Two Weeks!

Sorry that I took a break last week. So here is a two week update.

Deborah and family came to visit over her children's Spring Break. I went home with Deborah on Sunday March 29^th and spent two nights at her house. It was lovely to spend more time with her family. I did go to ½ of ½ and do some therapeutic shopping.

Early Tuesday morning Deborah drove me to the airport. I didn’t realize that a flight that got me to LA about noon and left at 6am meant I had to be up by 4AM!  Nevertheless, the flights were uneventful and Cynthia was waiting at the airport for me. We stopped by her office to collect some of her things—as she was moving to a home office. And then we went out for a nice lunch. It was fun to chat and catch up.

It was so nice to see Mom (GG). She is doing well. She says her vision is not as good as it was and sometimes she is tired, but she did a good job keeping up with us all. I settled in on Tuesday.

Wednesday we went to dinner at Cynthia and Jim’s house. Thursday Steve and Kathy came to visit. He had a meeting in California the following week and flew out to spend some time with Mom. He introduced me to the Atkins diet and I tried it for a few days. I loved eating all the fat and protein I wanted. Doing without sugar and carbs was a bit harder. I did learn how to eat a hamburger with a “lettuce bun.”  It actually tasted pretty good… as did a LTB sandwich wrapped in lettuce.

One day we took Mom shopping and got a new toaster oven for her. I was on the lookout for wall paper that I could use as the exterior for programs for our spring stake women’s retreat. It seemed like we passed the time in a maze of eating, talking, shopping and such.  One day Cynthia came over and we decorated Easter eggs. 

 Here are the eggs wrapped and ready to be dyed.

We dyed them in natural dyes-- onion, eggplant, orange peels, and beets.  The onion ones turned out nicely.  The beets-- not so much. I think we left them in too long. The other were quite pale, too.

One evening—noon time???-- Sally drove down with Walter Donop, Jr. and we had a meal at Cynthia’s house. He seemed pleased to see us and to be included in the visit. Sally brought a bunch of Donop genealogy down to look at.

I was able to watch both sessions of Saturday General Conference. Then on Sunday, I got most of the first session before taking Mom to Easter Sunday at her church. I watched the afternoon session and then we went to Sherrill Macur’s (my cousin) house for Easter dinner. She had decorated her house very nicely and has such a beautiful house with a great view. It was fun to visit with her and her husband Roger, Aunt Ruth (her mom) Cynthia and Jim and Steve and Kathy.

We talked politics and religion which was quite interesting as the group ranged from liberal to conservative, religious to not very. It did get a little lively… but I don’t know that anyone was mortally offended.

Monday Sally came down again and we looked at the Donop genealogy. We tried to see if we put in some names in the family tree on LDS.org if we would find someone else who was also working on the line… but we could not. We spent some time reviewing some of the things Mom had on her list from when she first moved. Who had asked for what?  Had they gotten it?  Did she have things she was ready to give away that people wanted?  It was pretty complicated. I think we may have to create a new list and try again. She did divide up some bracelets and earrings she no longer had a use for. I got a wonderful clunky copper one. Then when I packed, it was so tight, I had no place for it. So I wore it home. I found it matched what I was wearing that day… and the next. So I guess it really is my color.

Monday afternoon we went to the Department of Motor Vehicles and turned in mom’s license for an ID card. It was a bit of a process, but everyone was very nice. And in a few weeks she should have her ID card.

Tuesday Mom and I went on a marathon shopping trip. I found some wall paper that would do for my program covers. Mom wanted greeting cards so we found a dollar store. Jim had foot surgery that day so we wanted some get well cards for him.

Then we hit Trader Joes, had lunch at a nice little bakery, and looked for some clothes for mom at Marshalls and Nordstrom’s off the Rack. We found a few things for her.  We left about 10:30 am and got home about 4 pm. We were both tired. Had an easy meal and I packed my bags.

Wednesday Cynthia came for breakfast and we chatted. Jim’s surgery went well and he seemed to be pain free at least at that time. Then mom had a friend from church take me to the airport. He was a Kenyan, so we had a lovely chat as we drove to the airport. His manner of speech took me back to our mission.

I did some work on the plane, then succumbed to a book. I got to Fayetteville about 10pm and there was my sweet daughter waiting to pick me up!  I love my family!  The next morning, Deborah and all the non-school children (Simon, Christopher, and Samantha) and I drove up to Mt. Vernon, MO to Jonathan’s new house.

Jonathan had driven down with a U-Haul full of food storage and furniture. We spent the next few days assembling furniture and cleaning. He had the floors sanded and stained. They had not applied the finish coat yet because we were going to be there before it had a chance to dry. However the dust had gone all over the place. So we cleaned and dusted and wiped out cupboards. We weeded their small garden patch and Jonathan planted some seeds. We walked the perimeter of the 40 acres and got a feel for the property and where fencing was needed. It was nice to spend time with Jonathan.

We left Jonathan's about noon on Saturday. The freeway was lined with redbud trees.

We came home in time for me to fix chicken salad (for Sunday) and then go to a baptism. Tom was doing the baptizing and I was leading music. We had this sweet woman in our home for lessons, so we were excited for her.

Once we came home, I needed to finish some writing homework, plan Relief Society Training, and practice some songs. Sunday I needed to train the RS, and practice these songs… all at the same time! AKK. I was also supposed to go to another meeting—but got excused from that.

I had my counselors and secretary start the training, while I went and practiced with 6 other sisters for the Relief Society visiting teaching event on Thursday. Then I came back and participated in the training. This is a new RS presidency and they were very attentive to the training. That took longer than I thought it would, but it was good.

Afterwards, about 3pm, my counselor and secretary came over to my house. Tom had Bishop’s Youth Discussion just about over as we arrived. I served the meal I thought we might do for the Stake Women’s Retreat and they pronounced it good. We discussed how to fix it and what we should do for desert. We covered programs and decorations and I think have finalized most things. We inventoried our paper supplies and made lists of things to shop for and price. We finally got done with that about 5 pm. Phew!  What a day.

Tom took me on a walk around the property to see the dogwood in bloom. My phlox are so lovely and showy in front and my flowering quince bush is glorious. Tulips are blooming and so is the lilac bush. Spring is a wonderful time.

Now I’ve written to missionaries and to grandchildren. I have other notes to write. But I think I may be done for the night.