Life on a limb

Friday Loose Bloggers Consortium: Perceptions

2012-02-02T14:04:00.000-08:00

As I read the topic for today, I had a flashback to my childhood, and our investigations with perception. In particular, we were interested in "extra sensory perception". My brother "Twist" got an "ESP" game, and we would spend hours trying to develop our extra sensory perception. The game had a tall board that we would stand up in between us as a barrier so that we wouldn't be able to see the clues on the other side of the board. One person would hold a deck of symbol cards, and hold one up at a time, and ask the other person (who was on the other side of the board) to identify which symbol they were holding. We tried so hard to get the right answer! We were all convinced that we had innate ESP abilities, but we just hadn't been able to foster them. lol

In my family there were stories told of family members who seemed to have this "gift". I think this convinced us that we had inherited some abilities, and we were eager to prove them. There was one story about my grandfather, and how he raised up in the middle of the night and shot his gun. The next morning there was discovered a dead mouse on the floor. Another thing he would do was to mentally connect with one of his daughters. He would play a game where he would say to some of the kids, "I can call 'Lete' here without using my mouth." Then he would send her a "mental" message. After a few minutes, she would come innocently in to the house and ask if he had called her. This was not prearranged, and to this day she stands firm that he indeed did have some kind of way of communicating with her mentally.

My youngest brother was only about 2 years old when he asked my mother for his "doggy". She told him she didn't have a dog. He kept insisting. Awhile later she went out to the mail and saw that my brother had gotten a birthday card from my grandparents. On the front was a picture of a dog. Coincidence?

I did notice that my daughter seemed to read my thoughts when she was small. One day I was laying on the couch, and I began to think about the possibility of making homemade pretzels. I had bought some special salt to use, and I was thinking about how nice it would be if I could learn to make them. This sparked a memory in me, and I remembered when my mother one time made homemade graham crackers. She even pricked them with a fork to make them look like the real thing. As I was thinking all this over, my daughter came to me and said, "I want a graham cracker." I hadn't said anything out loud, but she had somehow perceived what I was thinking about.

One last experience that came as quite a surprise to me. I was looking everywhere to find a used "secretary" desk to buy. I spent about a month going to thrift stores and looking at garage sales. I was so intent on this, and felt it would really help me get organized. I thought about this so much during that month! Sometime later, my mother in law came to town, and told me she had brought me a present. It was a secretary desk! What are the odds that she would coincidentally happen to bring this unique and odd item?

I do think there are perception abilities that often go unrecognized. Maybe if we all were a little more sensitive to the thoughts and feelings we have, we would find that we have more perceptive abilities than we know!

Now go and see what kinds of perceptions our consortium members are talking about. :)
Rummuser, Anu, Ashkok, Gaelikka, Grannymar, , Padmum, Magpie11, andAkanksha,Will Knot, Maria the Silver Fox, Anki, Nema Noor Paul Plain Joe, and Rohit
and The Old Fossil

Gender Confusion

2012-02-01T09:00:00.000-08:00

I was listening to Armstrong and Getty on the radio today, and they read part of a handout given to students at an elementary school in San Leandro, California. This handout suggested that everyone should be sensitive to other students, and instead of referring to them as "boys" or "girls", they should refer to each other as "boy, girl, neither, or both". It also suggested that a person should ask the parent of a child which pronoun to use when speaking to the child. Would they prefer their child be called "he", or "she"? Or would they prefer that neither term be used?

This comes on the tail of another article I read about two lesbians who raised their son "gender neutral", and refused to tell anyone for 5 years whether he was a boy or a girl. They also didn't teach him that he had a particular gender, and encouraged him to wear both boy and girl clothing, and play with both boy and girl toys.

I have to say that the handout given to students ENRAGES me! Yes, there are children with gender confusion, but that is a very miniscule percentage of the population! What they are doing by using this wacko indoctrination is causing MORE gender confusion! Let's look at pure biology. Scientists can tell you whether or not you are male or female. I think that if a child questions their gender, they should receive physchological counseling, not reinforcement of their confusion! The LGBT certainly encourages the kind of brainwashing shown in San Leandro's school district.

Think about where this could lead. Are we destined for "unisex" bathrooms in schools in the future? Will they try to eliminate the word "gender" from our vocabulary? Can you imagine the confusion in a child's mind when they are told that they can choose to be a boy, even though all their life they thought of themself as a girl? It's hard enough for children to learn the basics of education, much less to comprehend these wacked out ideas.

I do think they use one term correctly. I think the term "gender confusion" is perfectly used in this situation. I"m sure the children are very confused about what in the heck these people are talking about. I'm sure these children are very confused about how they have girl or boy parts, but are expected to "choose" which gender they will be. Come on people, stop pushing your brainwashing and political agenda on little children, and wake up and realize that gender exists, even if a small portion of the population are confused.

Walk a Mile in My Mocassins

2012-01-31T20:07:00.000-08:00

I got a message from someone on facebook today that was a subtle criticism. This person was suggesting that I make a change in my life. The actual message wasn't critical in the way it was written, but the unspoken message behind it was. This message comes from someone who is probably the most idealistic, and also most judgemental person I know. In some ways her idealism is good because it pushes her to excel in life. But in other ways it isn't good because it causes her to be critical of others who don't measure up to her expectations.

At first I was a little upset by the message. It's so unfair for her to judge me, when she knows nothing about my life, or struggles or challenges in my life. She knows nothing about what I have to do on a daily basis, or the responsibilities I have. This is why being judgemental is so unfair. Like the old Indian saying goes, you can't judge a person until you have walked a mile in their mocassins. In my reply to her, I explained some of the health struggles I've had, as well as some of the current challenges I have, and explained that I won't be able to make the change that she suggested.

As I thought about this later, I almost laughed to myself. I found myself having an imaginary conversation with her. I found myself saying, "If you don't like this about me, I can give you plenty of other things about myself that you will like even less!" My husband even jokingly suggested that I reply with some comment of that sort. lol If this little thing bothers her so much, imagine how sleepless she would be if I could really give her some faults to mull over at night!

I don't know, in a weird sort of way, something about that thought brought me great comfort. lol

To Tell the Truth

2012-01-30T19:16:00.000-08:00

I was put in a very awkward position today. There has been a situation in our neighborhood that everyone was aware of, except the parents of the kids involved. Actually, all of the signs were there, but the parents have been in denial. Their child has told other kids about what is going on, but the parents had no idea. Today the mother came and was talking to me about the situation. I felt that I had to just say out right what is going on. I don't know if she believed me, but I felt that as the mother, she should know. I think sometimes people don't want to know the truth, but in this case, I think it is very important. It's amazing how people make excuses for their children. They want to believe the best of them. I know blood is thicker than water, and so she may be upset at me for painting her child in a not so flattering light. But there just comes a time when you have to see the light, and hear the truth, even if it is uncomfortable. I tried to be non-judgmental, and just lay out the picture as if I were a camera. The funny thing is that I could have said more, but wasn't sure how far I should go. Sometimes people can only take just so much of the truth.

Baby Talk

2012-01-28T16:35:00.000-08:00

I found this video the other day and was amazed by what this woman has discovered about infant communication. I very interested in her theories, so I listened very carefully to her explanations about how babies communicate with us. If you watch this, in particular pay attention to the "whys" of the babies' sounds.
Yesterday I was at the store, and I heard a baby start to fuss. I remembered this video, so I began to listen to see if I could identify what the baby was trying to communicate. Then suddenly I heard the "neh" as clear as day! I think this is amazing information, especially for parents of babies. (or in my case, future grandparents. :)

Seeking Your Fortune

2012-01-27T20:55:00.000-08:00

I had the craving for Wonton soup tonight, so we went to my favorite chinese restaurant here in town. When the bill came, we were also given the traditional fortune cookies. I have to say that I liked these fortunes better than ones we usually get. For one thing, on the back of the fortune they have a chinese word for you to learn. But the actual fortunes were a little more interesting than ones I've gotten before. They weren't really fortunes per say, but interesting thoughts. Tell me what you think:
My husband's: "Cooking is easy. Good taste is hard. That's why you call take out."
Mine: "If I bring forth what is inside me, what I bring forth will save me." (still haven't figured out what this one is trying to say. lol)
My favorite one was my son's. I think it is quite profound!
"Comfort zones are most often expanded through discomfort."

I think if I heard mine in chinese it would make more sense. lol

Friday Loose Bloggers Consortium: Simplicity

2012-01-27T09:40:00.000-08:00

Years ago I heard about a couple who were trying to become "minimalists". They pared down their dishes so that there was just one plate/cup/utensil per person. They even went so far as to type all of their journals in to the computer so that they could get rid of the physical books. ("type...into the computer"....what's the real word for that? lol) They eliminated all extra things in their life. One towel per person. They even got rid of much of their furniture. For them, it was a cleansing exercise.

They were probably looking for a more simple life. They probably wanted to eliminate extra distractions. But frankly, I think they eliminated some of the "spice" of life. For example, for me the handwriting in the personal journal is worth as much as what was actually written. By destroying that part of the record, they took away some of the personalization. And yes, I only need one bowl, but I enjoy having different colors and patterns from which to choose to eat from in the morning. There is something to be said for simplicity, but I wouldn't want a simple life if I have to give up creativity and variation.

I think living "simply" means much more than just getting rid of stuff. I think it has to do with lowering too idealistic of expectations. Yes, we only live this life once, but that doesn't mean that we have to own our most ideal sports car. We can buy a used vehicle, and it can provide as much use as an expensive one. We don't have to buy expensive brand name clothing to be happy. And maybe I'm lazy, but I like having enough clothes so that if I am behind on doing laundry I don't have to go naked. :P

When I read this topic, I immediately thought of the old Shaker hymn, "Simple Gifts". Perhaps simplicity is best put in to practice when it comes to our personalities!

'Tis the gift to be simple,
'tis the gift to be free,
'tis the gift to come down where you ought to be,
And when we find ourselves in the place just right,
It will be in the valley of love and delight.

Refrain:
When true simplicity is gained,
To bow and to bend we shan't be ashamed.
To turn, turn will be our delight,
'Til by turning, turning we come round right

'Tis the gift to be loved and that love to return,
'Tis the gift to be taught and a richer gift to learn,
And when we expect of others what we try to live each day,
Then we'll all live together and we'll all learn to say,

Refrain:

'Tis the gift to have friends and a true friend to be,
'Tis the gift to think of others not to only think of "me",
And when we hear what others really think and really feel,
Then we'll all live together with a love that is real.

Refrain:

Tis the gift to be loving, tis the best gift of all

Like a quiet rain it blesses where it falls

And with it we will truly believe

Tis better to give than it is to receive

Refrain:

Now go and see what the other consortium members have to say about simplicity!

Rummuser, Anu, Ashkok, Gaelikka, Grannymar, , Padmum, Magpie11, andAkanksha,Will Knot, Maria the Silver Fox, Anki, Nema Noor Paul Plain Joe, and Rohit

Gong Xi Fa Tsai

2012-01-23T20:46:00.000-08:00

Happy chinese new year! I hope it will be happy and prosperous for you. I don't necessarily equate "prosperous" with money though. You can prosper in many ways and never earn a penny. And you can also be very happy and never earn a penny. But in this case, I hope you prosper both financially, and in other ways. :)

We went to have "hot pot" with some chinese friends of ours tonight. They are from Sz Chuan, so like spicy food. They used a pot that is divided so that you can have both spicy, and non-spicy broth to cook the food. I liked the spicy side, but they said it wasn't spicy enough. It was very good food though! One of the things they like to eat on new year's is a steamed fish. We did eat some tonight. Another thing they traditionally eat in their province is meat dumplings. So we also had some dumplings tonight too. I was reminded of how I learned to make them.

When I was a missionary in Taiwan, my companion and I had new year's dinner with a family we had been teaching. This family was somewhat wealthy, and had a servant that came to cook for them. He was making dumplings while we were there. I went over and asked him how to make them. He began to show me, and took great care to teach me how to make them so that they were shaped like ancient chinese money. I know there are many ways to make them, but I prefer this way because they stand up nicely, and because they do look like ancient chinese money. I have fond memories of him taking the time to teach a young skinny American girl. I was making dumplings the other night and I thought of him. It occurred to me that he is probably dead now. He was old then, and it has been 30 years. Part of me wished that he could peek in from the spirit world and see that I am still making dumplings the way he taught me. :)

The other night we had the missionaries who are serving our congregation over for dinner. One of them is from Thailand, and the other is from Japan. Neither of them celebrates the lunar new year festival, but we thought they would appreciate eating Asian food, so we made Chinese food to celebrate chinese new year. I think they did appreciate it, and I'm sure it was nice to eat Asian food instead of the normal heavy American food they are usually fed. It always makes me laugh that the Thai missionary, when he goes to other people's houses to eat, asks if they have any hot sauce. We made sure to give him plenty of spicy food when he was here.

Happy new year to you all!

Pet Pickle

2012-01-21T20:06:00.000-08:00

I know a woman who has a dog, but can't really afford to take care of it, and doesn't have the health to give it proper attention. I inquired about the "ARF" program in our area that provides free dog food for dogs of low income families. But one of their requirements is that the dog must be spayed or neutered. This woman's dog isn't spayed, so she doesn't qualify for the free food, and she can't afford to have the dog spayed. Her health situation is very precarious, and she could die any day. She wants to find a home for this dog, but doesn't know how to go about it. She also doesn't want it to go to the pound. My understanding is that most rescues are full, and it's difficult to find one that will take another dog. Even the rescues for purebred dogs are full. This is really a difficult situation.

This dog looks like a doberman/ german shepherd mix. She is on the smaller side, and probably only weighs about 50/60 pounds. But she has been kept outside all the time, and hasn't been socialized properly. She also isn't house broken. She is a very sweet dog, and also a good watch dog. She is only about 3 or 4 years old. I think she could adapt to a new home, but it would have to be a home that would know how to train her.

This is a really difficult situation because I would hate for this dog to be taken to the pound and euthanized. It's not her fault that her owner chose unwisely when deciding to get a pet. I sure wish I knew what to do to find this dog a home. Do any of you that are in the Bay area have any ideas?

Nerves of Steel

2012-01-20T19:33:00.001-08:00

Finally my 3rd child has decided to get his driver's license. He just hasn't been interested up until now. We went this morning to the DMV so that he could take the test. He passed, so we let him drive us. I do think it was stressful for him because BOTH parents were in the car giving suggestions. But his stress can't have been any greater than MINE! I told him that there will probably be a worn spot on the passenger side carpet, right where the break SHOULD be! I find myself "breaking" almost the whole time he is driving. lol

Usually I'm pretty easy going about student drivers. I really think that being calm helps them to drive more safely. I try to give calm positive directions. But I have to admit that when my son was careening around a corner at twice the speed he should have been, I found myself yelling, "Slow down!" lol I do think things will go better when there is only one parent in the car. We tend to feed off each other's stress and fear. lol Poor kid, no wonder he waited so long to get his license...

Friday Loose Bloggers Consortium: The Joy of Giving

2012-01-19T15:22:00.000-08:00

I remember when I was a little girl, and would dream about what I would get for Christmas. For many years, the way I would get myself to sleep on Christmas eve was to think about what it would be like if, by some miracle, my parents actually got me a horse! :) Frankly, I didn't know anything about caring for one, but I thought it would be the best gift in the world. I imagined myself riding it to school, and tying it up outside my classroom window. I didn't think about owning a horse the rest of the year, but every Christmas eve, that was what I liked to think about as I was trying to get my anxious self to sleep. I could hardly wait until Christmas morning to see what kind of presents I would get. We weren't a rich family, so I didn't get a huge number of gifts like kids today get. But I appreciated what I got, and looked very forward to that special day each year.

As I grew older and had children of my own, I gained new focus. No longer was I concerned about what I would get, but about the reaction of my family members when they saw the gifts I had gotten for them. Sometimes, if hard pressed, I can think of things I might like to get as a gift. But Christmas no longer has that meaning for me. I confess I would feel sorry for myself if I didn't get a gift at all, but I don't really care that much about the gift side of Christmas as far as I am concerned. The joy in Christmas for me is the giving.

I think people have to be careful with giving though. I do think that if we are not careful, giving can be a way to feel powerful. I have a friend who is not well off financially, but who always feels that they should provide Christmas for those less fortunate. But they do so irresponsibly, and end up in debt, or later without sufficient money to pay bills. They like the feeling of being able to provide gifts for someone else, but realistically aren't in a position to do so. It's a fine line to walk, because we all should be thinking of ways to help other people. But we must examine our motives carefully and make sure that "power" isn't part of those motives. The "joy" we get from giving should be pure, and untainted by feelings of power or superiority.

I do think that most of us could give more than we do. There are many people around us who would like nothing more than a gift of some of our time, or our listening ear. There are others who could use some of the discarded things lying about our house. Giving really does bring us joy, so why don't we make more of an effort to give more, at non-holiday times? Maybe the answer lies in discovering the true joy of giving.

Now discover the joy of reading what our other consortium members have to say about this subject: Rummuser, Anu, Ashkok, Gaelikka, Grannymar, , Padmum, Magpie11, andAkanksha,Will Knot, Maria the Silver Fox, Anki, Nema Noor Paul Plain Joe, and Rohit

Friday Loose Bloggers Consortium: Rediscovery

2012-01-13T09:00:00.000-08:00

Once again, another difficult topic for me. :) At first thought, my mind is going in two different directions with this. The first direction is about how we rediscover things that we have loved, and subsequently forgotten. In particular, I am thinking of hobbies and interests. It does seem that sometimes our lives get so busy that we let things we enjoy go by the wayside. We stop pursuing an interest because other more demanding things take over our time. I think this has been happening to me a lot lately because of my current church position. I have far less free time than I have had in the past. But maybe that encroachment on my free time has made me think more carefully about how I spend the little time that I have. Recently I have been getting back to the interests that I love, and have rediscovered how enjoying they can be. There is still one interest that I haven't been able to get back to, and that is photography. I love to go for walks at the nearby regional park, and take pictures as I walk. If I just go walking for exercise, I get tired easily, and don't want to go very far. But if I have my camera, I forget that I am exercising, and I am totally intent on taking pictures. I can walk for miles without noticing fatigue. That is one interest that I need to rediscover.

My other thought with this topic has to do with years gone by. "Vintage" is very popular among the younger generations. They are learning to appreciate the styles and designs that I grew up with. They are discovering for themselves what we enjoyed in our youth. They are also learning to appreciate the television shows that we enjoyed. It's fun to see them discover things that we loved when we were young.

Hmm..I wonder what the other consortium members had to say about this topic. Here are some links if you would like to see for yourself. :)
Rummuser, Anu, Ashkok, Gaelikka, Grannymar, Conrad, Padmum, Magpie11, andAkanksha,Will Knot, Maria the Silver Fox, Anki, Nema Noor Paul Plain Joe, and Rohit

The Most Fun Job

2012-01-11T12:34:00.001-08:00

My son got his wisdom teeth out today, and I think the most fun job would be to be one of the nurses that cares for the patients after surgery. I think they feel obligated to keep a professional demeanor, and not laugh, but I could tell it was hard for them to supress the laughter when they were listening to my son. :) Even the doctor smiled, but didn't allow himself to laugh out loud. But I could tell it was an effort. lol

My son couldn't stop talking while he was recovering. At one point the doctor told me that if he kept talking, his jaws were going to be sore later. I tried to convince my son to be quiet, but he couldn't control his talking. He kept trying to use sign language to communicate with me, but he would talk as he signed. lol He didn't lose his own sense of humor through it because he was even making puns. At one point he said to the doctor, "You look sharp. ...Get it?" The doctor, was quick, and realized the reference to the needles he had used. He replied, "Good point." (I know, the puns are lame, but that's what you get with a drugged up kid. lol) It's amazing how well the doctor could understand what he was saying. My son's mouth was full of gauze, and numb from anesthesia, and he couldn't speak very well, but the doctor seemed to understand every word.

Whenever the nurses would come by, my son would try to get their attention by saying, "Hey pretty lady!". One time the nurse was standing explaining post-op procedures to me when my son called out to her. She didn't reply because she was talking to me. So he reached out his stocking covered foot to poke her. lol

The funniest thing that happened was when the nurse said she was going to take out the I.V. My son has a little bit of a needle phobia. He said, "Needle!!!" She said, "No, there isn't a needle, just a catheter." She then started to take off the tape, and said, "This is the worst part." But as she was talking, I noticed my son holding his crotch. I said, "Do you need to go to the bathroom?" In his mumbled, gauze filled mouth garble he answered, "No, the catheter!" I said, "She isn't going to put one in, she is taking one out!" LOL

My son asked me to video this for him. But I don't know how to upload it to this computer, so I might have to wait until he can help me. I have one more kid that will probably need this procedure. I can hardly wait. :D

Kids...

2012-01-09T19:27:00.001-08:00

I went in to the downstairs bathroom and saw that the toilet paper roll was empty. In it's place was a roll of packing tape, hanging from the toilet paper holder. On the floor nearby was a note scrawled on a piece of toilet paper that said, "How desperate are you?"

My kids...

Wall of Fame

2012-01-06T20:02:00.001-08:00

I confess that I didn't send out Christmas cards this year. I actually haven't for several years. It just seems like so much has been happening those weeks before Christmas that I'm lucky to get presents bought. I used to send cards out faithfully every year. I really wanted to this year, but just couldn't swing it. But I have enjoyed getting them, and especially the pictures! I love the pictures the most!

We have this closet that is under our stairs. Some might call it a "Harry Potter" cupboard, but we call it the "mouse closet". We have put in shelving in there to hold food storage. Years ago we began to get mice in there. We got a cat, and the mice left. But we kept calling it the mouse closet. I tape the pictures on this door, and I usually leave them there a long time! I love seeing these pictures as I walk by.

I saw a craft blog one time that showed a kitchen makeover. On one wall of the kitchen, instead of wall paper, they covered the wall with pictures. Maybe that's what I should do! I don't know if I ever will, but for now I'm really enjoying my wall of fame. :)

(Oh, and I got a few more since this photo!)

Friday Loose Bloggers Consortium: Birds of the Air

2012-01-06T08:53:00.000-08:00

I find it interesting that today's topic, "Birds of the air", comes to us from "Magpie". :) I have included a lot of links in this post, so I hope you will check them out.

I love birds, although I've never owned one as a pet. My neighbor raises canaries, and I have often "chick-sat" for her when there were babies in the nests. This involved giving them special food, which included egg, and fresh vegetables and fruit. I always loved giving them these special treats, and felt the mothers, in particular, really deserved them.

One year I had baby morning doves nesting on my front porch. They were so cute! Morning dove babies are very quiet in the nest and never make a sound. But they would sit at the edge of the nest looking curiously down at us when we came out the front door. Once we got our cat, the doves wisely quit nesting there.

Some years ago I went to a national park, and browsed around in their gift shop. I bought a coloring book of wild birds. I decided that I would only color in the birds that I saw in person. The coloring book kind of went by the wayside, but I have been privileged to see many birds over the years. Living near the coast, I have been able to see many beautiful coastal birds. This post shows some of my photos of birds I have seen. I love to take pictures of them! Oh, and how about this fellow! And one last look at what I've been looking at. :)

For amusement sake, click here to read a post that my children posted in my behalf on my photo blog. :S

I hope you have enjoyed the birds from my neck of the woods. If you would like to read what the other consortium members have to say about birds, please follow their links.

Rummuser, Anu, Ashkok, Gaelikka, Grannymar, Conrad, Padmum, Magpie11, and Akanksha,Will Knot, Maria the Silver Fox, Anki, Nema Noor Paul Plain Joe, and Rohit

People Need to Think

2012-01-04T09:02:00.000-08:00

I have heard a couple of news stories in the past day or so that make me wonder if people are thinking about the consequences of their actions. The first was in a news story about a bridal shop that was going out of business, so had their employees spray paint all of the dresses. I know they were probably upset that they were going out of business, but why destroy the merchandise? I would think they would be more willing to sell them for $50 each, or donate them to charity instead of destroy them. The selfishness of people never ceases to astound me.

The second story I heard about on the radio this morning. Imagine that you are a Walmart employee in North Carolina. Now imagine that a man comes in and tries to pay for his merchandise with a $1,000,000 bill. lol Check out that story here. Did he really think that they would believe he had a real bill? Do they even print $1,000,000 bills?? Did he really think he wouldn't get caught? Dumb is skin deep, but stupid goes clear to the bone. Wow.

Speaking in Tongues

2012-01-03T16:38:00.000-08:00

A few minutes ago I got a telephone call from someone who asked for me. When I told her it was me, she started speaking to me in spanish. I began to suspect that she might be calling from El Salvador, my son's mission. I asked her where she was calling from, and she said San Miguel, which is a place where my son has lived. She started talking to me like I was a native speaker!

I took 4 years of high school spanish, but I don't really speak very well. I can understand more than I can speak, but her accent was so thick that I couldn't understand what she was saying! I kept telling her, over and over, that my spanish isn't very good, and that I don't understand very much. Then she would start rambling something again, and again I would tell her I didn't understand. Wow it was frustrating!

She mentioned my son's name several times; I understood that much. I tried to come up with something to say to her, but as I was searching my brain for the words, the phone cut out. My biggest problem was that amidst the spanish words floating in my brain were a whole flood of chinese ones. I could easily think of the words in chinese, but couldn't pull out the spanish ones. I wish I had been coherent enough to run to the computer and pull up "babelfish". Instead, I just sat there and babbled in broken spanish.

So now I'm wondering if there was something in particular that she wanted to tell me, or if she was just being friendly since she knows my son. I also know some people here in my city, who go to our church, who are from El Salvador. I wonder if she got in contact with me through them. There was one girl whose family let my son "skype" at their house on Christmas day. She appears in one of the screen captures I took. I'm wondering if it could be her. Dang, where is that "gift of tongues" when you need it? ;)

New Year's Resolution: 2012

2011-12-31T16:20:00.001-08:00

This year I only have one new year resolution. I'm sure that I could come up with a whole list of things I should be doing, but I find that it's difficult for me to focus on more than one thing at a time. This resolution really will take one year to complete. I have vowed to do a better job of remembering birthdays. I used to send out cards to all my nieces and nephews, and in-laws, as well as my brothers, sisters, parents etc. But through the years I've been so busy and distracted with other things that I have let most of those slide, and have even slipped on sending cards to my brothers and sisters in-law. This year I addressed a card to one of my brothers, then never found my address book to write the address on it. Time slipped by, and I never sent it. Then it was time for the next brother's birthday, and the same thing happened! Then my third brother's birthday came and went with the same result. I think that's the only time I have missed sending them a card for their birthday. So this year I vow to do better, and to include my brothers and sisters in law. I probably won't push it and include nieces and nephews, but if I can just get these others sent I will feel like I've accomplished something.

What's your resolution?

Sewing

2011-12-30T09:00:00.000-08:00

I was reading another blog that inspired this post about sewing. When I was a girl, my mother sewed most of my clothes. I got some hand-me-downs, but I can only remember getting one store bought piece of clothing. We had gone to visit my sister Nene, and I had forgotten to pack a dress for church. So my parents took me to the store to buy one. Aside from that, most of my clothes were sewn. It wasn't until I was a teenager that I began to get store bought clothes. My father worked for a women's clothing chain, and would occasionally bring home something that he had found on a good sale. But I never actually was involved in the process of picking them out. But I digress.... :)

I remember that my mother also sewed quilts and other items. She had her sewing machine set up in our family room, and seemed to always be working on something. In addition, when I was a little girl, she taught me how to sew by hand. I mainly sewed doll clothes with my friends. We had contests to see who could make the best "Barbie" clothes. Years later, when I was in a church position working with young girls, I was shocked to find out that none of them had ever sewn before, and didn't even know how to thread a needle! It was a big part of my growing up years, so I felt sad that they didn't have this same joy in their lives.

When I was in 9th grade I took a "homemaking" class at school. They taught us to sew, and we made an apron, and two dresses. I still have one of the dresses that was an apron dress. I use it as an apron now though. My mother has the other apron that she uses when cutting hair. :) In addition, we were required in our class to come up with an individual project. My Aunt R. had given me some quilt blocks that she had painted. They were different flowers with faces painted in them. I decided that for my individual project I would quilt this quilt. My mother helped me some. I quilted all of the flowers, and she helped quilt some heart designs in the plain quilt blocks. But alas, I didn't know how to bind the quilt, so never did that. My teacher gave me an A- for not finishing the quilt. I felt a little cheated because I had done much more work than the other girls in my class!

Even though this post is about sewing, I have to frankly admit that I am not a good seamstress, and I don't make my own clothes now. I did make some of my dresses as a teenager, particularly "prom" type dresses. But I don't seem to have the time to sew my own clothes, and because I'm not a very good seamstress, they never quite turn out the way I would like. But I do sew other things like costumes. I actually really love to sew costumes, but I don't like to use a pattern. I like to come up with my own pattern for most costumes. I think in another life I would be a costume designer for plays. :)

When my daughter was young I taught her how to sew by hand. Then when she was in high school, we told her that we would give her a special "bonus" if she got straight A's. When she did get straight A's, we bought her a sewing machine. I think at first she wasn't thrilled with the gift. I'm sure she hoped for something more "cool". But through the years she has developed a love for sewing, and has made many of her own clothes.

Today I don't use my sewing machine so much for clothing, but for other projects. I'm still not a very good seamstress, but I'm able to do what I want to do. I do think it is a dying art. Today's fabric is so expensive that it is cheaper to buy clothing than to make them. But I hope that I can pass this ability on to my grandchildren. Even my brother learned how to sew when he was a teenager, and made a shirt for himself. Sadly, it was a corduroy shirt, and he didn't know that you have to cut the fabric carefully. The grain of the fabric ( the lines of the corduroy) went vertically on the front of the shirt, and horizontally on the sleeves. lol But he was proud of his finished project. :) I think everyone should learn how to sew!

Friday Loose Bloggers Consortium: Ideas

2011-12-29T20:31:00.000-08:00

This incredibly difficult topic was chosen by Will Knott. He will be punished. ;) jk

I've been thinking a little bit lately about how we get certain ideas in our head that may not actually be right, or true. For example, my mother's answer for every ailment is either to drink more water, or eat less sugar. While those two things do have health benefits, and do help in certain situations, they are not the cure-all for every disease. But she has those two ideas plastered on the inside of her brain, so will always give that advice.

Many Chinese have certain ideas and traditions about keeping the body temperature even. When I lived in China, I saw many people wearing several layers of clothing so that they wouldn't "catch cold". After a woman gives birth, they don't want her to drink any cold liquid, or to even bathe for a month. But I read about a study a few years ago that sort of tested this idea. They took some students in England and had them strip down to their underwear, and had them stand out in the snow and cold. While they did get very cold, none of them actually caught a cold or other illness. Someone recently told me that while he was at his home in Thailand, he went outside without his umbrella and got rained on. Then he caught a cold. He is sure that the rain is what made him sick. But colds are caused by bacteria, not cold weather. But we all have certain ideas like this that we latch on to, and firmly believe, even though they may not have a root in reality.

I'm sorry to say that some of these kinds of rigid ideas come with old age. I know that the older I get, the more determined I am that things should be done a certain way. I freely admit that I'm just being obsessive, and that there might be a better way, but I still stand firm in my ideas. Come on, you know you do it too. ;) I like to think that I am open minded, but when it really comes down to it, I am not that open to ideas that veer drastically from my own. Some of these ideas are influenced by the culture I experienced growing up. Some are definitely influenced by my religion. I think we all have these kinds of rigid ideas to one degree or another. Having strong ideas and opinions is what gives us the faith to follow through with our beliefs! It's like the old saying, "You have to stand for something or you will fall for anything."

You may not agree with what I've written about ideas. You may think I'm really out on a limb with this. But there my ideas and I'm sticking with them!! (..pounds fist...) ;)

Now go see what the other members were able to come up with in response to Will Knott's challenging topic.

Rummuser, Anu, Ashkok, Gaelikka, Grannymar, Conrad, Padmum, Magpie11, and Akanksha,Will Knot, Maria the Silver Fox, Anki, Nema Noor Paul Plain Joe, and Rohit

25 Years = 1/4 of a Century, and Half Our Lives

2011-12-28T21:00:00.000-08:00

Yesterday we celebrated our 25th wedding anniversary. We are both 50, so have been married half our lives! We decided to do something special to celebrate, so went away for a day.

We decided to drive up to Mendocino/ Ft. Bragg. We had a nice time, but we both decided that neither of us would ever want to live there. We like the weather, and being by the ocean, but it's kind of a hippie community, and it's not really our thing. But it was nice to celebrate there.

The only thing I regret about this trip is that I forgot my camera battery charger, and also the SD card, so I didn't get any pictures. I should have double checked everything, but I let my husband gather the camera things, and he didn't know what to get. We saw some beautiful ocean-scapes, with waves crashing high up against the cliffs. Surprisingly, the only wild life I saw on this trip was one lone deer. I did see some very cute domesticated burros though, as well as some farm raised llamas. :)

We were going to stay up there one more night, but couldn't find a motel we liked, so just drove home. Our own bed is more comfortable, and we get better channels on our tv. :)

If I had it all to do over again, I would marry my husband again because I picked the right one for me! Here's to the next 25. Of course I expect more than that, but I'll take it one chunk at a time. :)

Ban the Grocery Store Sprinklers!

2011-12-27T14:49:00.000-08:00

I've been thinking about how grocery stores have automatic sprinklers that spray the vegetables. I am convinced this is a tool to make more money for them! There are so many vegetables that I buy that spoil quickly because of the moisture sprayed on them by the grocery store sprinklers. A good example of this is cilantro. How long does cilantro last in your refrigerator? It only lasts a few days in mine before it starts to spoil. Recently I went to an Asian grocery store and bought cilantro. They don't have the sprinkler system in their stores. That cilantro lasted over a week! Some other vegetables ruined by water are bell peppers and cucumbers. There may be some vegetables that are kept fresher by the water, but I think overall it is a subtle way of making you have to come back and buy more!

Crouching Missionary, Hidden Companion

2011-12-26T22:11:00.000-08:00

My daughter's mission had an outing to Sun Moon Lake for Christmas. Don't these pictures remind you of "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon"? :) So cool!

My Next Great Christmas Present

2011-12-25T16:41:00.001-08:00

What about Skype makes people want to make faces? lol I looked through all the screen captures I did, and couldn't find many normal looking ones. lol But it was GREAT to hear from my son today!! (The girl in the one picture is one of the family members of some church members that allowed the missionaries to come skype at their house.)

My First Christmas Present

2011-12-24T22:14:00.000-08:00

My daughter "skype"-ed us for Christmas tonight. It wasn't until she started making funny faces that I remembered how to do a screen capture. hee hee. She was puckering up for the cat, but he wasn't interested. It was fun to talk with her. I hope everything goes well so we can talk with my son tomorrow afternoon.

Mission Carols

2011-12-23T20:10:00.003-08:00

My daughter's mission made this video of them singing. I wish I could see her in it! lol

Mayan Ruins in the U.S.

2011-12-23T12:50:00.000-08:00

A Mayan city found under the ground in Georgia? These are the kinds of reports we Mormons love best! This goes right along with what we believe about the Book of Mormon. Click on the link to read the article.

Amateur Morticians

2011-12-23T07:59:00.000-08:00

Conrad's most recent post about his relative's dealings with a mortician brought back a memory to me. I thought I had written about this, but couldn't find it in a search. So forgive me if I am repeating myself.

Some years ago I was the Relief Society president at church (the same position I currently hold), and as such was responsible for seeing that women who died were dressed in special temple clothing before they were buried. A woman in our Ward died, and so I asked a group of women to come help me dress her. We drove to San Francisco to a mortuary that was featured in a television show called "Mortician school". (I hope I remembered that name correctly.) I had never before touched a dead body, but I had mentally prepared myself for the task.

There were many things that surprised me about the experience. First of all, I was surprised at the heaviness of the body. There's a reason we use the term "dead weight". Even a simple limb like an arm is much heavier when there is no life in the person. Another thing that surprised me was the coldness of the body. They keep the body refrigerated to preserve it, and without a beating heart, things cool off very quickly. I also was surprised to see that the body was swollen from the embalming fluids. We had difficult getting the clothes on because this very skinny woman was no longer skinny! The last thing that was surprising was the condition of the body. The skin was already starting to break down, and there was some seepage of embalming fluid. We just kept a box of tissues handy, and wore rubber gloves. The mortician told us that it was a marginal situation, and that if we were even a day later he wouldn't have allowed us to dress her. It's a good thing we went when we did, and that we had great fortitude. lol

At some point in our task, one of the women with me noticed that this dead woman's hair and makeup hadn't been done. We asked the mortician about it, and he said he hadn't received any orders to do hair and makeup. Being naive, we assumed that no one was planning to do it. We didn't know that the mortuary in our home town had already planned to do it! Oops. The woman who asked, volunteered to do it herself. The mortician brought out a curling iron and makeup, and we went to work. I curled her hair while the other woman did her makeup. It seemed such a natural thing to do. As that woman was doing the makeup, she was so comfortable with the job, and did such a good job that the mortician asked her if she would like a permanent position! Her reply was no, that she was the "glue" that holds her family together, and couldn't give up the time. When we finished with the task, she looked very nice. In fact, she looked nicer than she ever did in life.

What we didn't know is that we had created two problems. First of all, morticians usually look at a picture of the person when doing the makeup. They want to recreate the look that the person had while they were alive. This woman always wore tacky blue eye makeup that did not do her justice. My friend had given her more suitable colors. When her family saw her in the viewing, some of them sadly commented, "It doesn't look anything like her." Oops....

The other problem we created was that in the dark mortuary, my friend had applied just a tad too much blush. When we saw her in our church, I could see that it was really too much blush, but at that point there is nothing you can do about it. If you try to wipe it off, you risk tearing the already fragile skin. Suddenly I had an idea. In that particular room there are rows of lights on the ceiling. I simply turned off the lights that were directly above her. It was still light enough to see her, but the heavy blush no longer showed. hee hee...

Even though I was comfortable with the experience, and wasn't troubled by touching a dead body, I still hope that I don't have to do it again. But being the current Relief Society president, it is always a possibility that a woman in our congregation will die. I think I need to redouble my efforts in praying for their good health! :)

Friday Loose Bloggers Consortium: Hospitals or Doctors

2011-12-22T20:26:00.000-08:00

Today's subject is only too fresh for me, having had some surgery this year. I had an interesting reaction to my upcoming surgery though. I was so worried about how the recovery would be. I was concerned about how long it would take, and how much pain I would experience.

I tried to plan ahead so that we could be as independent as possible following my surgery. First I made 2 weeks worth of meals and put them in the freezer. I also planned for every conceivable thing that might come up. I was as prepared as I could be, but I was still nervous about those post-surgery weeks. I had surgeries in the past, and recovery wasn't fun. I am allergic to many of the common pain medications, so I knew that things could be tough when trying to manage pain. I was a little nervous to be sure.

On the day of the surgery, as I was waiting in pre-op, a nurse came in and asked if I would like a sedative. At first I didn't understand why she was asking. She had to explain to me that many patients get nervous before surgery, and need a sedative to calm them down. I almost laughed at the thought. I had total confidence in my surgeon, and wasn't concerned at all. Later, after the surgery was over, it occurred to me that the reason I wasn't nervous about the surgery was because I was focused completely on the recovery! I was more nervous about how I would feel after surgery, that I didn't even think about being nervous during it. It just goes to show that it's all in the mind.

I actually had a very nice hospital stay. My nurses were very nice, and I had a lot of visitors. But it wasn't until I was put in a wheelchair to go home, and came out in to the fresh air that I realized what I had been missing! Even though it was a little cool outside, I rolled down my window in the car and sat enjoying breathing in the fresh air. As nice as the hospital was, and even though they met all my needs, they can't give you fresh air and sunshine! But I'm grateful for the care I received.

Now go and see what the other Consortium members have to say about hospitals and doctors! :)

Rummuser, Anu, Ashkok, Gaelikka, Grannymar, Conrad, Padmum, Magpie11, and Akanksha,Will Knot, Maria the Silver Fox, Anki, Nema Noor Paul Plain Joe, and Rohit

Skype: My New Friend

2011-12-20T20:27:00.000-08:00

I've used skype in the past, but only a couple of times. My son and daughter are both going to call us using Skype on Christmas day. Now I'm wondering why I haven't been using Skype more all these years! I have to admit that it is probably more time consuming than a regular phone call, but it is more fun! The nice part is that you can show each other things, or make faces or something. And the best part is that it's free! Why haven't I done this more often? Maybe when my kids get home I will use skype more to communicate with them when they are away from home. As missionaries they have rules about when they can call home, and Christmas is one of those times. I really hope we can do a video chat with them! Tonight I tested it out with my brother "Twist". It was fun to see him and his wife. Ah, the joys of modern technology.

Simple Gifts

2011-12-16T10:01:00.001-08:00

I was reading another blog, and it reminded me of some simple, but wonderful gifts my mother gave to me. Once when I was about 5, my mother made me a new dress. But she also made an identical one for my doll! I remember thinking, even at that young age, how cool that was! Then when I was older, she made me a fake mink stole. It was made out of fake fur, with a silky matching lining. It's actually kind of funny because the fake fur was in a checkered pattern. lol But what made it so cool was that she made a matching one for my Barbie doll! I played and played with that fake mink stole!

Another gift she made for me was a giant Raggedy Ann doll. I would say it was close to 3 feet tall. She also made one for my good friend, and we played with them together often!

I was remembering that my Aunt R. made a sleeping bag for her daughter. It was more like a "slumber bag" that would only be warm enough for inside the house. But what made it cool was that she appliqued a doll body on the top of the bag, and made the pillow look like a doll's head, with yarn fringe for hair. When my cousin laid in it, she looked like she was the doll! I thought that was the coolest thing ever. You can't buy that kind of thing in the store. So many people worry about buying the perfect toy for their kids for Christmas. But some of my favorite gifts were those my mother hand made!

Friday Loose Bloggers Consortium: Act

2011-12-15T21:00:00.000-08:00

My family always gives me a hard time for getting involved in helping strangers. So for this post, let me give you some situations, and see how you would act.

1. You are driving down the street and see an empty car with its lights on, parked in front of a house. How do you react?

2. You are walking through the store and see a child trying to climb out of a grocery cart, but their mother is no where to be seen. How do you react?

3. You see a stray dog walking down the street. (assuming that there is a leash law where you live) How do you react?

4. You see two people in the parking lot arguing with each other. They look like they might get in a fight. How do you react?

5. You see someone in a store that appears to be shoplifting. How do you react?

Each of these situations happened to me, and I did react. I'm interested to know how you react in like situations. I do believe that it is our responsibility to look out for our fellowmen. If we see someone in need, we should take the time to respond. We never know if we might find ourselves on the other side of the situation, and in great need. I encourage you to take each opportunity to help other. Take time to ACT!

Now go see what the other consortium members wrote about this subject:

Rummuser, Anu, Ashkok, Gaelikka, Grannymar, Conrad, Padmum, Magpie11, and Akanksha,Will Knot, Maria the Silver Fox, Anki, Nema Noor Paul Plain Joe, and Rohit

The Spirit of Giving

2011-12-14T20:39:00.000-08:00

In my position as Relief Society president, I am responsible for overseeing the Christmas "Giving Tree" activity. In the past, we have set up a small Christmas tree at church, and we hung our "wish list" on the branches. For example, one of the "ornaments" would have written on it, "Size 14 women's blouse", or "gift for a 5 year old". The members of the church would take one of the tags and go and buy the desired gift. They would return it to the Relief Society president, who would then deliver the gifts to the needy families. This year we decided to change it up a bit.

As I talked with my counselors, we decided that maybe it would be better to give money to the families so that they could get what their family needed, and wanted. After getting the okay from the Bishop, we asked Ward members to donate money instead of gifts. We clipped donation envelopes on to the branches of the tree, and asked them to write their donation on the "other" line, and write in "Christmas".

By birth order I am, by nature, a risk taker. I don't believe in doing something just because it's tradition, and will take a risk to break tradition if needed. I'm pretty pragmatic, and will go with whatever is most efficient. But doing the "Giving Tree" this way was a big risk. Some people made the comment that it took away the personalization of the gift giving. Instead of knowing that they were buying for a specific age of child, they were now just giving money to an undisclosed recipient. They were worried that without the emotional connection, people wouldn't give as much. I made the point that even though it made it less personal for us, the givers, it makes it more personal for the families who can choose what they will give each other. But for the past few weeks, I've been very nervous, wondering if people would give as much while not knowing anything about the recipients.

Tonight I was sitting near the clerk's office and overheard the Bishop make a comment to the financial clerk about the Christmas fund. I scurried over to the room and asked if we had gotten any money. They did a little figuring, then came back to me with the total. I was VERY pleased with the amount! But I'm not going to lie, I was also RELIEVED! lol This was a big risk, but it looks like it's going to pay off. I'm happy that we can help some of these needy families, and I'm happy that everyone has such a giving heart.

Garage Sale-ing

2011-12-13T15:15:00.001-08:00

My sister "Inklings" post about going to the thrift store reminded me of our "second hand" lifestyle. Over the years, I have frequented garage sales on most weekends, and have found so many things we needed! I do draw the line on some things, but I'm not too proud to buy used things.

Here are some things I found that we used:

--leather couch and loveseat for $30
--electric lawn mower for $15. Sixteen years later we are still using it.
--children's books. I used to get all kinds of great books for my kids.
--children's clothes. Garage sales are especially great for finding baby clothes.
--Toys. I got all kinds of toys that I normally wouldn't have had the money to buy.
--motorcycle helmets. My husband wasn't thrilled with going with me until he saw these!
--camping gear. We have been able to help get camping gear for Boy Scouts who couldn't afford it.

Lastly, because we are in the Christmas season, I want to mention the "windmill" decoration I found at a garage sale. I think I paid $15 for it. Today I was in a store and saw one that is about 1/3 the size (mine is about 2 feet tall), for $100! Score! Here is a picture of what it looks like.

You put candles in those little metal cups, and the heat from the candles causes the windmill to turn. The figurines are set on wooden disks that rotate when the blades turn.

If you think you wouldn't buy things from garage sales or thrift stores, try going and you might change your mind!

Clean Hands, and a Pure Heart

2011-12-09T20:45:00.000-08:00

My husband and I were out window shopping tonight and stopped in a store that had a lower level. As we were walking down the stairs, I grabbed on to the hand railing, and slid my hand down the rail without thinking. Suddenly I hit a sort of "gummy" spot. Ewww....gross. I can only imagine what kind of filth was smeared on that handrail. When we got to the bottom, I asked a sales clerk if they had a restroom there. She told me it was out of order. I told her what had happened, and that I needed to wash my hands. She just suggested I go to another store.

We left the store, and were still window shopping, but I couldn't stop thinking about my dirty hands. Suddenly we passed a store that very much interested my husband. It was a store devoted to shaving. They had all kinds of razors and shaving equipment. We looked around for a moment, and then I noticed that in the corner of the store they had a place set up for people to learn how to shave properly. And lo and behold, they had a sink! I asked the owner if I could wash my hands, and he agreed. As I washed, I told him what happened. I was so grateful to him for letting me wash my hands. I left the store being the one with the clean hands, and he remained, being the one with the pure heart. :)

Friday Loose Bloggers Consortium: Culture

2011-12-08T22:10:00.000-08:00

When talking about culture, we often think about traveling to foreign countries. We usually think of the term "culture shock". Indeed, it sometimes can be a shock to be immersed in different culture from our own. But I believe that we can experience culture shock within our own country.

I really do believe that there are many "sub-cultures" within our American culture. We have citizens who are from all different heritages. Each heritage influences that people greatly. But there are other cultures such as the culture within each religion. I've even seen different cultures within different states.

One of the interesting things is that even though my husband and I grew up in two different states, we actually grew up in similar cultures. Maybe television is the great equalizer within our country. My husband and I grew up watching the same shows, and hearing the same news reports. We reference the same commercials, famous movie quotes, and books. We grew up in a similar time culture. The one difference was that he was not raised LDS, but joined our church when he was about 15. So his younger years were enveloped in a much different culture than were mine.

I actually believe that most predjudices come because people are ignorant about the cultures of others. It is misunderstanding that causes us to have feelings of predjudice of, and resistance to others. The more we come to understand a culture, the more likely we are to embrace it and accept those we are products of it.

If you would like to see what the other consortium members have to say about culture, please check out their links below.

Rummuser, Anu, Ashkok, Gaelikka, Grannymar, Conrad, Padmum, Magpie11, and Akanksha,Will Knot, Maria the Silver Fox, Anki, Nema Noor Paul Plain Joe, and Rohit

Type 2 Diabetes: A Primer

2011-12-08T21:31:00.000-08:00

My husband was recently diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. While this came as quite a shock to him, I had been expecting it for at least 6 months. Maybe that denial is what kept him from losing weight, and changing his lifestyle to avoid this. But I guess everyone goes through a little denial with regard to their health.

Last night we went to a class to learn about the basics of diabetes. I was surprised that there were some people in the class who had been diabetic for 5 years, but were only just now starting to deal with it, and learn more about it. This class was really helpful for me. I really feel like I can help my husband now.

So what is diabetes? Let me give you the explanation as the teacher gave it to us. The pancreas secretes insulin. Insulin is a hormone that helps the blood sugars to be absorbed in to the blood stream, and be metabolised by the body. But some people become insulin resistant. This often happens when a person gains weight. The shape of the cells actually changes when someone gains weight, making it hard to absorb the insulin. It's like trying to put a slightly odd shaped key in to a lock. So the body can't absorb the insulin, and can't rid itself of the extra blood sugars. This can put stress on many of the organs, and cause a lot of health problems.

People with high blood sugar can lower the blood sugar level by restricting sugars. Carbohydrates and fats, when processed by the body, become a type of sugar. So people who have high blood sugar levels should also restrict the amount of carbohydrates and fats they eat. The teacher gave us a pamphlet that showed appropriate portion sizes for each type of food. The pamphlet suggested that a diabetic person think of their dinner plate as being divided in half. When dishing up food, the diabetic should fill half of the plate with fresh vegetables. (Salad, or other cooked vegetables) The other half of the plate should be divided in half. One section should be for the carbohydrate, and one for the protein. Can you imagine this in your mind? Can you see that the meat and carb portions will be much smaller than the vegetable portion? The guideline for meat is that a serving of meat should be about the size of a deck of cards.

Carbohydrates are a special category all together, and should be portioned carefully. The pamphlet we received gave portion sizes that would be very surprising for a non-diabetic person. For example, it was suggested that for a meal, the person could have 1 piece of bread, or 1 tortilla. They could have...if I remember correctly...1/3 cup of rice. So you can see that the carb portions are much smaller than what most people eat. The teacher said that a diabetic should keep their total carbs for one meal below 60 grams. I asked her about snacks, and she said a snack should be below 15 grams. If you look on the dietary information list on the package of food, it will tell you how many carbs are in one serving of that food item. The key is to only eat the serving size. So if the peanut butter jar label says that there are 20 grams of carbohydrates in one tablespoon of peanut butter, then only use one tablespoon on your sandwich. This teacher recommended buying things in single serving packages so that you don't have to measure, and you will know that when you have finished that serving, you are done. She said a good example of appropriate serving size are the small individual sugar free ice creams cartons, or the sugarfree jello and pudding cups that you can buy. She felt it is better to buy them that way so that you won't be tempted to eat more. The key is to pay attention to serving sizes.

This teacher said it is very important to eat 3 times a day. If you don't eat one meal, your liver will sense that the body needs energy, and will start to secrete sugar. It is also difficult for your body to try to get all that it needs from that one meal at the end of the day. By eating three times a day, you give your body the chance to evenly metabolize the sugars throughout the day. But you can't save up carbs. You can't go without eating your slice of bread at breakfast and lunch, and then eat three for dinner that night. THat messes with your blood sugar.

I was surprised to learn that diabetics can eat fruit. It should be fresh fruit, not canned fruit which is processed with sugar. But although diabetics can eat fruit, they should not drink fruit juice, or any other sugared drink. Juices have too high of concentration of sugars.

There is a lot more I could write about this subject. Maybe I will do another post later that talks about the medications given to diabetics, and also the importance of testing your blood. Oh, but the one last thing I want to mention is that one of the best ways to lower blood sugar is to exercise! Regular exercise can do wonders for diabetics. My husband is currently in the market for a treadmill. I think that once he starts walking regularly, he is going to lose weight, and see amazing results with his blood sugar.

If you think that you might be headed toward diabetes, you can take steps now to head it off. Cut out the sugars in your diet. Watch the carbohydrates and fats in the foods that you eat; the lower the better. But most importantly, get tested so that you know for sure. If diabetes goes unchecked, it can cause blindness, heart attack, loss of limbs and more. It's easy to bury our heads in the sand and pretend we don't have a problem, but in the long run, it's better to know so that we can take steps to get healthy.

Biting The Hand That Feeds You

2011-12-05T15:25:00.000-08:00

I pulled in to the driveway today to find a pitt bull dog sitting in a pile of leaves on my front lawn. He was wearing a muzzle! When I got out of the car, he just laid there and stared at me. There was a look in his eye that made me nervous. And his lethargy seemed abnormal. He didn't even move when I walked past. I actually found myself hurrying at one point because I didn't know if he was capable of attacking me, even with a muzzle. When I got in the house, my son was just coming down the stairs, and I told him about the dog. He said, "Oh, I want to go see him!" I said, "NO! He is acting weird. Just leave him alone." He said, "He has a muzzle on, I"ll be fine." I said, "No, don't go near him!", but he went out the door anyway. I could hear him say, "Hello puppy". But then he said, "Okay, he is a little creepy, I'm not going near him." lol This dog was buried in the leaves, and acted almost like he was sick.

I went and looked up the phone number for Animal Control, and dialed the number. As the phone rang, I looked out my upstairs window at the dog. He just stared at me with that strange look. Just as the answering machine picked up, I saw a car drive up outside. A woman got out of her car and I said, "I wondered who he belonged to." She said, "He's not mine, but I wanted to check on him." She was contemplating taking off his muzzle, but I warned her he might bite. I told her I was calling Animal Control, and she told me she had already called, and that they weren't open today. So I went outside with her. She was sitting by the dog petting him, and he was acting very calm. Just then my "animal lover" neighbor drove up and came over too.

We wondered if he belonged to a recent move-in, so I went over and asked, but he wasn't their's. By the time I got back,the woman had taken off the muzzle! I had brought out some water, because I worried that maybe he had been running loose for several days, but because of the muzzle, wasn't able to eat or drink. But when she took off the muzzle, he didn't attempt to drink anything. He actually perked up with the muzzle off. She decided to take him to a local animal hospital. I don't know if they will accept him, but I know they can at least check for a micro-chip.

In some ways I'm glad she had the nerve to take off the muzzle, because I was worried about him getting water. But I would have NEVER taken it off myself! Because sometimes animals do bite the hand that feeds them.

Sleepless in California

2011-12-05T09:56:00.001-08:00

Last night I was really tired and fell asleep early. Good thing, because about midnight the phone rang. It was a church member who wanted to inform me that a woman in our ward was being taken to the hospital. I'm the Relief Society president, and as such, am responsible for the welfare of the women in our congregation. That includes their emotional, spiritual, and physical welfare. Of course I have the whole congregation to draw on for help, but I just deal with the sensitive matters, and in particular with service, and with ordering food for those in need. Anyway, so at midnight, my brain wasn't really working properly. I sat there in a confused state trying to figure out what to do.

I think if I would have been more awake, I would have immediately called the bishop to let him know. But my brain was having problems getting in to gear, and I couldn't decide if I should call him or not. Should I wake him up in the middle of the night? Somewhere along the line, reason stepped in and I called him. I almost laughed when he answered the phone because he sounded as confused and sleepy as I was. lol I told him that I had debated on whether or not to call him in the middle of the night, but that if he wanted to, he could go back to sleep. lol When we said goodbye, he sounded so sleepy that I wasn't sure if he had really understood what I had said to him. :D But this morning I got an email from him telling me he had gone over to the hospital to give a blessing to this woman, and had spoken with her husband again this morning. That made me glad I called, and also glad that he was coherent enough to understand why i called. lol

So after I hung up the phone, I sat there wide awake. So I turned on the computer and checked all of my emails, facebook etc until about 1:30 a.m. It sure was hard to get up this morning....

Preying Upon Fears

2011-12-03T12:40:00.000-08:00

I was visiting some people today who proudly showed me their new water filtration system that they had bought. It was a fancy system with two units, one of which that had rocks in the bottom. They were so excited that they now have healthy water. But the sales pitch they were given left me with a sour taste in my mouth.

The woman told me that Hitler used Chlorine gas in the gas chambers when he killed the jews. She said, "And what do we use to clean our water today? Chlorine!" Now, I'm not the smartest apple in the basket, but it seems to me that there is a big difference between inhaling chlorine gas, and swallowing chlorine. If chlorine were that dangerous, would we be filling our swimming pools with it? It just makes me angry that people prey on the fears of others. I'm sure that by the time the sales pitch was over, these people felt that if they didn't buy this system, their lives would be in danger!

i'm not against walter filtration systems. I have one that fits on to my faucet. My main concern is that our water tastes like the Delta during hot weather. But I do also drink unfiltered water, and I've made it to 50, so I guess I'll live. :P

Stress-Free Shopping

2011-12-02T10:56:00.000-08:00

I don't think of myself as a grinch, or even as selfish, but I have to confess that I really dislike all of the solicitors outside of stores this time of year. I give a fair amount of money each month to help those less fortunate than myself, so I don't feel that I have to give to every fundraising bell ringer that I come across. I feel so uncomfortable to tell them no, but at the same time, because I already give a substantial amount each month, I don't feel I can afford to give to every person at every door.

I also feel uncomfortable with those asking me to sign their ballot petitions. I usually tell them that I would like to read up more on the subject before signing the petition. My nephew signs them all, because he believes that every measure should get a chance to make it to the vote. But my fear is that so many people don't educate themselves about the voting issues, that many of these will pass just because they are on the ballot.

Yesterday I had two experiences with these solicitors. The first happened outside Target. Now I have to say that one of the things that I appreciate about this particular Target store is that they have a big sign on the door that says something like, "We want our customers to have a stress free shopping environment, so we do not accept solicitors outside our stores." So imagine my surprise when I walked up to the door, and there was a man collecting money for a homeless shelter. I don't think there is anything wrong with his cause, but I just don't like the stress of being approached by him when I'm shopping. As I went in the door, I mentioned to the lady coming in behind me, "The sign says they don't allow solicitors!" Suddenly the man, in an aggressive tone, said, "Each to his own! Each to his own!" I ignored him and went inside. Part of me wanted to find the nearest manager and complain, but I'm not that much of a grinch, so I let it go. But it bugs me that they advertise one thing, and then practice another.

Then I went to Safeway, and there was a guy with a voting measure sign up. He approached me, and I told him that I wanted to read up on the issue first. He said, "We have information here!" and pointed to the small paragraph at the top of the sign up list. LOL I said, "No, I mean on the internet."

Is there something wrong with me that I loathe any kind of solicitors in front of stores? I even will go out the shopping cart entry door to avoid having to face them. lol Maybe my stress-free shopping doesn't start until after the holidays?

Friday Loose Bloggers Consortium: Peer Pressure

2011-12-01T19:58:00.000-08:00

When I think about the topic of peer pressure, I recall a very vivid memory of my teenage years. We had lived in Texas, but moved away when I was about 15 1/2. Some time later we went back to Texas, and went to church in our old congregation. I had made some changes in the way I looked, and everyone was quite surprised. I had long scraggly hair when I lived there, but had cut it short, and had it styled. I had begun to wear makeup and had new clothes. The teacher in my Sunday school class that day talked about peer pressure. I told him that I didn't feel like I was susceptible to the ifluence of peer pressure. He disagreed, and told me that all teenagers are effected by peer pressure. But I argued that I didn't care what other kids did, and that I wasn't affected by the pressure at all. He got very angry the more I disagreed with him. lol I think he finally gave up because I was being so stubborn.

In some ways he was right, and in some ways I was right. I really would never do certain things, no matter what my friends might do. In fact, I was often the "mother" of the group, and would tell them not to do things that I didn't think were right. And if they started to do something that I disapproved of, I would leave if necessary. I never really got in to any of the really social aspects of school. I was kind shy and didn't go to the parties and dances. When you don't hang out with a lot of kids, you don't get pressure from them. :)

But I think in some ways I was influenced subtly. I was concerned about how I dressed, and how I looked. I didn't have money to buy the latest fashions, but I did the best with what I had. Maybe that actually helped me to push back on the peer pressure. But there are unspoken expectations put on teenagers, whether the consciously realize it or not.

Is there peer pressure for 50 year old women? I guess there are cultural expectations for a woman my age, but I've always tended to be a loner, and even today I still do not really get in to the social scene. But I like to think that my personality is strong enough that I am not easily influenced by others. What about you?

Check out what the other consortium members have to say about peer pressure!

Rummuser, Anu, Ashkok, Gaelikka, Grannymar, Conrad, Padmum, Magpie11, and Akanksha,Will Knot, Maria the Silver Fox, Anki, Nema Noor Paul Plain Joe, and Rohit

More Wild Turkeys

2011-11-28T12:15:00.000-08:00

My missionary son sent this picture of the thanksgiving turkey where he lives. ;)

Neighborhood Watch

2011-11-28T11:46:00.000-08:00

I was driving down the road this morning and passed a car down the street from my house that had a man asleep in it. He was sitting straight up in the seat, and the windows were rolled down, even though it is cold outside. Something about it struck me as a little odd.

An hour later I drove back, and passed him again, and he was still asleep, exactly as he had been an hour earlier. Something just seemed odd to me. I don't know what it is about me, but I can't let things like that go. I came home and called my neighbor and asked her advice. She said I should call the non-emergency police line. But then she said, "Do you want to walk over there? I'll walk with you." I said, "Okay, I need to walk my dog anyway, let's walk past and look." So we got the dogs and walked down the street. We stopped to talk to a neighbor, so it took us a few minutes to get down there. We walked past, and he was still sitting there asleep. We made some noise, but he didn't budge. But it did look like he had rearranged his head.

I told my neighbor that I know someone who was doing drugs in a car once and passed out, and his friend called the police because he thought he had died. She encouraged me to call the non-emergency line and tell them that. So we walked back home and I called them. I explained that it could be that they guy was just asleep, but that he had been sitting there in his car for over 1 1/2 hours with the windows down, and I just wanted to make sure he was okay. The dispatcher sounded like she thought I did the right thing to call it in.

I decided to walk my dog a little more, so I head back down the street. Just as I was turning around to go back home, I saw a police car drive up. I saw him slowly pass the car so he could look inside. He pulled over and approached the car. I was too big of a chicken to walk past them, so I went another way. But at one point I doubled back and could hear them talking. So I guess the guy is okay, but the policeman did talk to him for quite awhile.

I don't know why I have to act on these kinds of things. It's just part of my personality. My kids get embarrassed by it, and my husband doesn't understand why I think it's my business to get involved with the lives of total strangers. But all I know is that it would have bugged me all day if I didn't know that man was okay. I probably would have had to make several more trips down the street to check on him until he woke up. :)

Shame on You!

2011-11-28T09:46:00.001-08:00

I got a weird email this morning from a woman I know. It screamed of "scam", but it had her name signed at the bottom, so I decided to check it out. Other people I talked to said they had seen this one before, but I hadn't seen it before. This is what the email said:

"I'm writing this with tears in my eyes,My family and I came down here to Spain Madrid for a short vacation unfortunately we were mugged at the park of the hotel where we stayed. All cash,credit card cell were stolen off me but luckily for us we still have our lives and passport safe.

I've been to the embassy and the Police here but they're not helping issues at all,They asked us to wait for 3weeks which we can not.Our flight leaves in less than few hours from now but we are having problems settling the hotel bills and the hotel manager won't let me leave until i settle the bills.I need your help

I'm freaked out at the moment. (signed her name)"

I decided to call her, but she didn't answer the phone, so part of me thought, "hmm...maybe she really is on a trip. She does geneology, so maybe she went on a fact finding vacation." So I decided to message her on Facebook. I said, "Is this for real?" I soon got the response, "OMG, This is me for real and i do really need your help.. I can always explain things to you when i get back home. Let me know if you can be of help with some $$ to settle the hotel bills and have my way home. Pls do this me cos i dont want to miss the flight." I still didn't believe it was really her, but thought there was always a possibility, since she was answering my messages on facebook. So I decided to ask her which Ward (congregation) she attends. I just said, "Which ward are you in?" There was no response. I wrote again, "If you tell me which ward you are in, it would help me to help you." Then I got a response, telling me correctly which ward she was in. That's when I began to think it was really her. I never would send her money, but I thought maybe her bishop could help her out. So I said, "Who is your bishop." She correctly told me the name of her bishop. I asked her for a contact number, but she didn't give me one.

Then I decided to call her bishop. I didn't get ahold of him, but his wife called me back and said that she had just seen this woman in church yesterday, so knew it was a scam. That was the confirmation I was looking for. Just as I got off the phone with her, the woman who was hacked called me. She told me she has definitely been hacked. I tried to help her figure out how to report it to facebook. It's a complicated process. But I told her that I think the person who hacked her account is someone she knows. There was nothing on her profile that would tell the person which ward she belonged to, or who her bishop was. So the thief has to be someone she knows, and has to be LDS. So here is the message I sent back to them through her facebook page:

"Okay, well, I just talked to someone who saw (this woman) in church yesterday. So now I know this is a scam. But the really sad thing is that whoever this is has to be lds. So shame on you for being dishonest."

I hope their conscience isn't past feeling. I hope they feel guilty about this for a long time. And I hope they get caught.

Unexpected Vacation

2011-11-26T22:52:00.001-08:00

My husband needed to go on a business trip this past weekend, and decided to invite my 18 year old son to come along. He has taken my other two older children on trips before, but hadn't taken this son yet. He needed to go to Raleigh, North Carolina. He found that he had enough frequent flyer miles to pay for my son's airplane ticket, so it was a great opportunity.

Their coming home flight was scheduled to fly to Washington, D.C. on the way home. I commented that it was too bad they couldn't fly there one day early and spend a day sightseeing. They had a rental car (which my husband had a free coupon for), and it had to be returned to the agency in Raleigh. They couldn't rearrange their tickets, so my husband decided to drive the 6 hours to Washington. They drove there at night so they could spend the bulk of the next day sightseeing.

I am so happy that they got to see the Capitol building, the White house (couldn't take a tour though, that requires permission from your congressman), the Washington monument, and much of the Smithsonian. They went to the natural history part, the American history part, and the air and space museum. My son was fascinated by everything he saw. They drove the 6 hours back that night so that they could meet their plane the next morning. It was a lot of driving, but I think it was worth it to them!

Oh, and they got to go to a Civil War battlefield while in North Carolina. While it wasn't the most exciting thing to see, I do think it was a good experience for my son. Most importantly, it gave them some time together. Time will tell where my husband takes child #4! :)

The Ones That Got Away

2011-11-25T11:48:00.001-08:00

These turkeys proudly paraded down my street today as if to thumb their beaks at us and say, "Ha ha, you didn't eat us!" One of them puffed up his feathers, but my card was full and I missed the shot before I could delete some pictures off the card. :( They wandered down the street, pecking and eating berries off of bushes as they went.

I'm wondering if any of you know how to tell the males from the females. I'm pretty sure I knew which ones were the males, but it wasn't easy to tell! I'm not sure, but I think the males had a longer wattle.

Thanksgiving Perspective

2011-11-24T18:11:00.000-08:00

I took a parenting class in college, and the teacher taught me an invaluable lesson about perspective. He gave us a situation to imagine. I'm going to give you my version of it. :)

Imagine that it is Thanksgiving, and you are preparing the meal of your dreams. I just went through this today, so I'll just use my meal as an example. You prepare a large turkey, filled with dressing. You make some candied yams, mashed potatoes and gravy, stir fried green beans with garlic, fresh home made rolls, olives, cranberry sauce, and pumpkin pie for dessert. On a scale of 1-10, how would you rate this meal?

Now let's assume that you made some mistakes with your meal, as I did today with mine... Let's assume that when you got the turkey out of the fridge, it was still partially frozen. You are taken back a little, but you remember reading that you can still cook it, but just need to cook it a little longer. You know that you should cook it 20 minutes per pound, and it is a 24 pound bird, so you figure out that it will take 8 hours to cook. But then about 2 hours from the time it should be ready, you discover that because the turkey is so big, the broth and turkey fat has boiled over, and it now pooled in the bottom of your oven. You grab some paper towels and sop it up before the oven catches on fire. But you are still able to keep cooking it. However, when it is time to take it out, it seems overcooked. In fact, you took it out a little earlier than the estimated time, and it is still overcooked, and a little dry. Now rate your meal on a scale of 1-10.

Now let's assume that when you saw that the turkey was still frozen, it flustered you enough that you forgot to add the second container of bread crumbs to the dressing. When you finally do take the turkey out, you find that you now have dressing soup. It is completely inedible, so you toss it. Luckily, there was too much to fit in the turkey, so you had put some extra in another pan, and it turns out fine. But there will be no leftover dressing.. Now rate your meal on a scale of 1-10.

Many people would feel that because the turkey was overdone, and the dressing turned in to soup, the meal was a flop. They would probably say the meal was a 2, or a 3 on a scale of 1-10. But what my teacher pointed out was that you have to remember what you have left of the meal that is good! My rolls turned out pretty good. The gravy was delicious. The candied yams were to die for. The pumpkin pie turned out the best it has in years. The potatoes were heaven. So even though the turkey was a little dry, and the dressing was a little wet, all in all, I would give our dinner an 8.

It's all in how you look at it! :)

Friday Loose Bloggers Consortium: Gratitude

2011-11-24T17:54:00.000-08:00

Although my last post was about my gratitude, I do have more to say on the subject. This past year or so I have been thinking along the lines of the quote I posted in my last entry. I have been thinking about how covetousness is the antithesis of gratitude.

I think these thoughts first came to me when I was looking to buy a new sweater. I was looking for something "cute", and stylish. My main concern was how I would look wearing it. As I wandered around the store, it occurred to me that I have perfectly good sweaters at home. That thought made me realize that I wasn't appreciating what I already owned. Stores work very hard to market their goods so that you begin to feel that what you already own isn't good enough. But I remember seeing my grandmother wear my grandfather's old sheepskin lined coat, instead of the brand new fancy one given to her for Christmas. She felt the one she owned was good enough. In fact, I don't know if she ever wore the new one. She made do with what she had, and didn't get caught up in materialism.

When I was a missionary in the training center, we were only given one day a week to go out in to the world to shop and take care of other errands. I remember one time when we went to the mall. As we walked around the mall, I was really struck by how materialistic it all was. Being all week in the training center took me away from all of that, and it was a shock to see it once again. It was actually oppressive.

I still struggle to appreciate what I already have, and it is difficult sometimes to not covet what I do not have. But I think it gets easier the older I get. I may never wear the most current styles, but you can be sure that what I do wear is good enough.

Now go and see what the other consortium members have to say about this issue:

Rummuser, Anu, Ashkok, Gaelikka, Grannymar, Conrad, Padmum, Magpie11, and Akanksha,Will Knot, Maria the Silver Fox, Anki, Nema Noor Paul Plain Joe, and Rohit

Happy Thanksgiving!

2011-11-24T10:26:00.001-08:00

Happy thanksgiving everyone! There are so many things that I am grateful for, that I couldn't begin to list them all here. But the short list must include: My husband, my family, my health, and the many wonderful opportunities I have been blessed with in my life. I am also particularly grateful that my children are having the opportunity to serve a full time mission for our church. You can't buy the kinds of blessings that comes from those experiences! Their lives will be forever changed.

I love this quote by Elder Robert D. Hales:

“In some quiet way, the expression and feelings of gratitude have a wonderful cleansing or healing nature. Gratitude brings warmth to the giver and the receiver alike. Gratitude, expressed to our Heavenly Father in prayer for what we have, brings a calming peace, a peace which allows us to not canker our souls for what we don’t have. Gratitude brings a peace that helps us overcome the pain of adversity and failure. Gratitude on a daily basis means we express appreciation for what we have now without qualification for what we had in the past or desire in the future.”

My Protector

2011-11-21T07:17:00.000-08:00

I hope this post won't sound too superstitious, because I don't really think of myself as a superstitious person. I really thought I had written about this before, but couldn't find anything in my list of posts. But I want to just be the "camera" and tell you what I observed, and let you tell me your opinions.

When we first moved back to the States from China, we went to visit my father in law who owned a very fat, lazy, yellow labrador. She was so fat that she became diabetic, and became blind as a result. Her fatness also led to hip dysplasia. She just laid around and slept all day. My kids were terrified of her! I was shocked! How could they be afraid of a dog that never moved!? We decided we needed to get a dog so that they could learn to not be afraid of dogs.

We went to the SPCA, and found a German shepherd/ Doberman mix, 1 1/2 year old dog named Tommy. He seemed like a good fit, so we took him home. He turned out to be a very nice dog. It might sound like he wasn't when I tell you this, but he wasn't that good with children. He was very afraid of children, probably because of their unpredictability. He would bare his teeth while they pet him. He didn't bite them, but he was warning them not to hurt him. But he was a great watch dog. I used to walk him often, and let him off leash. He was so good to come when called, and would never get in a fight with another dog. He would run the other direction rather than fight with other dogs. The Shepherd in him kept him circling back to make sure we were following him.

In time, he developed a large tumor on his leg that ulcerated and burst open. I took him to the vet, and she could tell that he had cancer that had already spread to his lungs, so we had him put down. It was a sad day, and we really missed him.

I decided to take a dog break after that. We went several years without a dog. But then something happened that made me decide to look for another dog. I wrote about my desire for another dog in a previous post. I really wanted an Airedale, but knew that I couldn't afford to buy one. But let me tell you what made me think I should start looking for a dog.

One night I dreamed that I was traveling to my parents' house, and got there late at night. I didn't want to wake up anyone, so I decided to sleep in the car. I put the seat back, and settled in for a good sleep. I happened to look out my driver's window, and what should I see, but the spirit of my dead dog Tommy, laying on the ground next to the car, protecting me. In my dream I was so happy to see him! I felt good to know that he was still watching out for me.

Awhile later I had another dream. I dreamed I was lying in bed in my own home. I looked down at the side of my bed, and there was Tommy's spirit laying next to the bed, protecting me. I reached down and petted him, and felt very safe with him watching over me.

After the second dream, I began to think that maybe I should think about getting another dog. This may sound weird, but I felt that Tommy was concerned because we didn't have a dog for protection. It had been a number of years since he died, so I decided to start looking. I went to a church picnic, and happened to mention to a friend of mine that I was looking for another dog. When I got home from the picnic, there was a message on my answering machine from my friend, telling me that she had an Airedale if I wanted it. I was SHOCKED! I have wanted an Airedale since I was a young! I agreed to take her, sight unseen. And trust me, she was a mess, but I took her to the groomer and got her cleaned up. I have really enjoyed my Sally, and she has been a great protector for our family.

The other day I had another dream. I dreamed that our house was haunted. lol I could see things being lifted up in to the air, and being moved to another location. I wondered what I should do about it. Suddenly, here came Tommy's spirit in to my dream again. He came to me, and I was so happy to see him, and I petted him. Suddenly I saw something being lifted up in to the air again. Tommy ran over and chased away the ghost. :)

I have heard that it is possible for our deceased loved ones to visit us in dreams. I kind of wonder if my dog Tommy comes to visit me in my dreams. I know it sounds superstitious, but it was the dreams that led me to get the dog of my dreams. What do you think?

This is a picture of Tommy taken not too long before we discovered he had cancer. At this point he was already favoring one hip because of arthritis. As I look at this picture, I can see the pain in his face.

Friday Loose Bloggers Consortium: Relax

2011-11-18T09:02:00.000-08:00

Why does Friday always sneak up on me? Well here goes my take on today's topic:

For as long as I can remember, I've always had the ability to relax. I can remember as a young girl, teaching myself to relax. I would start with my toes, and focus and concentrate on relaxing them. I would then move to my calves, and would move or shift however necessary to make them completely relaxed. I continued doing this with each higher body part. By the time I got to my head, I would be in a total state of relaxation. No one taught me to do this. It was instinctive, and made sense to me. It wasn't until I was an adult that I learned that this is a method often taught by doctors.

I think this ability to relax also makes me more susceptible to hypnosis. When I was in a psychology class in college, the teacher told us he was going to put us in a relaxed state, a mild state of hypnosis. He said, "If anyone is opposed to this, you may leave the room." Being LDS, I wasn't sure how my religion viewed hypnosis, and I was very hesitant to participate. At the same time, I was embarrassed to get up and leave. I finally decided that I would sit there, but I wouldn't participate.

The teacher had us close our eyes. Then he began to tell us to relax. I sat there ignoring him the best I could. At one point he started counting back from 10. I was waiting for him to finish counting so that he could finish the exercise. When he reached 1, suddenly the room started to spin! I had to grab on to my desk to keep myself from falling out of my chair! As it turns out, I am more susceptible to hypnosis than I knew!

Occasionally when I go to the doctor, my blood pressure is a little high. They always give me a second chance to take it, and tell me to relax for a few minutes. I have the upper hand because I know something the nurses do not know. I know that I have an incredible ability to relax. And so I sit there and focus for a minute or two, and I am able to drop my blood pressure significantly; by even 10 points. Now the trick is to learn to live in that relaxed state!

If you would like to see how the other consortium members relax, please check out their links:

Rummuser, Anu, Ashkok, Gaelikka, Grannymar, Conrad, Padmum, Magpie11, and Akanksha,Will Knot, Maria the Silver Fox, Anki, Nema Noor Paul Plain Joe, and Rohit

Real or Fake?

2011-11-17T09:58:00.001-08:00

Here is my son's version of the 11/11/11 11:11:11 picture. But in his letter, he said something like, "You can't pull the wool over my eyes." So now I'm wondering if he manipulated the devices to read 11/11/11 or if he actually did it. Trust him to figure out a way to manipulate it... Just for the record, my husband's picture is real! I can testify to that because I took the picture. I stood there patiently until the seconds flipped to 11! :)

This Week's Embarassing Moment

2011-11-16T15:50:00.001-08:00

I came out of the store the other day and went to my car. I put the key in the door of the car, but it didn't work. I took it out and turned it over. Don't laugh, that works on the trunk sometimes. :P Anyway, it didn't work again! Then I realized I was standing at the wrong car... In all fairness it looked just like mine. But I"m sure the man sitting in the car nearby watching me got a good laugh. lol

Pioneer Music

2011-11-14T15:30:00.001-08:00

I went to a "Daughters of the Utah Pioneers" meeting today, and listened to a lesson about the music of the pioneers. The teacher brought a very old clarinet with her that is probably over 100 years old. She said it belonged to someone in her husband's family. The owner of the clarinet actually lost one of his fingers in a mining accident. So he took an old reed, and wrapped it with some cotton, and covered it with a piece of an old sock. He sewed it carefully on, and then attached that to his finger stump so that he could continue to play the clarinet. She passed it around for everyone to look at. On one side of the "fake finger" was a worn spot where it wore from playing the clarinet. It was interesting to hold it and imagine how it worked to help him play.

I've always heard that the Welsh are known for their singing. Many of these early pioneers were of Welsh descent, and carried that love of singing with them across the plains. One man who was single, met up with two young ladies with beautiful singing voices. They decided to pull a handcart together across the plains. They sang most of the way as they walked across the plains to Utah. Many of the pioneers would camp for the night, and pull out violins and other instruments so they could sing and dance around the campfire.

I come from a very musical family myself. My father has a beautiful singing voice. My brother also does, and is a choir director by profession. All of us sing, and many of us play different instruments. My own children refuse to sing in a choir, but they can all carry a tune nicely. They also refused to allow me to teach them to play the piano, but they did learn other instruments. I guess that Welsh heritage lives on, even these many generations later!

11/11/11 11:11:11

2011-11-11T11:18:00.000-08:00

I think this photo is self explanatory.
This is an atomic clock.

Friday Loose Bloggers Consortium: Firsts

2011-11-11T07:38:00.001-08:00

I'm glad I'm a tad late in writing today so that I could see the topic on everyone else's blogs. :)

I usually refrain from reading the other members' posts until after I've written my own. I don't want to be influenced by them. I want my post to be original. But today I didn't obey my own rule, and read a handful before starting this one. Maybe it's just as well, because Padmum gave me some ideas. :)

I thought I would tell you about the first time I drove a car. I don't know why, but I waited until I was 17 to get my driver's license. In our country, you can get a learner's permit at 15 1/2. Then you must drive for at least 6 months with a licensed driver by your side, and put in a required number of hours of practice before you can get your official license. But when I was a teenager, living in Kentucky, there were no time limits.

One day I was talking to my friends, and told them that I was taking the driver education class at school, and that I intended to study for my learner's permit. Some of my boy friends told me that I didn't need to study, that the test was easy. They encouraged me to go to the motor vehicles bureau and just take the test. I obeyed, but I failed miserably. lol I continued to study the manual, and I eventually passed the test.

After I got my learner's permit, I went outside after school and told my friends. At that time, I was running on the "Cross country" team, and all of my friends were boys. I only had one girl friend, and she had begun to veer away from our friendship. So I went out and told my boy friends that I had gotten my permit. One of them owned a car, and he insisted that I drive everyone home! I told him that I didn't know how to drive yet! He said something like, "Don't be silly, of course you know how to drive." He had me sit in the driver's seat, and told me to start the car. Maybe I was inattentive to my parents' driving, but I didn't know how to start the car! My friend didn't believe me. I knew that at some point I needed to turn the key, but I didn't know if there was something else I should do at the same time. Finally he explained it to me, and I started the car, and away we went!

This may not seem frightening unless you know the back roads of Kentucky. They have very narrow two lane roads with stone walls on each side. The walls were built around the farm property by the original slaves many years ago. My friends had me drive out on the back road to take one of the boys home. I remember being terrified of that narrow two lane road! Every time a car passed me, I was tempted to close my eyes! To this day, I shudder to think that they pushed a new driver to do this!

I did enroll in the school driver's class. I had a teacher that was a war veteran. He would take 4 students out driving each week. When it came my time, he sat in the seat next to me. He put his arm up on the back of the seat. Because of his war experience, he had a twitch in his arm that was uncontrollable. For the entire drive, every few minutes his arm would twitch and knock at my shoulder....

And so that is my first experience with driving. Since then I had to learn to drive a stick shift in Beijing traffic, and I had to learn to maneuver the crowded highways in California. Thank God that I have survived it all!

Now go read about the other consortium members' thoughts about "firsts". :)

Rummuser, Anu, Ashkok, Gaelikka, Grannymar, Conrad, Padmum, Magpie11, and Akanksha,Will Knot, Maria the Silver Fox, Anki, Nema Noor Paul Plain Joe, and Rohit

Ad Nonsense

2011-11-10T10:25:00.000-08:00

I decided to remove Adsense from my blog. It was annoying, and some of the ads were questionable. They may or may not have been representing bad sites, but they were too suggestive. I also didn't see that having them was doing me any good. I put them on my blog on a whim, but I'm removing them because they irritate me. :)

Venting.... Caution!

2011-11-09T09:15:00.000-08:00

I am biting my typing fingers as we speak. I would bite my tongue, but I don't use it to communicate on Facebook. :P It's all I can do to not reply to a post I read. They don't read my blog, so I'm venting here.

I am sick to death of the Occupy Oakland Protests. It is causing so many problems for the city, and also for the small business owners there. There has been vandalism, and urinating in the streets. There have been people having sex in public, and people throwing things at police officers. They have camped out in the middle of the square, and it is an ugly nuisance. How is this ever going to end peacefully?

My liberal friends are so proud that film maker Michael Moore came recently to cheer on the protesters. I have a very low opinion of him because of the mis-truths and half- truths he has perpetuated in his films. But I bite my tongue when they tell me how excited they are that he came.

But let me get to the core of my issue with the Occupy movement. For a long time I have been patiently listening to my liberal friends complain about the Tea Party Movement. They have ranted about how they believe they have inappropriate intentions. But let's look carefully at the difference between the Tea Party, and the Occupy protesters. The Tea Party carefully organized their protests. They actually have a core leadership, and they paid $10,000 for permits to protest in Oakland. They had a set time frame for their protests, and went home when the time was up. They were peaceful, and not disrespectful to the nearby businesses. They did not leave trash, and graffitti, and feces on the streets.

The Occupy movement has no real leadership. It's just a bunch of people who all want to get in on the action. They have no clear goal for how or when this will end. How will they make the decision to go home? Are they waiting until some bank hands over millions of dollars? Because they are dreaming if they think that is going to happen. Are they waiting until the economy is fixed? Because they could be waiting many, many years, and maybe forever.

The Occupy Protesters have attacked police, then cried foul when police reacted violently. They especially make a big notice of any veterans that have been beaten, or hurt during the conflict with police. But what are the police supposed to do? Should they allow the protesters to throw bottles at them and hurt them?

My other observation is that many of the people involved in the protests aren't really there because of the Occupy movement at all. They are there to "take down the man", and to get in on the excitement. One of my facebook acquaintances has been getting involved in the riots, and actually was beaten by police. He got two black eyes, and bruised wrists. And guess what, I can't help but wonder what he was doing there in the first place! His mission has been to get video proof that the police are abusive. What does that have to do with the Occupy movement? Just like him, there are many "fringe" protesters who really aren't there for the same reason that the protest was started.

I was listening to a guest on a news program who made the comment that the liberal media jumped to film the one or two racist signs that were carried by tea party members, making it appear that all tea party members were racist. But they ignore the damage done by the Occupy movement. The funny thing is that a liberal friend of mine insists that all the media is right wing controlled.

I'm very angry at Mayor Quan for not stepping up and ending this. She has spoken out about how it is wrong, but she hasn't asked them to leave. It's not like she can talk to their leaders, because there don't seem to be any. She hasn't required them to have any permits, and has allowed them to occupy the city square for weeks! The Tea Party movement is asking for a refund of their permit money. Mayor Quan needs to step up and find a solution to end this. It is her responsibility. If it takes bringing in the National Guard, then so be it! We believe in free speech, but we don't believe in allowing people to deface public property, and attack our civil servants.

Thank you for letting me vent. Maybe now I can ignore the comments, pictures, and videos on facebook....

Generation Gap

2011-11-07T19:14:00.000-08:00

Tonight my son was watching a new series called "Hell on Wheels". Here is the conversation we had:

Me: What kind of a show is this?

Him: It's set in the time just after the civil war.

Me, (Thinking about the horror show "Walking Dead" he likes) "Is it a horror show?"

Him: No, you will see...

Me: Is it a Western?

Him: No, it's not a Western.

Me: Is it a Science Fiction show?

Him: You will see. .... Okay, well, they are going out west, and Indians come.

Me: Um.....That is a Western.

Him: (With odd look in his eye.) Oh....

All You Need is Love?

2011-11-04T19:15:00.000-07:00

I was watching one of those "Baby Story" birthing shows today that featured two lesbian women who were married. They had used a sperm bank to get their children. They were having their second child during this episode. One thing they said stuck in my head, and I've thought a lot about it. They said, "All you need for a family is love, and we have love."

I have to admit that love is a very important part of a family, but it isn't everything a child needs. A child needs a same gender parent to learn from. A boy learns how to act in a man's world by looking at the men in his home. A girl learns how women communicate by living with women. When you take away that gender parent, you leave a hole in the child's learning. Visiting "Uncle Larry" on the weekends doesn't cut it.

I also remember learning that girls learn about femininity, and boys learn about masculinity from their same gender parent. This is built up over days, and weeks, and months, and years of living together. The little boys in my family watched everything their Dad did. They would try to imitate him shaving, or doing other daily chores. Children learn more by watching than most people realize.

Another thing that I remember learning in a child development class is that men and women interact differently with a baby. Women tend to be more nurturing and soft spoken. Men tend to be more physical and energetic. I remember a video I took of my husband playing with my first born child in the hospital. He was wiggling her legs, and clapping her hands, and bouncing her around. My initial instincts were to tell him to be more gentle. But I had learned that this kind of play is actually good for a baby's development. They need both kinds of interaction.

I guess I feel a little sorry for those two little baby boys who were born in to the home of the two lesbian women. Yes, those little boys will be loved. Yes, they will be cherished. But I regret that they will miss out on the one thing that my children had; the influence of a father and a mother.

Friday Loose Bloggers Consortium: Why Did I Do That?

2011-11-03T20:22:00.000-07:00

Wow, I think I could write pages and pages on this topic! lol

Well, I am going to tell you one of the worst things I've ever done. It might just keep you awake at night, so beware. :) It was pretty stupid.

My husband and I, and our then 3 children were driving from California to Utah. When we were in the middle of Nevada, our car broke down. My husband told me to wait with the children, and he would walk ahead to a rest stop and see if he could get a ride in to town to call a tow truck. I think we were about 30 miles from the closest town. So he took off, and I sat in the car on the side of the road with my children.

It began to get dark, and my children began to get fussy. I began to worry about my husband, and wondered if he was even able to get a ride in to town. I was a little nervous sitting there in the car on the side of the road. Suddenly a car pulled up and two men got out. They came and asked me if I needed any help. They were very worried about leaving me there alone. They asked me if they could give me a ride in to town. I thought about it, and thought that maybe this was our one chance to get the ride in to town to call a tow truck. I also was worried about staying there alone in the car. This is the part where I can't believe what I did. I decided to go with these two men, and drive to the rest stop to see if my husband was there.

I got all my kids in the back seat, and we started driving. It hit me then that if we didn't find my husband, I was going to have a hard time getting back to my car! I also started thinking about how stupid it was that I got in the back seat of a stranger's car! I was nervous, and couldn't think straight to make good decisions.

We came to the rest stop, and saw that there were a lot of big trucks stopped there. The driver of my car began to ask around to see if anyone had seen my husband. He even yelled across the road to the other side where there was another rest stop, and found out that my husband was there! So the children and I crossed the road and wento where my husband was. I thanked our good Samaritans, and they drove away.

My husband had found a trucker who was willing to help us call a tow truck. He let the children and I sit in his truck to keep warm. He invited me to eat some oranges that he had up on the bunk bed in the top of his truck. I looked at them, but they were mostly rotten, so we didn't eat any. But he was very kind to us. We got a tow truck, and were taken to town where we stayed in a motel for a couple of days while our car was being repaired.

So looking back, there were many mistakes I made. I still am not sure if I should have stayed with the car. There are dangers if a woman stays alone in a car on the side of the road. But I don't think we could have dragged the kids all the way up the highway, so I guess that was the best option. But my biggest mistake was getting in the car of a total stranger. In this case, they were well meaning, and everything turned out all right. But still, why did I do that?!

If you would like to read about the regrets of the other consortium members, please check out their links below:
Rummuser, Anu, Ashkok, Gaelikka, Grannymar, Conrad, Padmum, Magpie11, and Akanksha,Will Knot, Maria the Silver Fox, Anki, Nema Noor Paul Plain Joe, and Rohit

Happy Halloween!

2011-11-01T06:40:00.000-07:00

We didn't decorate as much for Halloween this year. I had my older son climb up in to the storage area in our garage, but he couldn't get to all of the decorations, so we did without. But we did stretch a pretty cool spider web across our front porch, and put a large velvety spider in it. I missed my other decorations though.

The neighbors across the street really like to decorate big for Halloween. My 18 year old is friends with their son, and so they gathered a group of their friends to help them decorate. All of the teenagers dressed up in scary costumes and wandered about the yard all night. They had scary music playing too. Some kids loved it, and others wouldn't even go to that house! But the teenagers had a blast.

I felt kind of bad for my 13 year old. He's at the age where some people think he shouldn't be trick-or-treating. I could tell he was torn by the desire to go, and the feeling he shouldn't. I've never put a limit on my kids in this matter, but have let them decide. He said he was just going to walk around with his other friends who weren't trick-or-treating. I didn't like that sound of that. I told him that kids like that end up doing things they shouldn't. So he said he would trick-or-treat. But he came home pretty early, so I think the friends influenced him not to. I could tell he felt out of sorts, not knowing what to do with this halloween. Finally he took off out the door to do a little trick-or-treat'ing on our street. I think he would have been just as happy if the teenagers would have let him join them, but he was uncomfortable asking. I guess it's all part of growing up. Oh, and I should say that I had several groups of kids his age come to my door.

In years past, there were some home owners around the corner who went all out for Halloween. They decorated their front yard, and invited their adult friends to dress in costumes and come help them celebrate. There would be ghosts and ghouls creeping all over their yard. They had music, lights, and fog machines. There were two other neighbors who followed suit. People loved to come to that court to trick-or-treat. But they moved away, and the "party" ended. Since then, we don't get as many trick-or-treaters as before. But I have a large plastic "cauldron" that I fill with candy, and I gave most of it away!

I got a good costume idea for my husband's next halloween costume. I'm going to dress him up like Elvis! :D

Halloween Costume

2011-10-29T22:12:00.000-07:00

This is my son's Halloween costume that he wore to school for their Halloween celebration. He is dressed as "Dwight Shrute" from "The Office". :)

Friday Loose Bloggers Consortium: Focus

2011-10-28T08:43:00.001-07:00

As I write this post, my youngest child is enjoying "costume day" at school. It's been a merry-go-round of costume ideas this past week, including ""an old man", "the cowardly lion", a "hipster" (whatever that is), and "Dwight Shrute" from "the Office". He first wanted the cowardly lion, but I didn't have the time to get that one together. That would have taken major sewing on my part, and I just couldn't pull it together right now. So then I convinced him to dress as an "old man". We went to the thrift store and bought a hideous sweater. (sorry if this is offensive to any old men out there) ;) I planned to spray white hair spray in his hair, and use makeup to give him wrinkles. But yesterday he changed his mind, and said he would rather be Dwight Shrute. So back to the thrift store I went and picked up a gold colored short sleeved dress shirt. I still had the "old man pants", so he was able to wear those. He found a tacky tie to wear, and even added a tie clip. He put pencils in his pocket, and wore a sort of watch band that takes your pulse. I parted his hair in the middle, and he put on a pair of my husband's old glasses.

So here is my fear. I am worried that he will be so in to character that he is going to keep those strong prescription glasses on all day! I must have said a million times today, "Make sure you don't wear those while you are doing your class work!" I have this picture in my mind of his teacher writing on the chalkboard, and him sitting there looking through those glasses, seeing a big blur. But frankly, I don't think the glasses hurt his ability to focus as much as his attitude. Even with the glasses off, he probably won't be paying much attention.

And speaking of focus, don't you hate when your pictures are out of focus? I especially hate this when I come home from a trip, and can't go back and retake the picture! Here is an example from the slides I have been scanning.

This has been a tough consortium assignment for me. If you are interested, check out what the other members did with this topic! :)

Rummuser, Anu, Ashkok, Gaelikka, Grannymar, Conrad, Padmum, Magpie11, and Akanksha,Will Knot, Maria the Silver Fox, Anki, Nema Noor Paul Plain Joe, and Rohit

Mouse in the House

2011-10-27T07:19:00.001-07:00

I saw a mouse in my bathroom the other day. Last night I heard it chewing on something next to my nightstand. I knew I couldn't do anything about it in the middle of the night, and didn't want to wake up my husband, so I tried to ignore it and go to sleep. I heard it rustle around for a minute, then there was silence. The next sound I heard was my cat sharpening his claws on the carpet. I could tell that he was over by the bedroom door. The next sound I heard was definitely a POUNCE! And then I had to get up to go to the bathroom, but it was dark, and I was so afraid I was going to step on a dead mouse in the dark. I tip-toed gingerly to the bathroom, making sure I didn't step on any surprises.

I think the cat missed the mouse, because I haven't seen a dead mouse laying around anywhere. I guess it's time to get out a trap.

Mission Slides

2011-10-25T18:52:00.000-07:00

Just a few more mission pics. I'm the skinny, gangly one. The Chinese used to call me "Olive Oyl". :)

Bright Spots

2011-10-24T09:49:00.001-07:00

I had a couple of bright spots in my day yesterday. First of all, the wild turkeys finally made their way to my front yard! But by the time I got my camera, they had migrated next door. I didn't have the right lens, so these aren't the best pictures, but it was fun to see them here. They got a little nervous and flew on top of my neighbor's house. We left them alone at that point because I didn't want them going in my back yard for Sally to eat!
Later in the evening, a friend from church brought me some cookies, and this cute little autumn bouquet that she made. Isn't it sweet? :)

Scanning Mania

2011-10-23T10:49:00.001-07:00

My husband and I finally figured out how to scan slides with our scanner. The slides are not in the best condition, but they range in age from 30-40 years old, so I guess I'm lucky they are still here! I did try to clean them, but it didn't really work. There might be a professional way to do it that would work better. I don't have many pictures of myself as a child, so I was happy to be able to scan these in. I'm also in the process of scanning my mission pictures, as well as my husband's mission pictures. This makes me very happy!!

Suffering

2011-10-22T19:25:00.001-07:00

Orson F. Whitney:
"No pain that we suffer, no trial that we experience is wasted. ...All that we suffer and all that we endure, especially when we endure it patiently, builds up our characters, purifies our hearts, expands our souls, and makes us more tender and charitable. ...It is through sorrow and suffering, toil and tribulations, that we gain the education that we come here to acquire."

Haircut

2011-10-22T16:11:00.001-07:00

Sally got groomed this last week. I took this picture a couple of days later, so don't pay attention to the fact that she needs another brushing. My neighbor did this grooming for me. THAT is a wonderful service to me!
While she was grooming her, she noticed that there was a sore on Sally's foot. She came back the next day, and took Sally in the back yard and soaked her foot in epsom salts. She clipped the hair around the open sore, and then brought her in the house to show me. I lifted up her paw, and as I did, my neighbor and I both saw something come sticking out of the wound! Kim grabbed it and pulled it out. It was a small piece of stick, about the width of a toothpick, but only about 1/2" long. The next morning she came back to check on her, and the wound was healed over! She is not only a good dog groomer, but she definitely has some innate veternarian skills! If you look carefully in the second picture, you can see the healed over sore on her right front foot.

Friday Loose Bloggers Consortium: Crochety

2011-10-20T13:58:00.001-07:00

Wow Padmum really came up with a challenging topic today! lol

When I think about being "crochety", I automatically think of being old. To me, you can't be just crochety, you have to be "old and crochety". :) It automatically sounds like a bad thing, but I can think of "crochety" old people who carried it off with style. Let me give you some examples:

--Did you see "Gran Torino" starring Clint Eastwood? He was definitely "cool crochety".

--I was watching some late show the other night and the guest was Don Rickles. He is quite old now, and is very crochety, but very funny. His "crochety" has earned him a lot of money! :)

--The ultimate in wonderfully crochety old people is "Maxine". She doesn't allow people to run over her, and knows who she is. If that is crochety, sign me up!

Now go see what the other Consortium members have to say about this!

Rummuser, Anu, Ashkok, Gaelikka, Grannymar, Conrad, Padmum, Magpie11, and Akanksha,Will Knot, Maria the Silver Fox, Anki, Nema Noor Paul Plain Joe, and Rohit

oops

2011-10-16T14:55:00.000-07:00

Sorry, was going to post a jibjab video here, but then I realized there was a bad word at the end.... oh well....

Friday Loose Bloggers Consortium: Self-Obsession

2011-10-13T21:14:00.000-07:00

Some of you may know that I have a hobby of doing handwriting analysis. I say hobby, because I've never had any professional training. But I have studied many books, and I really feel that I have learned a lot. It's not any kind of fortune telling. Handwriting analysis studies show that people with certain personality traits, have the same handwriting traits. Many companies in Europe use handwriting analysis when hiring employees. As I have looked at the handwriting of people I know, the traits they exhibit have been consistent with their personalities.

One trait in particular that I am thinking of today is the trait of someone who is inward looking. It isn't self-obsession in the selfish sense, but this kind of person is wholely focused on how things reflect on them. A person with this handwriting trait will want their children to succeed, but their underlying reason is so that they, themselves, look good. Conversly, they will feel their character has been maligned if their child does something dishonorable. This person is usually highly focused on appearances, and will do all in their power to appear well put together, even if their personal life is in shambles.

I actually have known several people with this handwriting trait. I often can predict who will have this trait. When I meet someone with this type of self-obsessed personality, I feel certain that the handwriting trait will also be present. I am rarely disappointed.

I'm a little hesitant to tell the handwriting trait to you. THere are many wonderful, kind, giving people, with this trait. But I don't want anyone to feel bad should they have this trait. But I suppose that most people know, deep down inside, if they are inward looking.

There is another handwriting theory that says that if you want to improve a certain personality trait, you should begin writing like the people who have that trait. I have a family member with the "inward looking" handwriting. I have often been tempted to encourage them to change their handwriting, to see if it would help them change their personality for the better. But maybe that's just too good to be true. Maybe personality changes are much harder to come by.

Rummuser, Anu, Ashkok, Gaelikka, Grannymar, Conrad, Padmum, Magpie11, and Akanksha,Will Knot, Maria the Silver Fox, Anki, Nema Noor Paul Plain Joe, and Rohit

Perceptions

2011-10-08T13:05:00.000-07:00

I decided to buy a headband for my hair. I was looking for a soft elastic one, and found that there were many colors available. One of the packs of headbands had lots of brown in it. I decided I should buy that one for my brown hair. Wait....brown hair? Um....I haven't had brown hair for many years! Wow, it is amazing the perceptions we have of ourselves! I think of myself as being brown haired, but actually it is silver now.

I was walking in the store and saw some women who were quite heavy, who were wearing very tight stretchy shirts that did nothing to hide the volume of belly. In fact, they actually made the "inner tubes" around their wastes look even larger! I kept wondering how they could allow themselves to go out in public looking like that. Then I passed a mirror and saw that my own stomach is nothing to be parading around. Although my shirts aren't as tight, still, I guess we all do the best we can with what we have. But a hint to those women: smaller clothes do not make you look smaller.

Lately when I walk past a mirror or glass window, the image that I see is my mother. So much about my physical appearance reminds me of my mother, even though my face doesn't really look like hers. I never really thought of myself as looking like her, but I guess I do. I guess I need to spend a little more time in the mirror so that my perceptions of myself meet up with reality. :)

Friday Loose Bloggers Consortium: Random Acts of Kindness

2011-10-07T08:32:00.000-07:00

I've been reading a book called, "The Kindness of Strangers". It is a compilation of essays written by various journalists, about how total strangers helped them during their travels around the world. Some of the stories are so fascinating, as the authors recount incredibly generous acts of kindness given by people who had no obligation to do so. One story that sticks out in my mind was about a journalist who had been helped by a man in a middle eastern country, and wanted to pay him a visit to thank him. He went to the village, and asked around for where this kind man lived. The people he asked, also asked around and were able to direct him to the house of the man. But the man was away for the day, and wouldn't be back until the next day. But his family took this man in and treated him like royalty. He was included in every family gathering and was fed, and bathed, and given a place to sleep for the night. The next day, when the "friend" returned from his travelling, it was discovered that it wasn't the man he knew after all! But the family still continued to treat him like an honored guest, and helped him locate the man whom he was searching. And I'm sure that if he ever found himself in that village again, he would be welcome in the home of those generous people.
It strikes me that random acts of kindness not only bless the person who is the recipient, but they bless the giver. Being kind helps us to develop a depth of character that cannot be experienced in any other way. It often costs nothing to be kind. You don't have to spend money to be kind. But it can mean the world to that one person who is in desparate need of the kindness of humanity.
Now go and see what the other Consortium members have to say about this issue!

Rummuser, Anu, Ashkok, Gaelikka, Grannymar, Conrad, Padmum, Magpie11, and Akanksha,Will Knot, Maria the Silver Fox, Anki, Nema Noor Paul Plain Joe, and Rohit

An Army of Faith: Inside the Missionary Training Center

2011-10-01T19:01:00.001-07:00

I LOVED this program that I watched on BYU television today about our missionary training center. It brought back so many memories of my own experience as a missionary. It really shows what the training is like, and the kind of young men and women who serve. I hope you will take some time to watch all of the segments. Click here to view the program.

More Time Travel

2011-09-30T10:33:00.000-07:00

Nene just commented and told me about this photo with Nicolas Cage. I have to say that I think John Travolta's "twin" looks more like him than this one looks like Cage. But it is eery! I think I have a very english looking face, so it probably wouldn't be that hard to find a look alike for me. Wouldn't that be weird to see?

Time Travel

2011-09-30T09:01:00.000-07:00

I just heard on the radio this morning that there is a seller on ebay who has "proof" that John Travolta has been travelling through time. I guess the fact that John Travolta is a Christian Scientist only adds to the mystic possibility of his time travel. I googled the information and found the picture below. What do you think? Has John been holding out on us? :)

Friday Loose Bloggers Consortium: Choose

2011-09-30T08:38:00.000-07:00

Upon looking at today's topic, I immediately thought of how our religion looks at the topic of being able to choose. Some people might call this "freedom of choice", but in our religion we refer to it as "free agency". A "free agent" is someone who is not a slave, and not bound to obey the rules of a master. God allows us this freedom to choose for ourselves, and does not force us to obey His commandments.

In addition to believing in the Bible, we believe that there can be additional scripture, and that there can also be on-going revelation, which also becomes scripture. We believe there have been many scriptures which have been lost, some of which were originally included in the Bible. We believe that other nations of people besides those in Bible lands were also commanded to keep a record like the Bible. In some of the additional scripture that we have in our church, we get this insightful information about what transpired in the Garden of Eden.

" And I, the Lord God, commanded the man, saying: Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat,

But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it, nevertheless, thou mayest choose for thyself, for it is given unto thee; but, remember that I forbid it, for in the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die." Moses 3:16,17

The key part of this account is that Adam and Eve were given the choice of whether or not they would obey the commandment God had given them to not eat of the tree of knowledge of good and evil. Today, we still have the choice about whether or not we will choose to obey God's commandments.

In fact, we believe that this life is a kind of test. We believe that we existed as spirit children of God before we were born. We were born to this Earth with no memory of our former existence, and no memory of God. In this way, we can truly be tested to see what we are made of. I like to liken this to training my dog. I have taught my dog that she isn't allowed on the furniture. When I am in the room, she does not get on the furniture. But the true test of character for her comes when I leave the room. Will she still obey when I am not around? In the same way, by sending us to earth with no memory of Him, God gives us an opportunity to be tested to see if we will choose to obey. He gives us that freedom of choice, and our life then becomes a proving ground to see what we will make of it.

It is interesting to note that Satan wanted things to work a different way. Instead of giving man freedom of choice, he wanted to force all men to obey. His plan would assure that not one soul would be lost. But that was not God's plan. Part of the reason for this earth life was to test us. If we were forced to obey, it would not be a true test. Freedom to choose was essential to not only this test, but to our progression. How could we grow and learn as people if we didn't have the freedom to make mistakes, and learn from them?

I hope this little "crash course" on our beliefs about the freedom to choose was not too condensed. I hope I was able to succinctly explain why choosing is so important in our religion beliefs. I'm so grateful that God puts that trust in us, and provided a Savior to help when we do choose the wrong path.

Now go and see what the other Consortium members have to say about this issue!

Rummuser, Anu, Ashkok, Gaelikka, Grannymar, Conrad, Padmum, Magpie11, and Akanksha,Will Knot, Maria the Silver Fox, Anki, Nema Noor Paul Plain Joe, and Rohit

Jet Lag and Insomnia

2011-09-27T09:02:00.000-07:00

I normally don't have a problem with insomnia, but last night I woke up about 3:00, and couldn't get back to sleep until 5:00. It probably didn't help that the cat came in the room and was climbing all over me and meowing. And he kept playing with things on the nightstand, and hitting them off. Finally I got up and went downstairs to make sure he had food. Once I did that, he left me alone. :S

My husband is still having problems with jet lag. He's never had this much of a problem before. When he first came home from China, he got sick, and that kept him up at night. But after he got well, he still couldn't seem to get back on schedule. He typically wakes up for a 3 hour period in the middle of the night, and sometimes even longer. Last night he fell asleep about 8:00, but woke up exactly as the clock turned midnight. He couldn't sleep for about 3 hours. After he came back to bed, and was trying to sleep, that's when the cat came in and was causing trouble. I don't know how he is ever going to get back on schedule.

My 18 year old struggles with insomnia. He often can't get to sleep until 2:00 or later. Sometimes he can't sleep until 4:00. He said he has struggled with this since he was a little boy. How come I never knew? I do remember that when he was in kindergarten the teacher came to me and said she was worried about him. She said he looked so tired all the time. I talked to him and found out that he was afraid of the dark. So I began leaving the closet light on for him, and it solved the problem. Hmm...maybe he needs a nightlight now? ;)

I happened to see that Kaiser offers an insomnia class. I think I might get him to go to that. Maybe they have tips for jet lag as well. As for me, I hope last night was a fluke, and that I sleep through the night tonight. zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

The Religious Test

2011-09-27T07:28:00.001-07:00

Childhood Memory

2011-09-24T20:50:00.000-07:00

We went shopping for a freezer today, and it brought back some interesting memories. While the salesman was showing us a freezer, he said, "This one doesn't have a lock on it, but if you don't have young children you won't need to worry." I said, "I was one of those children. I got locked in a freezer when I was young." He was very surprised, so I told him the story. I looked in my archives, and couldn't find this, so I'll tell it now.

Once when I was about three years old, my Dad left to go somewhere, and I threw a fit because I wanted to go with him. My mother wouldn't let me, and my father left without me. My mother said she thinks I was tired and needed a nap. I was crying and really throwing a tantrum, so my mother left me to spunk in the basement while she went upstairs. In the short time that she was gone, I found that I could open the door to our unplugged freezer. I carefully pulled all of my stuffed animals and dolls up in to the freezer, and then I got up on the rack with them. I have very vivid memories of this event, and I remember that I had to really work hard to get the door to close behind me. And then I had to work even harder to get it to actually click shut. But once inside, I quickly tired of laying down, but found that I couldn't open the door. I remember trying and trying in the dark to open the latch, but couldn't do it. I began to cry for my mother to come open the door for me, but she didn't come. I thought she was punishing me for crying, so I settled down and fell asleep.

I'm not sure how much time passed, but my mother discovered that things were too quiet, and upon investigation found that I was no where to be seen. She sent all of the kids to look up and down the street, and she herself began to search the house. I'm not sure how long they looked, but at one point my mother was just passing the freezer, when something told her to open the door. Can you imagine being a mother, and opening the door to an unplugged freezer, only to see your lifeless looking child laying there? She thought I was dead. She grabbed me out of the freezer and hugged me to her. At that point I woke up and cried, and she thankfully knew that I was alive.

As I related this story to the salesman, he said, "That's why we should always listen to intuition." I told him we needed to thank God! My mother felt it was more than "intuition" guiding her to open the freezer door that day. And I think the fact that I fell asleep may be the reason that I didn't suffocate. I am very thankful to God that my life was spared that day!

Friday Loose Bloggers Consortium: Marriage

2011-09-22T19:36:00.000-07:00

I made the mistake of writing about marriage when our topic was "eternity", so now I have to think of something different to say. :)

When I think back to my own marriage, I remember that for me, it was more about the marriage, than the wedding. My mother made my wedding dress for me, and when she asked me what kind of dress I wanted, I gave her a vague description. I really didn't care. For me, at that time, the wedding was just a hassle, and distraction from what I wanted most; the marriage. Some girls dream their whole lives about what kind of wedding they will have. I thought more about the kind of person I would marry. I was totally uncomfortable with all of the attention from wedding go-ers, and really just wanted to get on with my with marriage. My wedding was in one of our LDS temples, in St. George, Utah. That alone made it very special. The reception is a blur in my mind, because I really just wanted to get it over with. My mother has often said since then, that she would rather have given me the money it cost to have the reception, and not had one. Looking back, I think I would have preferred that! I have to admit that I worry about girls who are more concerned with the wedding, than they are with the marriage.

One more thought about marriage before I close. I really think that marriage, in many cases is a decision. Divorce is too easy, and becomes an easy way to not have to deal with problems. But if two people have decided they are going to make their marriage work, and both are trying, I think any marriage can work. When I say, "both are trying", I mean that neither is abusive, or unfaithful, or untrue to the marriage covenant in any way. Plenty of arranged marriages have survived far longer than marriages of people who chose each other. It just is more proof that being happily married is a decision. It takes work on the part of both parties. But I have found great satisfaction in my marriage. We are coming up on our 25th anniversary, and expect to have many similar anniversaries in the future.

Now go and see what the other Consortium members have to say about this issue!

Rummuser, Anu, Ashkok, Gaelikka, Grannymar, Conrad, Padmum, Magpie11, and Akanksha,Will Knot, Maria the Silver Fox, Anki, Nema Noor Paul Plain Joe, and Rohit

China Pics

2011-09-18T21:48:00.000-07:00

My husband just got back from a trip to China with his boss, and the company owner. I thought I would share a few of the pictures he took. You will notice a couple of these are images you saw during the Beijing Olympics. The last picture is how the president of the company managed beef noodle soup with chopsticks. ;)

Guide to the Single Guy or Girl

2011-09-18T10:30:00.000-07:00

I know that just because I am married, that doesn't make me an expert on how to get married. But I do have some tips for those who want to get married. This comes after a discussion with a single friend of mine. He was bemoaning that he is single, and I made the comment that I didn't want to hear him whine, because I had tried to line him up with someone, and he had refused without even meeting them. I tried to just get them to meet at first, but he wouldn't even hear of that. People often bemoan their single status, but they don't really make any plans for how to get married. That may sound cold and calculated, but I like to think of it as "goal setting".

So here are my tips for someone who wants to get married:

1. Put yourself in a position to meet other single people.

That may mean joining a club, or attending church social functions, or going to college; any activity that puts you in an environment with other singles.

2. Don't believe in "Love at first sight".

My experience is that I get to like people the more I get to know them. If it is love at first sight, then it is probably just physical attraction. Unless there is some other emotional connection, physical attraction will only take you so far. So even though you may not find someone "hot", don't discount them, because you may actually really like them once you get to know them.

3. Network

Experts on dating and marriage agree that networking is one of the best ways to find people to date. What does "networking" mean? It means to put out the word that you are looking for someone to date. Allow your friends to line you up for a blind date. I've heard so many people who have said something like, "My coworker introduced my future wife to me."

4. One date doesn't require you to marry

People now days have lost the meaning of the word "date". They think that if they date someone, they are bound by commitment to date them again. But look at dating in a different way. Look at it sort of like a "sampling". When you go to Baskin Robbin's ice cream, they allow you to taste some of the flavors before deciding which ice cream you want to buy. Think of a date kind of in the same way. You are just checking out the person to see if they are someone in who you might have interest. If you like your time with them, date them again. If you don't, move on to another "flavor".

5. Don't be too picky

My father used to always use this saying, "The older we get, the more particular, and less desirable we get." I think that's true. We begin to have higher and higher expectations for those we date. But in reality, we ourselves are no prize. Remember that every person has strengths and weaknesses. The trick is to find someone whose weaknesses you can live with. There is no perfect person. And even if you find the most gorgeous person in the world, chances are that within 10 years they will look vastly different from when you first met. A true long lasting relationship is one in which both parties are TOLERANT of the other's weaknesses, whether they are physical or are personality weaknesses.

6. Don't get stuck on the wrong person

I think one of the saddest things is when people get their hopes up about dating one particular person, although that person never quite shows the same interest. If you are spending month after month dating without any increase in commitment or depth of relationship, stop wasting your time. I've seen people who are sure that the person with whom they are infatuated is the right one for them. But in most cases, that person has already made it clear they just want to be friends. Sometimes we think we can change people. Or we believe they will change for us. But as Dr. Phil says, "The best predictor of future behavior is past behavior." If they don't seem willing to commit to you, move on.

7. Pray for help

If you are a religion person, pray for help in finding the right person. God can inspire your mind to know where to look. But that means you have to be willing to listen to the promptings you get. But I know from personal experience that this works!

8, There are no "soul mates"

I really believe that there isn't just one perfect soul mate for each of us. I really believe that any one of us could marry any number of people and be as equally happy. It all comes down to MAKING the relationship a good one. It's interesting to think about how marriage happens in other countries in the world. So many of them have arranged marriages, and the people live happily together for many, many years. What that says to me is that these people were willing to "make it work". That kind of attitude can go a long way in helping people to find someone to marry.

Well, as I said, I'm no expert on the matter, but I do feel I have some good advice to pass along. I suppose my last piece of advice is to "Listen to other people's advice"! Try out some of these tips and let me know how they work for you!

Friday Loose Bloggers Consortium: Breath

2011-09-16T02:00:00.000-07:00

I've been out of breath today, and so that is my first thought about this topic for our consortium today, but my mind has gone back to another breath as well. The breath I'm thinking of is a flower called "Baby's breath". It is used quite commonly in flower arrangements, and has clusters of tiny white flowers. I have vivid memories of this flower in my childhood.

When I was growing up, our family always went in the summer to visit my grandparents in small town in southern Utah. A good majority of the citizens of that town are related to me. I had a great aunt that lived down the street from my grandparents, who grew baby's breath next to the steps going up to her yard. I think that plant grew there for most of my life. Last time I was there, it was still growing. Can it be possible that the same plant has lasted for possibly 40 + years? I suppose it is possible that it re-seeded itself, but even in the winter, I could see the brown stems of the plant that had bloomed. This particular town gets very cold, below zero farenheit. How did that "baby's breath" plant survive those harsh winters?

I think that any passerby would, at first glance, think that this plant was a weed. But those of us who know, love it and I have always enjoyed seeing it throughout the years. I can't get some things to grow in my warm, California yard, but that baby's breath flower has flourished in the harshest of climates for many decades. I hope that when I return, it will still be there.

Now go and see what the other Consortium members have to say about this issue!

Rummuser, Anu, Ashkok, Gaelikka, Grannymar, Conrad, Padmum, Magpie11, and Akanksha,Will Knot, Maria the Silver Fox, Anki, Nema Noor Paul Plain Joe, and Rohit

in Remembrance of 9/11

2011-09-11T16:22:00.000-07:00

Our church participated in "International Peace Day" today. Many of the churches in our city have banded together to make this a memorable event. As part of our church's participation, I was asked to speak on the subject of "Finding Peace". I used as a basis for my talk, and article written by the president of our church, Thomas S. Monson, entitled "Finding Peace". We had some special musical numbers by the choir, and two other speakers.

When we first planned this event, some of us were a little uncomfortable with having this event on 9/11. We feared that some people might think that it deterred from the tragedy aspect of 9/11. But as I prepared my talk, and focused on how we can find peace, even in the midst of turmoil, I think it really helped me to commemorate the day better.

I remember that morning ten years ago. My husband had awoken before me, and turned on the television. He woke me up to tell me about the two planes that had crashed in to the world trade center buildings. We watched for awhile, unable to believe what we were watching. While I continued to watch the news coverage, my husband went to take a shower. It was while he was in the shower that the first tower fell. I remember being a little bit in shock, and not fully comprehending what I was seeing. I couldn't comprehend how many lives were just lost. I called out to my husband, and he ran in to see for himself. We were in total disbelief. He continued to get ready for work, and during that time the second tower fell. We felt devastated.

This past week I have been watching television documentaries about 9/11. It has been horrible to think about all of the lives that were lost, but it has been amazing to watch the strength of human character that was exhibited during that time. One of the things that impressed me most was that because some people chose to sacrifice their lives to help others, that inspired those they had helped to reach out and help others themselves. The stories of heroism and determination are what I want most to remember about that fateful day.

The true day for celebrating International Peace day is scheduled for Sept. 21. But I'm glad I could be part of our city's celebration today. And it reconfirmed to me that God is the true source of peace that "surpasseth all understanding". My prayers are with those who suffered and lost loved ones that day.

Friday Loose Bloggers Consortium: Things I Don't Tell About Myself

2011-09-09T08:53:00.000-07:00

Wow, I didn't realize it was Friday until I saw some of the other consortium members' posts on my blog roll. I really need to check the calendar more often. Today's topic is brought to us by Anu and Gaelika.

Contrary to what others have written on this subject, my post will not be a "tell all". I actually am a pretty open person, and feel comfortable discussing my feelings about almost any topic. I'm pretty confident, and don't mind talking. But at the same time, I realize that I am kind of a private person in some ways. I don't let too many people get very close. I have very few "best friends" in life because I am very private. If I don't talk about certain things, it's because I don't want other people to know! So I'm certainly not going to talk about them here. :P lol

Along with being private, I am very independent. I have a neighbor who doesn't like to do any activity unless she has invited another family or friend along. My husband and I cringe at the thought of having to have an activity with other people. We would rather just take our little family and go alone. Call us anti-social, but we just are so happy when we have some time just for our family. So I think that "anti-social" personality trait just adds to the private personality trait.

Having said all that, I do still think I'm pretty open about most things. Is there anything I haven't already written about? I've written about almost every topic under the sun. The only ones I haven't written about myself are the ones I"m not telling. :p lol

Now go and see what the other Consortium members have to say about this issue!

Rummuser, Anu, Ashkok, Gaelikka, Grannymar, Conrad, Padmum, Magpie11, and Akanksha,Will Knot, Maria the Silver Fox, Anki, Nema Noor Paul Plain Joe, and Rohit

Yellow Squash

2011-09-07T11:42:00.001-07:00

The one plant in my garden that has flourished the most is this yellow squash plant. I also planted a yellow crookneck squash, but it hasn't done well. But this one is going crazy! I've given squash to my neighbors, and we have eaten a ton of it. So imagine all of the zuchinni that you usually give away, and you will know how much yellow squash I've had! I'm wondering if I can make this in to a bread. I can only eat so much yellow squash! Actually, the ones in this picture are a little smaller than the other ones I've picked...

Nervous

2011-09-06T10:47:00.000-07:00

If you have a loved one who is getting ready to travel half way around the world by airplane, then I seriously recommend that you do not watch all of the 9/11 shows like I did this weekend. I actually loved the programs, but with a husband boarding a plane for China today, the last thing I needed to think about was terrorists hi-jacking airplanes! I told my husband about the shows I had recorded, and when he couldn't sleep last night, he watched them too. He had dreams all night about planes crashing. I guess it wasn't any better for him to watch than me.

You know what else makes you nervous? When your missionary son writes that he hasn't been feeling well because the medication he has taken for the "bugs" in his stomach has been a little too strong. And then he sends a picture like the one below.....

Cool, Clear Water

2011-09-01T10:53:00.000-07:00

This time of year, where I live, the water gets really nasty. I don't know how this works exactly, but my understanding is that the Delta water backs up in to our drinking water. I've never tasted water from a fish bowl, but I think that's how our water tastes. It's REALLY bad! Some summers we don't notice it at all, but this year it is enough to gag you. Some years ago I bought a water filtration system that hooks up to the faucet. It worked really good, but broke. I replaced it, and that one eventually broke. I found another one at a reasonable price, so I bought one a month ago. I can't believe how wonderful the water is now!

For my birthday, my step-mother in law gave me a $50 gift card to a local houseware store. I bought two nice lawn chairs on sale for $20 each, and then I saw the perfect thing to buy with my remaining $10. I bought a filtration pitcher! Now I have filtered water in my master bathroom! Do you know how many pills and vitamins we have taken with nasty fishbowl water? Now I can actually swallow the pill without grimacing! Isn't technology wonderful!

Friday Loose Bloggers Consortium: Culture Shock

2011-09-01T08:50:00.000-07:00

I'm a little early posting my Friday consortium post because I forgot to edit the post options, and then I couldn't figure out how to undo it! :) But at least I'm not late this week!

My first bout with culture shock came when I went to Taiwan to serve as a missionary for 16 months. There were the obvious outward cultural differences that are easily observed, such as taking off shoes before entering a house. But even these many years later, I am still learning the subtle social cultural differences. But for me, a young 21 year old girl, the language alone was a huge shock.

I had studied chinese for 2 months at our missionary training center. That may not seem like much time, but we studied all day long, and tried to speak the language as much as possible all day. We had a program called SYL, "Speak Your Language". Through this program we were encouraged to only speak the language we were learning, and then at the end of the day we would rate ourselves on a scale of 1-5 on how well we had done. This kind of immersion really does help a student to learn quickly. But we were learning an americanized accent, so were totally unprepared for the "real thing". Not only did the chinese in Taiwan sound different from our missionary training center (MTC) chinese, but our chinese sounded different to them! Mix in with that the fact that a large majority of people in Taiwan speak the "Taiwanese" dialect, and you get a whole new problem. My first three companions were chinese, and all spoke Taiwanese. I really thought I was going to have to learn Taiwanese! It took me several months to be able to understand what people were saying. THAT is culture shock!

But now here comes the weirdest culture shock. After being in Taiwan for 16 months, I had begun to see the world differently. I had heard that every 18 months your body totally reproduces every cell. So I joked that I had essentially been "made in Taiwan". That was very true when it came to my psychology. My first culture shock in returning to America came at the Dallas airport. No offense to any of you American men, but every American man that I saw in the airport looked very fat, very tall, blonde, and pasty colored. I know that not all American men are blonde, but that is the way they appeared to me after being in Taiwan with shorter, skinnier, black haired men. It was shocking to me how fat most Americans are! Trust me, I"m one of those fat citizens, but back then, it was a culture shock to see it after so many months away.

My next bit of culture shock came when I encountered carpet. In Taiwan, they usually don't have carpet, and they always take off their shoes when entering the house. They usually have house slippers they wear to keep the floors clean, but especially so if they have carpet. I remember when I came home, feeling that I could never wear shoes on carpet again!

I think for most missionaries, the first year home is the hardest when it comes to culture shock. Everything they see or hear, reminds them of something they saw or heard on their mission. Everything they do reminds them of a memory of the land where they served. It's tough to adjust to normal life again. My own children are currently serving on missions; one in Taiwan, and one in El Salvador. I know that they have already been integrated in to the cultures where they serve. They both have 6 months left before they come home. My son even wrote and said that he couldn't really remember what it is like here at home. I will be interested to see the culture shock they experience when they get home.

Canning Apples

2011-08-29T22:13:00.000-07:00

I have a "green apple" tree in my back yard, that produces very well. In years past I tried bottling applesauce, but the effort it took wasn't worth the small amount of applesauce it produced. It was easier and cheaper to just buy applesauce! Some years, because of health problems, or time constraints, I haven't done anything with the apples, and they have rotted on the ground.

My Sally dog loves them, and will play with them like with a ball. She picks them up and throws them for herself, and then will sit down and take little bites off of them. I haven't noticed them hurting her digestion at all, so I don't mind if she eats them. The squirrels have really been enjoying them this year, as do the bluejays.

Last spring we pruned this tree back quite a bit. Now we are getting even bigger apples! I decided I couldn't let these beautiful apples go to waste! I picked a couple of large bowls full and bottled some apple pie filling.

I had a couple of problems because 3 of my bottles didn't seal properly. I bought a brand of lid that I don't normally buy, and I will never buy again! I had to empty two of the bottles in to freezer bags, and had to freeze it. I had one more bottle left that I put in the fridge. Tonight I made "Apple Crisp" out of it. It was SOOOOOOO good! I think I'm going to go do another batch!

Click here if you would like to try the applie pie filling recipe that I used. Click here if you would like to make apple crisp. I didn't put the nuts in my recipe.

Remember, you won't get fat unless you make this often. ;)

Free Books and Selective Censorship

2011-08-29T15:14:00.001-07:00

I had to go to the Bishop's storehouse today to pick up a food order for a family, so I decided to go back to the Pleasant Hill library for their free book fair. I took a friend with me, and you can see her in the picture below. It wasn't as hot this time, so I was able to focus a little more, and got some good books.

Confession time. My husband and I each found an anti-mormon book. We each took them, and we each are throwing them away. You can call it selective censorship. :) We know for a fact that both of these books contain half truths, and in some cases complete lies. I can't pull them from the library shelves, but I sure can pull them from the free book pile. :P

So here is a list of what I got for free. I just grabbed ones that caught my interest, and a few of them I grabbed because they had been recommended to me. Most of these are hard bound. Oh, and Looney, I actually looked, but did not see Euclid's Elements. :)

--National Audubon Society Book of Wild Birds
--The Incas and Their Ancestors by Michael Moseley
--Q is For Quarry by Sue Grafton
--L is for Lawless by Sue Grafton
--P is for Peril by Sue Grafton (These were recommended by Inklings and Nene)
--A Treasurey of Great Russian Short Stories Pushkin to Gorky Edited by Avrahm Yarmolinsky
--Captain Cook by Alistair MacLean
--The ABC's of Handwriting Analysis by Claude Santoy (one of my hobbies)
--Columbus by Felipe Fernandez Armesto
--Lost by Michael Robotham (suspense novel)
--Trapped by Michael Northrop
--JOhn Donne's Poetry Selected and Edited by A.L. Clements
--To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee (I may already have a copy, but grabbed it just in case)
And I got these cassette tapes:
--Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by JK ROwling
--Field Guide to Bird Songs Western Region by Kevin J. Colver with Donald and Lillian STokes (I got this for my bird loving neighbor)
--Dave Barry Talks Back (read by ARte JOhnson)
--William Shakespeare Romeo and Juliet, a full-cast performance featureing Claire Bloom, Albert Finney, and others
I also got the video: Experience Alaska
I haven't looked much at my husband's box, but he and I both grabbed a couple of cassette books about learning Korean and Cantonese. :)

For those of you who live in the Bay area, I heard that Dublin will also be having one of these free book fairs soon. It's a fun time! Make the effort to go!

Inhaling Food

2011-08-28T22:38:00.000-07:00

We were kind of tired when we came home tonight after choir practice, so we decided to just make some soup and cheese sandwiches for dinner. I heated up a can of condensed tomato soup, and a can of Italian meat ball/vegetable soup (that you don't add water to). I made about 5 cheese sandwiches, and cut up a whole cantelope to eat with it. We also had a loaf of french bread that we cut a few slices from. Just as we were sitting down to eat, I decided to run upstairs for just a minute. I told my husband and two boys to start without me. I don't think more than 5 minutes passed. When I came downstairs, all the food was gone! lol The soup was gone. The sandwiches were gone. The entire cantalope was gone. 5 minutes.... lol There still was some of the loaf of bread. lol

In case you are worried, I really didn't feel like eating that anyway. When I went on vacation, and left my son alone, I had bought a few frozen dinners. He didn't want to eat them, so I heated one up for my dinner. Wow...they always say that if you snooze you lose. I guess that means even if you only snooze for 5 minutes! lol

Free Books

2011-08-27T21:12:00.000-07:00

My husband and I went to the Pleasant Hill library today. As we were getting ready to leave, we found out they had a huge parking lot full of books they were giving away free! The entire parking lot was full of HUNDREDS of boxes of books! I would have looked more carefully, but standing on the black top with the sun bearing down got too hot for me. But I was able to find a few books I wanted, some videos, and some books on tape. Score! My husband came away with a whole box of books, as well as one of those motivational business tape sets. Conrad you should go take a look!

Friday Loose Bloggers Consortium: Smile

2011-08-26T04:30:00.000-07:00

Well, I have mixed emotions about smiling today. Today is my 50th birthday. While I should smile because I made it 50 years, I can't help thinking of the phrase, "Half a century". I guess it's a matter of looking at the glass half full as opposed to looking at it half empty. So although 50 may be hard to swallow, I'll still leave you with a smile because I'm happy I made it this far!

I'm Glad I Have a Dog

2011-08-25T17:23:00.001-07:00

I just found out that about noon today, one of the teenager neighbors down the street was just getting out of the shower when he heard the doorbell ring. He didn't answer it right away. When he finally came out, he met 3 burglars who were just putting on their gloves in preparation for stealing. I haven't heard more of the details yet, but all I can say is, I sure am glad I have a dog!