody wins.

Emergency Preparedness Exercise

Okay, let’s get real. There is no way to do a complete 72 hour emergency practice and continue in this world as it is now. No electricity? No TV? No telephone? Let me just give you the run down on our 72 hour emergency practice.

For starters, Tarzan has been through so many practice maneuvers in the Air Force, that he thought it was unnecessary and that he could survive not matter what the circumstances, so with that said, here is what I found out. There is no lights in our bathroom. No window, means no lights without electricity and I read in the bathroom (sorry if that is more information than you want). Bo Hutchinson suggested those battery operated lights that you just press and they come on. They are applied to the wall by just peeling and sticking them on. My mother suggested a “treasure trove” of flashlights and batteries. I think we just need to install solar energy and be done with it.

The next order of business for me was sweeping the living room carpet (no electricity, thus no vacuum). Anyone who says the Pioneers led a simpler life is living in an unreal world. At least I have carpet to sweep and not just dirt floors, as many had then. I remember sweeping the carpet when I was a girl and we couldn’t afford a vacuum. I didn’t like it then any better than I do now.

We have been diligently getting our business set up so that when we retire, we still have a steady income and something to do. Nothing worse than having nothing to do. Our business will be in deep doo-doo. No electric saw, no light. Well, if we get in a position where there is no electricity and it extends over more than a 72 hour emergency, we probably won’t be selling any grow stick anyway. As for my teaching on-line--ditto.

As Tarzan cooked breakfast, no problem with cooking outside, we found that our propane bottle was not full and while we had enough for today, we noted it should be kept full all of the time and our wood pile kept up as well. We had no charcoal briquettes. We did have a meaningful conversation about preserving potatoes. Our grandparents kept a bushel barrel in the root cellar filled with dirt and potatoes. We don’t have a root cellar and in Arizona, in the summer, keeping potatoes would be a real trick, even buried in dirt. We are going to try it this year and see what happens.

The phone is another issue--we could not completely comply. Both of our Moms are, let’s see how can I put this nicely without offending my Mom (who reads, but doesn’t comment, on my blog). I have it, both of our Moms are older than us :-). We like to stay in touch and therefore talked to both on Saturday, thus using the phone. Once the phone was used, all bets were off and we just used it all day.

If my refrigerator doesn’t make ice, I will be praying that Sonic has power.

Those peaches we bottles last summer made a fantastic sweet treat when the only other baking option was the dutch over. What a pain if every time you had a hankerin’ for a chocolate cake, you had to get the coals just right, before you could put the cake in the dutch over and then keep the coals on top of the dutch oven at just the right temperature so the cake would cook all around, evenly.

Jared Harrison was our block captain and he called to see if we were participating, we told him we were and he said he would drive by our house and see if we had a green flag (all is okay), a yellow flag (need someone to follow up with us), or a red flag (HELP). He was sick today so Bo Hutchinson came puffing up the hill on his dirt bike because he couldn’t see our green flag, it was supposed to be in the window and Tarzan left it laying over the brick wall in front. Knowing all was well here, we visited for a few minutes and he was on his way. Rest assured, if we had an emergency and the phones were working. I would be calling 911, not putting a red flag up and hoping someone would notice. I am so glad I don’t have to hitch up the horses to the wagon to go visiting teaching. If I have to go visiting teaching on a bike, we are getting a tandem, so my partner can help pump.

Having the TV on is habit, not required in our house. We had it on for about ½ hour to see what the news was and then turned it off. All day today I have enjoyed the sounds of nature (when not irritated by the neighbor’s quads).

The day ended in the home of a family not participating so Tarzan was able to catch up on the political news. We babysat for friends.

My idea of babysitting:

• Capri Sun
  
• Tootsie Pop
  
• Playing basketball (Tarzan did participate in this)
  
• Coloring Book
  
• Colored Pencils
  
• Going through the toys to see how they all work
  
• Playing trains together
  
• Putting the train away, including the one hiding behind the curtain
  
• Lying on the floor coloring together
  
• Throwing the pencils on the floor and playing pick-up sticks (which Coop is verrrrry good at)
  
• Brushing (don’t forget flossing) teeth (I really have to demonstrate this for you to give you the true picture of how this is done)
  
• Prayers
  
• Story
  
• Song
  

Tarzan’s idea of babysitting:

SPT—What is extra special about you?

“the spt challenge for next week is to photograph something that is extra special about you. it might be a physical feature, a talent, or an unknown secret. this spt is all about you!”
As a woman who has been taught to be humble and never glorify herself, it is difficult for me to say these words. So, I tell you this with gratitude to a Heavenly Father who knows my ability and blesses me each time I use it.

I have a gift that few of my current friends have witnessed. I am a great actress. I have even been paid for my acting ability.

I have been in many theatrical productions, a few TV commercials, done a couple of voice-overs, and I have been a weekend DJ and reporter on women's issues at a radio station, KDJI, in Holbrook, Arizona. I had the privilege of doing a production “Morning After.” When, as the first actress to perform this piece, if it ever gets published, I will be the person listed in the front as the original star. The first production I did was “The Curios Savage.” I played the crazy daughter trying to have her mother committed to get her money. The last production I did was “The Curios Savage.” I played the crazy mother who was being committed. What a ride.

Every production I was in that was reviewed gave me, personally, rave reviews. I was always amazed. One of my favorites was when I was in “Prelude to a Kiss.” I was on the stage about 15 or 20 minutes. I played 3 small parts with different hair each time. One of the appearances I made, my back was to the audience the entire time. I was a space filler. The reviewer said the production was awful. There were only two people worth watching in the entire production. I was one of them.

Acting fulfils a part of me that has, at times in my life, been empty. I love being on the stage. Once, when I was very depressed and doing a theater production, I was sitting behind the curtain waiting to go on. I had my head in my hands and the stage manager came up and asked me if I was okay. I said, “I’ll be alright in a minute, when I walk out on the stage I will be Ethel and everyone loves Ethel.”

Perhaps that sounds sad to you, but I don’t mean it that way. Acting has been one of the joys of my life and if actors weren’t so weird, I would thrust myself totally into that world and enjoy every minute of it. I’m just not in to drugs, sex and some forms of freedom of expression (if you know what I mean). However, I love my life and would not give up anything I now have to get the privilege of acting right now.