BUSY WEEK AGAIN

Monday, August 21, 2017

We made it! We survived our first day of seminary. I had eleven students attend with minimum difficulty. My PowerPoint worked fine and I even showed a video. Progress! Yesterday was just like a really, really bad dress rehearsal.

The problems aren't over and I imagine the next few weeks are going to see us working on and ironing out tech issues. I've already had four phone calls and two emails about stuff today. Connectivity to the learning site is one of our biggest challenges.

I picked up Analiese from her Seminary class (which I heard went smoothly) and we went for a walk before returning home. I think I'm going to need these times to help me decompress!

Ken worked outside alone today; Jonathan had to work. But Analiese used her glasses (courtesy of the library) to watch the eclipse. I was surprised how well they worked, even through cloud cover. We only had a 73% totality, so we watched some of the other places on nasa.gov on YouTube to see what 100% totality was like. It was pretty cool!

Tuesday, August 22, 2017

Walking with Analiese this morning, I actually got bit THROUGH my clothes! And both kinds of "skeeters" were out: the small boys and the King Kongs which are 5x larger. Ugh! Okay...tomorrow - repellent!

I think we're making progress in Seminary. Most of my communications today had good news or at least positive thinking. OKC South Stake has called another online teacher to take some of my load - that is very good! More families are connecting and successfully getting online. And these kids are amazing! Already I'm getting testimonies, experiences, enthusiasm and humor from them. They, for the most part, seem to genuinely want to make this work. I think this is going to be a wonderful experience for them in spite of all the bumbling of we adults.

Wednesday, August 23, 2017

During our morning walk, Analiese and I passed through the middle of the city park. Besides lots of toadstools - all the moisture this summer has brought out the fungus - there were so many robins! We must have seen thirty of them at least. I imagine they are here in response to the increased insect population. Go robins!

At work, my boss brought back from the Hollis library seven boxes full of books for me to remove from the system. I spent a good bit of time just organizing three boxes of Western paperbacks.

Those will be popular for our book sale. But my desk was covered!

Actually, there were more before I remembered to take a picture!

I spent four out of my first five hours going through most of them. After that, my eyes were tired and I needed a break!

Thursday, August 24, 2017
I am really enjoying my interaction with my seminary students. They are very perceptive and their desire to be close to the Lord is strong. One student had me in tears as I read of his desire to have faith like Nephi's. It's only the first week - this is going to be awesome!

Analiese and I didn't get very far on our walk after class because I took a step and ping, twinge, PAIN! I do not know what I did, but my left ankle did not like it. I tried to walk it off and hope it would click back into place, but we ended up going back to the van and home.

It was still tender by this evening, so I was careful walking on it at work. Which ended up with me sorting books by genre, removing them from the system, and boxing them up for sale. Today they sold two boxes of my Westerns from yesterday!

Friday, August 25, 2017
With hurricane brewing in the Gulf of Mexico (prayers for Texas!), we were expecting some weather. But by the time Analiese and I left for Seminary, everything was dry...no rain, no storm. Until we got to the church building where it immediately started to rain. Good thing my rolling box (for my laptop) has a lid!

We didn't go walking today, but it wasn't due to the rain. Instead, we went home to get ready to go to the EXPO center for Children's Day at the Jackson County Fair. We volunteered to hold rabbits so kids could come and pet them. What a sacrifice! I think I held at least five rabbits

Brown mini-rex on my lap

(we'd swap them out occasionally to give them a rest) and I lowered my blood pressure by several points. I hadn't seen my Rabbit Club friends in a while

My friend, Valerie, grooming her lion-head rabbit.

, so that was great, too.

It poured heavily while we were at the fair, so we slogged through the mud (literally, a morass), me worrying that my minivan didn't have the umph and traction to get out of a mud-and-gravel parking lot. We ran some errands at Walmart and then headed home. I did lots of boring chores for the rest of the day, but also made my husband's birthday dessert - Chocolate Cream Pie - from scratch (well, I didn't make the crust). No pudding here! Ken doesn't like pudding. This was a custard, with eggs. I think he's going to enjoy it. I'll serve it with some real whipped cream on Sunday.

Saturday, August 26, 2017
The weather has cooled some and you won't see me complaining. Analiese says Fall is here, but I'm not quite ready to admit to that!

Besides being Fair weekend, it is also Rodeo weekend. For some reason, the city scheduled both for this weekend. So as I was leaving home to go back to work after lunch, I had to find a different way to the library. The Rodeo parade was coming down Broadway. People lined the streets watching the parade. Darn, I had to work!

Apparently, I am ready to be considered old. AARP reached out to me today.

The kids thought it was hilarious.

Sunday, August 27, 2017
I woke up with a headache and general malaise this morning. I took the kids and my salad (for the Linger Longer following) to church, stayed for sacrament meeting (the most important), and then went home. They walked home afterwards. I slept for 2 1/2 hours and felt a little bit better.

But I needed my energy and enthusiasm back because, after Ken got back from Chickasha, we were going to celebrate his birthday. It's actually tomorrow, but he'll leave to go back by mid-to-late afternoon. So we had his dinner, gifts, and dessert today instead.

He just wanted nice sandwiches, so we bought some meat and cheese from the deli and some good quality bread. I had Analiese make his favorite "onionless" onion dip, I purchased Senorial sangria soda and, of course, we had the decadent chocolate pie with freshly-made whipped cream.

He loves being home with the family and resting, so he was very happy today. We spoiled him, too, because he deserves it!

THIS GUINEA PIG HAS FALLEN OFF HER WHEEL

Monday, August 14, 2017
I was rather ill last night, so I turned off my 6:00 a.m. alarm (last time I can do that for a while!) and slept in until 7:30. Oh, well, it was a little better.

Ken & Jonathan worked with our angel cousin puttying and patching the outside. While they did that, Analiese worked on her pre-lessons and I tried to do laundry, figure out my grocery list, and work on Seminary stuff. Plus, the RS secretary (coincidentally angel cousin's wife) came over to interview me for the RS newsletter spotlight for September. Whether or not I did any of these things well is questionable.

I start teaching Seminary next Monday, so this week is dedicated for preparing for an orientation online on Sunday and my first online lesson Monday. I've been looking over my student list and, so far, I have fourteen enrolled. Getting the word out to them about everything starting has been a challenge.

Tuesday, August 15, 2017
Two nights of thunderstorms, showy lightning and a lot of rain. At one point I woke up and heard it, but I went to back to sleep effortlessly.

Right now, managing household duties and necessities while trying to understand the inner workings of the online seminary site, is a difficult balancing act. Which is more important? They both are! It makes me more tired just thinking about it.

I've been working with the CES secretary and the Lawton Stake seminary coordinator today trying to figure out how to reach these kids and their families to let them know Seminary is starting and how to get on the website. I've joined a Facebook group about the site, which just opened in July, this is how new this all is. We're all learning here. The group is to help us understand things to do on the site and is also a forever for questions about it.

My boss is off this week on her vacation. Her grandson is in town and she's busy spoiling him. Cute kid. It makes for a very quiet work week for me, though.

Wednesday, August 16, 2017
We're being inundated with insects at the library with insects. All kinds, many I can't identify, but mostly crickets. The today I caught one staring at me from the top of my wall calendar. Seriously. Luckily, nature is assisting us in their removal somewhat. Someone found a lizard/gecko (?) near the children's section the other day. It was so tiny, we put it in our little terrarium, gave it some water and dry crickets (not off the floor, purchased) and made it a little home. I call it Reader, a very appropriate name! Look at his striped tail!

At this moment, I have sixteen enrolled online seminary students, with at least three more pending. There have been more requests, but I think we need to cap it at twenty. As it is, this is going to be an interesting challenge. My head is swimming, quite literally.

Thursday, August 17, 2017
The storm we expected last night didn't come, thank goodness. They were talking big hail, etc. Instead, we got a little wind and lightning.

Not a good morning for me. I had taken my morning pills and vitamins and was sipping on my chocolate protein shake when all of a sudden I felt dizzy and very nauseous. I slowly made my way to the bathroom (nothing) and went to bed again...at 7:30 a.m. I slept for three hours. It helped, some.

I feel like the cat in this children's book I cataloged.

More phone calls and emails about Seminary today. Now enrollment stands at nineteen - with seven more waiting to get in. Apparently Salt Lake called our secretary about the enrollment numbers - the ideal is fifteen! We had no idea we'd have this large of a response. It's a little late to call and train another teacher, but maybe we should consider two classes next year!

Friday, August 18, 2017
It seems a shame to get up at 6:00 a.m. on my day off. But by next week, it will still be a Seminary day. Oh well.

As it was, I wanted to get up early anyway to work outside and beat the heat. This time I remembered to apply insect repellent to keep from becoming a mosquito feast. I started using the edger until it ran out of the plastic thread. I couldn't find more in the garage and probably didn't know how to replace it anyway. So I got out the gallon pump sprayer and made up a batch of herbicide. I sprayed weeds in cracks in edges, using it all up. Then I went inside to take a shower because the poison had touched my legs and it felt like they were burning. Seems like it might be effective.

I took a little reward nap following that and then spent the rest of the day trying to organize myself for Seminary. I fixed up my binder, cleaned up around my desk, and made sure all of my downloads were done for orientation on Sunday and my lesson on Monday. Other than enrollment issues, which I'm not fretting over because the buck is passed to the secretary, I feel pretty ready. I also felt good that I'd accomplished so much in my day.

Saturday, August 19, 2017
It's Saturday. You'd think I wouldn't get any calls about Seminary. You'd be wrong. Being part of a pilot program is a very intense experience. These next few weeks are going to be telling. I'll keep you posted.

Work was its usual Saturday - quiet and slow. I cataloged some audiobooks (CDs_ and two large print books. After lunch, I filled out a return report on ten books we're sending back to the bookseller, plus I downloaded OCLC records for our launchpad (orange) tablets that we're (eventually) putting out in the children's section. Yep, that's my day.

On my lunch break, I saw the kids only briefly before they headed out with the ward youth to the temple. Analiese was going to do baptisms...I gave her some family names!

Jonathan was going to be priesthood assistance.

That means I'll be home alone after work.

Sunday, August 20, 2017
Church was very "in synch" with my Seminary situation right now. Two talks were on applying the scriptures in our lives and the RS lesson was about the Book of Mormon. I cam away with more thoughts for tomorrow's lesson.

After church, my friend Elaina came over to help me make a wire "tree of life" - including the iron rod! I was so excited to do it (very jazzed about teaching the Book or Mormon) and she was so patient with me. Besides making the craft, we worked at "making" our friendship.

The time was well spent and is well cherished. And see how it turned out!

Online Seminary Orientation...was a disaster! Despite my preparations and multiple notifications, only four students showed up. Some others tried but had technical difficulties. I had plenty of those, too, and my training taught me how to get into the video conference, but not what to do once I got in there. It was so awful, I felt so disheartened. This guinea pig is exhausted from spinning needlessly (or needfully) on her crazy wheel. Please pray that tomorrow's class goes better!

TRICKY TECHNOLOGY

Monday, August 7, 2017
Now we're rising at 6:00 a.m. Though I hear Seminary is pushed back another week. Well, we might as well get over it and be up and doing.

Ken and our angel cousin are working on the porch this morning. This is a much louder job than the windows were. When I left to go grocery shopping, they had completed building a brace of wood to hold the porch up as they worked on it. I should have taken a picture then, but thought I could get it afterwards. Nope. When I returned, it was gone. They'd finished much faster than expected, even though one side had been really bad. It was a wonder the thing hadn't come crashing down on us before. Now it definitely won't! That's some sturdy workmanship!

The kids and I went to a ward member's home for a barbecue and welcome home to the brother who just got back from a Middle-East assignment. Analiese swam, but Jonathan and I socialized. That is, until the mosquitoes came out and started feasting on me. Time to go!

Tuesday, August 8, 2017
It's been hard for me to get up so early lately. Even though I arose at six, I was back in bed after eight for a nap. My body just needed it!

I have received my church online seminary training invitation email. My boss isn't quite finished with my laptop, but that was good because we learned today the computer requirements that she would need to make sure it has so that things can run smoothly. I tested the site out on my computer at work and it worked...at first. When I tried to get back in, it didn't recognize my username. I guess I'll just have to try it at home.

There are plenty of books on my cart today. I just may be able to stay busy this week. 😁 The new FD2 is now working her full schedule, so I'll be available in the evenings and Saturday to assist as needed.

Wednesday August 9, 2017
Still so very, very tired, but I couldn't afford a nap this morning. I really had to get online and start my training, even if it had to be on our old (and slow) desktop.  But, alas! I had multiple problems. Not only could I not access my course, I couldn't even get into my lds.org account. I did everything I could think of (including new things I've learned from my boss): I tried different browsers, cleaned up the histories of said browsers, reset my password TWICE, cried, and prayed. Finally I resorted to calling the OU Institute Secretary, who's supposed to be my tech support person on it (she's learning it alongside of me, but I was hopeful). She had me call another person, who sent me back to her (I must have been a royal pain in her day), and we went back and forth with phone calls and email. We got it all straightened out just as I needed to leave for work. In fact, I was a couple of minutes late, but I wasn't leaving until the issue was resolve. Which it was, in main part, thanks to her.

At least it meant I didn't have to stress about it while I was trying to work today. I had plenty of library work to do and, since my boss will be out tomorrow, we had things to go over.

Thursday, August 10, 2017
I spent a lot of time this morning studying the online seminary training courses. My head is spinning with ideas and questions. I feel like a week's preparation (all I have left) may not be enough time!

My boss wasn't at work today, but up in OKC for a doctor's appointment for a family member. I had enough to do, but it was sure quiet and isolating. The full-time FDG (Front Desk Gal) came back on her break to visit, rather than sit in the break room and later came to do some book repairs on the desk in the way back. I think she was trying to keep me company.

Friday, August 11, 2017
Jonathan, Analiese and I left the house at 7:30 this morning. We stopped in Chickasha for a moment and then headed to OKC. Jonathan & I both had a day off and I really wanted to go to the temple before I started Seminary. This was a very last-minute decision because Jonathan didn't even know he had today off until yesterday!

We go rained on as we headed that way, but all was sunny and clear as we reached the city. We stopped first at Chick-fil-A for lunch

(Yes! I had my peach shake!

) and then went over to the temple.

Attending the temple is so therapeutic. You don't need to have an earth-shattering experience; in fact, those are very rare. Mainly, I come out of the temple reset...like all of my nerves are back in place and soothed and all is well with my soul. If I could attend more often, I'm sure my anxiety would be much less.

Saturday, August 12, 2017
It was raining as I left the house for work. You'd think I'd leave the house with a jacket. Nope. It's a moist sauna outside. Not jacket weather.

I have a bunch of large prints books on my cart today. But I didn't get a lot done.  My boss came in today with my laptop and to tell me about some stuff I may need to take care of while she's off of work next week. She taught me how to receive book orders. I won't be in until Tuesday, and orders usually come in on Monday, so we'll see what shows up and if I can take care of it!

Sunday, August 13, 2017
Nice meeting today. We had ward conference, which means we had visitors from the stake and some of them spoke. The bishop spoke about families, covenants, and ordinances. He had some great points about planning for your family for the next covenant they will make. The stake patriarch bore his testimony and the stake president spoke. All great.

This afternoon at home...oh, boy. I did my first video message via email to my students-to-be. They say check your ego at the door when you teach Seminary. Too easy with this one. I do not like having my picture taken and doing video is even worse! But I'm supposed to do it regularly - no just for the weekly video conference lesson, but during discussions, assignments, etc. I'm to be as available and physically visible as I can. All it does for my ego is tell me to lose weight!

Still, it's getting exciting, figuring this stuff out. Probably the most difficult thing I face is the three-stake situation. I not only don't know the kids and rub elbows with them on a regular basis, I don't know their parents, and their bishops. See, we're all supposed to work together. This will definitely be challenging for me.

CRAZY FOLLOWS ME AROUND

APOLOGIES to my Aunt Nilas...go to Wednesday and I promise to reveal...

Monday, July 31, 2017

I was up at 6:30 this morning, a little earlier each week. It gave me more time to get things done...or at least started.

Ken and our angel Cousin were out working on the windows early again today. Jonathan's window caused them the most trouble. I think they finally got things wrapped up by 3:00 p.m. Luckily, today was only in the 80's, so it wasn't too hot, though it was still humid. The sky was overcast and it spit a little off and on.

As I was going to the grocery store, a crazy person was going the wrong way down the parking lot aisle. I stopped, hoping the person would back up. Nope! He kept coming, squeezing past me and narrowly missing my car and the parked cars on the other side. I might have had some special words for him had he hit me. Argh!

Tuesday, August 1, 2017

This morning - before work - I made a large spinach salad (spinach, shaved carrots, slivered almonds, sliced strawberries & poppy seed dressing) and headed toward the church for a funeral for a brother in our ward. He has a large family, so I expected a lot of people to be there. Besides them, there were the ward members and people he's worked with in the Air Force - quite a crowd. He was a good man, struck suddenly toward the end of last year with a hard and fast cancer. The hardest part of the funeral was watching the pain in his children's faces.

I had about thirty minutes between the end of the service and work. My cart has a few more books in it this week from last, but not much. Sigh. I'll have to get creative.

The Weather Channel got it right today. We had rain for a couple of hours this afternoon. Nothing as crazy as Saturday's cloudburst, but enough to make big puddles everywhere!

Wednesday, August 2, 2017

BIG REVEAL: Let the crazy begin! I have a new calling. Yes, I know I'm moving but...IT DOESN'T MATTER! I've been called to the online Seminary teacher for (count 'em) not one...not two...but THREE stakes: Lawton (my current stake), Norman (Chickasha is a part of it), and Oklahoma City South. They tell me it'll be a maximum of twenty students. I'll be spending the next two weeks training to do it and when I get more details on how it works, I'll pass them on. I'm also going to the inservice in Norman this Saturday to pump myself up spiritually. It's the calling that moves with you!

Tonight at work a member of the Norman Stake High Council came with his wife (they were in Altus for a meeting and dinner with a client) to see me and set me apart as the online Seminary teacher. It's so strange and somewhat overwhelming to think of this calling, but being set apart helps to reassure me that I have heavenly help (and heavenly confidence). Which I am going to need!

Thursday, August 3, 2017
The kids were decidedly goofy this morning. Jonathan was practically a stand-up comedian just before I left for work. I wondered what state my house would be in when I returned.

I had a salad for lunch. This pertinent why, you ask? Because about an hour after I got to work I became very ill and spent the next hour in and out of the employee bathroom. My boss wondered if I should go home and as I grew weaker, I almost agreed. After some medicine and a trip to the gas station for Gatorade, things calmed down. But I felt pretty exhausted after.

I got a call from the Chickasha Branch's Seminary teacher/YW President/Branch President's wife. Since we're both headed to the Seminary inservice Saturday in Norman, she suggested we carpool. It's a good idea and we can use the time to get to know each other better. It'd be nice to know someone (besides Ken) as we eventually move there.

Friday, August 4, 2017
My morning started with some personal physical needs (enough said) after which I began the Friday routine: laundry, breakfast, devotional, etc. There's a special women's broadcast from OKC tonight and our RS president asked us to bring treats, so I ran across the street to United and then began assembling and baking my coconut chocolate pecan cookies. Yummy, but quite decadent!

After I taking Jonathan to work, I dropped some of my cookies off to my boss at the library. In part, it's a thank-you since she's helping me clean up my laptop so it's set up for online seminary in two weeks. She was happy to get the goodies, who wouldn't?

The Women's broadcast was from visiting sister General Authorities who'd come to Oklahoma. Analiese and I went and watched it in the comfort of the Altus building's RS room. Sister Marriott, the YW leader, is a particular favorite of mine...a true Southern Belle with a sweet testimony.

Saturday, August 5, 2017
Today was BUSY. I was up at 6:00 a.m. and left the house at 6:30 with Analiese to head toward Norman for a Seminary inservice. We stopped in Chickasha - not to see Ken - but to pick up the Seminary teacher (and YW leader) there. I'd be communicating with her and she suggested we carpool and get to know each other better.

The inservice was uplifting as usual. All of my questions, though, revolved around online classes, so they had to wait until I could corner the secretary or Bro. Sturges and ask them. Two nice notes: I met one of my students-to-be, who was Analiese's Youth Counselor at Norman's Girl's Camp and is absolutely terrific and I met the Chickasha Branch President, who is a supportive, jolly soul.

After the inservice was over, we headed back, stopping in Chickasha to see Ken and have him follow us to Altus. He took me to dinner and then the whole family went to the church for Lance Sayers' wedding open house. His bride is a pretty, sweet, smart redhead and I think they'll be very happy!

Sunday, August 6, 2017
I substitute-taught in Sunday School today. I want to testify that bells and whistles aren't important to teach a good lesson. My laptop, getting it's tune-up from my boss, wasn't available to do any slide shows. I tried to print up some stuff to post on the board so I wouldn't have to write on the chalkboard. But my printer wrote in "stripes" with sections missing. Scrub that. I wrote on the chalkboard, opened up my scriptures, and the Spirit did the rest. That's all the "tech" I needed. The class had lots of comments and testimony. I was grateful, since I didn't have much time during the week to prepare.