NEW FORMAT

I received a couple of comments about last week's blog. Basically, people like the format better. Probably an improvement on the old dry day-by-day thing. So I'm going to do it with thematic paragraphs instead for a bit and see how it goes. Let me know what you think, okay?

Smelly Seminary
So the new carpet was installed in the completed construction area Tuesday. I didn't see it first as much as smell it. The fumes were horrible! I imagine it's from what adhesive they used, but you could even smell it BEFORE you opened the doors! I gagged on it going inside and by the end of Seminary on Wednesday, had a king-sized odor-related headache. Please tell me this whole construction thing is OVER!

Friday's lesson in Seminary was the best ever so far. We were talking about Joseph Smith receiving the gold plates and beginning the work of translation. The Spirit bore such amazing testimony as the need for prophets, the priesthood, and saving ordinances. I always feel so much lighter when I've had a spiritual class; I was floating that day!

Walk Walk Walk
Analiese and I walked every (business) day this week. We walked around the park pond right after Seminary. On Tuesday, we had to share the path with the USAO's mens and womens cross-country athletes. We parted like the Red Sea each time we heard the beat of running feet behind us.

I wonder how the trees will change as the weather gets colder. Which will change colors, and what colors will they have? There are a few evergreens (OK doesn't grow many), but the majority of the trees there will change somehow. I'll miss the green wisteria vines and the wildflowers by the pond's edge this winter. But I won't miss the heat!

We've been busy naming creatures again. To remind me it's a crane, I've named the local crane at the pond Fraser. No, I don't know if it's a boy or girl. Though I told Analiese that if it had a pal - boy, girl or whatever - it would have to be Niles! LOL! There's a large group of ducks that lately have been sprawled over one grassy area grazing like cows. We call them the Quack Pack. We find ways to entertain ourselves.

TB
...is TB is TB is TB. Ken had to go there on Monday and work. I'd planned his birthday dinner for that night (Tuesday was his actual birthday).

B-Day card from his In-Laws

Scary candy dish? (He loves Halloween)

Favorite game from the Family Reunion - so we gifted him one!

Jonathan had a magnet photo made of the two of them!

Dinner got postponed; we ended up having it Wednesday. Thursday, he and Analiese were there by ten and, with Jonathan at Walgreens, I was all alone. Friday I played TB yo-yo, going there after Seminary to get him change; going back around 11 to give him straws stored in our back room; going back at 3 after picking up Jonathan to go get him some MORE change. See what I mean about being a yo-yo?

Etc.
Walmart has been changing around their grocery area and are driving me nuts! Monday, I actually got upset enough with the insanity of their so-called logic made me want to scream! Instead, at one point I exclaimed loudly: "You've got to be kidding me!" Why? The cereal was on the same aisle as the soup! And the granola bars and poptarts were over by the chips and bulk items. Who's screwy idea is that?

I spent several hours on Wednesday making a Black Forest cheesecake for a family at church. I had promised it to them a long time ago but delays - first, they had my cookbook and took a while making a decision and second, I had to find time to do it - put it off until now. I wasn't really thrilled to bake on a 90+ degree day, but I didn't want to put it off any longer. And it looked and smelled great (tasted good, too, I heard later)!

Friday, Analiese and I cleaned up our desk areas. She starts school next week and I had Seminary stuff all over. It needed a good going through.

My area - trust me, it's an improvement!

Analiese's area, ready to go for school (yes, my Seminary binder is TEMPORARILY there!).

Ken's side, where he does TB stuff. Yeah, those are my markers. I'll put them away I promise!

Opened my big mouth in RS Sunday. It was brainstorming - I mean, council - Sunday. We're still learning the ministering ropes, as it were, and they had us talking about ideas of all sorts:

• Getting the YW involved
• Getting to know each other better
• Finding ways to involve less-active sisters
• Helping lonely people with no families at nursing homes
• Etc.

Somehow...I made the suggestion about freezer meal parties. So guess who's in charge of getting that going? Everyone thought it was a great idea. The RS President said she's working on learning to delegate...and she did! My homework is cut out for me as I research what's involved and how we can do it. As Ken says, It serves me right!