20 YEARS OF MARRIED BLISS

Monday, July 18, 2016
What happens when you have a very busy weekend and don't look at your garden? Monster zucchini grow - seemingly overnight! Oh dear! And two of them!

A very clear morning - not a cloud in the sky. It's a good day for flying, at least the turkey vultures and C-17s say so!

Work at Hobart was pretty uneventful. In and out. The drive was very mellow. No worry, no hurry. Back in Altus, I had lunch at Taco Bell and even got to have Ken sit (for a short minute) and chat. I get tired of TB food, but I go more to see him than anything else.

Only a couple of weeks until Seminary starts, so my brain is tuned to that channel a lot lately. I got the O.K. from the bishop to move us from the one room to the Primary Room, so there's that arrangement to think about. Time to move stuff to a closet over there as well. So, it's a good thing I'm not super-busy with work right now.  Except, now my boss wants me to do an installation in Wichita Falls next week.

Tuesday, July 19, 2016
Happy Anniversary! 20 years ago, Ken & I...

Hard to believe all that time is gone. In our disposable world, it's nice to see not everything fades so quickly. We're not all that trendy, anyway. After twenty years, we're pretty comfortable with each other. Perfect, nah. But like when we were talking with Jonathan last night, we fit each other. Our perspectives help the other see better when we might be stuck in our own limited view. We don't have to be cookie-cutter the same...we aren't and function all the better for it!

We're not doing anything today - we both have to work. But we're going out Thursday. You'll hear more then.

There's no way to make a day better than by receiving a package! My sister, Wendy, had been in Hawaii a couple of weeks back and had brought some goodies back for us. It came in the mail...and boy did we have fun documenting it!

Oh, the heat was brutal today! I felt head-achy most of the day, and when I went to Walgreens, I felt rather flat. I went home...and took a nap. I felt a little better after that, but I sure related to the elders when they came by for a drink of water and a chance to get out of the sun.

Wednesday, July 20, 2016
Today was a headache day. I'm not exactly sure why. Heat? Allergies?  All I know is that I woke up with it and it didn't go away until about an hour before bedtime. Left me feeling pretty flat all the day long.

Ken and the kids went bowling this afternoon. The local bowling alley has a summer special running and they wanted to go. The last place a person with a headache wants is to be in a bowling alley, hearing pins dropping continually. So I stayed home.

Thursday, July 21, 2016
Ken and I left early this morning for Oklahoma City. This was our day to celebrate our 20th wedding anniversary so we went where it started...the temple. Okay, not THE temple - that was Los Angeles, but A temple, where the same covenants are made...and renewed. Our problems seem so very small when we are there. There is so much peace; I just want to curl up there and sleep the sleep of the innocent. Too bad we don't get there often enough!

After that, we went to lunch at a place Ken wanted to try - the Saltwater Grill.

I had a pretty good prime rib and sweet potato fries, while Ken had steak and potatoes, but the best were the fried mushrooms he got for an appetizer. The dipping sauce for them reminded me of the old Hoff's Hut dill dressing they served with their fried zucchini. Made me remember how much I love dill.

After a short stop in Lawton (Sam's Club, where else?), we got home. And Ken packed up the car with Jonathan and went camping up at Steed Lake. Jonathan really wanted to go and Ken realized he won't have many of those options for much longer, so I urged them to go. Analiese and I had a quiet night.

Friday, July 22, 2016
Busy day. Besides the normal stuff of laundry and Hallmark work at Walmart, I also had to do something with my zucchini and lemons. The solution was to make lemon-zucchini bread!

I had one store-bought lemon, I don't even remember what I purchased it for. I compare it here to the Carr California lemons.

They're not as pretty, but are much juicier. The store lemon was a large portion of rind and pith! I just juiced everybody; it's my juicer I bought in California when we moved to Corona and I had an orange tree.

Then I had to shred all the zucchini. One of them weighed at least three pounds! I think I got six cups of shredded veggie total. Bummer, the recipe only called for one! That's okay, there's plenty more lemon juice, buttermilk, and cake flour (hey, that's what the recipe called for) to make more.

The batter was SUPER liquidy and nearly filled the bread pan to the top.

I was afraid it might go over. It took a little longer to bake (my oven), but cooled nicely and the glaze went on prettily. And tastily, I might add.  I'll take it to the church tomorrow for the baptism. After I cut a few slices for home!

Saturday, July 23, 2016
This heat is so brutal. I really think this is what's causing the headaches...especially when I have to go out in it.

The baptism was at eleven. I played the piano; Jonathan gave the opening prayer. It was very nice. The bread was well-liked among the goodies, too.

But I went home to flop down and rest. Good thing the only other place I have to go today is to take Jonathan to work at five. I really feel wiped out.

Sunday, July 24, 2016
Didn't have to lead the music in Sacrament meeting today. One of the sister missionaries did, so her companion came and sat with us. That was nice. Jonathan didn't bless the sacrament, but passed it. He said it's been about two years since he's done that. Hey, that's okay.

I didn't have to sub in Primary, so I got to sit in Sunday School for a change. That class is always full, even when it's summer and people are gone on vacation. I wonder why that is? It's a great class, maybe it's just really popular!

Now, in Relief Society, besides playing the piano, I taught the lesson. I was asked to do it well over a month ago, so I've had a lot of time to think, pray, and prepare. I was using President Monson's talk from last General Conference on "Choices." But it was so very short (sad face), that I also used a priesthood session talk from 2010 that he gave - also on choices - to augment the lesson. I think it went well. I felt the Spirit...I hope others did, too.

We stayed after church for a bit; luckily, Jonathan didn't have to work today. But Analiese had BYC (Bishop's Youth Committee) and - as the only young woman (not to mention no YW leaders) from the presidency there - had to represent them all. She said that, when they sang a hymn, she felt like she was squeaky high because of all the deep voices around her!