Home

Monday night Cynthia and Jim came to dinner.  It's always so nice to visit with them.  They had plans for the rest of the week, so that was the last day I saw them.

I had such a nice visit with Mom, I hated to come home.  She spoiled me and pampered me and I loved it! Tuesday we went to lunch at a very nice new restaurant... and only got turned around once (poor directions on their part.)  But we made it and enjoyed some great Italian food.

We watched the nightly news.  We talked.  We took walks in the mornings. Sometimes we just worked parallel things.  I worked on my copywriting course.  I certainly know a lot more than I did a few months ago.  And, I'm good at this stuff! Mom painted-- here you see the flamingo she's working on.  She's good, too!

Mom drove me to the plane on Thursday about noon.  I had uneventful flights and go a lot of reading done.  Tom picked me up in St. Louis at 10:30 pm.  Late for him as he'd had a busy week and had to drive the 4.5 hours that day.  But not so late for me since it was only 8:30 California time.  Tom sanded the hardwood floors in Deborah's house, finished the painting and the trim work, and it looks lovely.  We drove out to see it together on Saturday.

We spent Thursday night in St. Louis and joined our ward family at the temple on Friday.  I went from balmy to blustery, but it was good to see fall.  The leaves were spectacular!  It was great to be in the temple with so many friends.  I think there were about 57 members of our ward there--- plus one deacon who helped out tremendously in the baptistery.  We returned home just about dark and our chickens were fine and all was well.

Saturday I settled in a bit and Tom along with other priesthood brothers helped an elderly sister move.  While we heard the "Trunk or Treat" night at the church was a rousing success, we opted for a quiet night at home.

Today was church.  I really enjoy the little ones in primary.  They are so cute!  And sometimes.... sometimes they listen, and learn, and absorb truths!  It's delightful to see their minds at work!  Tom took in the computer and used the last hour to show how to access all the information on lds.org-- the ward calender, changing your personal information or uploading your picture, the ward list of members.  Finding a church near you.  the scriptures and scripture notebook, the general conference talks and Ensign, New Era, and Friend magazines, church music, ldsyouth.org with videos just for them and a place to sign in and personalize their Duty to God or Young Women Personal Progress programs.  Until we were researching on Saturday, I didn't know you could find the other ward members on a map and get directions to their house.  I didn't know you could keep a scripture journal and transfer to it scriptures, parts of talks or articles, and also make notes.  There are so many ways it assists one.  I had a substitute for my primary class last week, and so didn't have my manual.  I just downloaded the lesson from the lds.org.

And now we head into another busy week.  Will it slow down to normal?  Note likely.  This IS the new normal!