Tuesday I had my mastermind call and then an interview with the inventor of the paint can sealer. He was a kid who worked at ACE hardware store then went to engineering school and attended a class where they had to invent something. It had always bugged him-- the noise, the mess, the dented cans or paint spills from improperly sealed cans. He thought, there's got to be a better way. Like a true engineer he solved each problem and them figure out the form needed. It's a pretty cool tool.
A man from our ward who doesn't read allowed his ID card to expire. He can't get an ID card without a birth certificate. Turns out he couldn't get a birth certificate without a valid ID card. So I spent a few hours checking on line, calling the vital records in Nebraska and finally finding two alternate ways. Then he called his sister he hadn't spoken to in 7 years and she will send him his birth certificate.
Wednesday I finished the patient software website and sent it off. I also spent a lot of time working on the Women's Retreat we have coming up in April. I called all the teachers and asked them to teach the classes or be the keynote speaker. One planned to be out of town but gave me another suggestion so that turned out okay. I typed up specifically what the classes would be about, time, date, address and directions (some are from out of state) and sent the notes off to the speakers.
Thursday I spent more time on church stuff. This week is ward conference in West Plains. I was supposed to teach the Relief Society lesson. On the first Sunday of the month, the lesson needs to be created as there's no formal lesson plan. I had some ideas, but... I also wanted to move forward on some ideas I had for handouts and posters for the retreat to show my counselors when we met.
Tom and I both did some walking and running. At a garage sale last week, we purchased a quality treadmill for a very decent price. I've used it twice. It's not so hard to use at a steady mileage. But I was trying to read and walk and punched in a 25 minute exercise routine. Suddenly it like doubled the speed! Yikes! I decided if I"m reading, it has to be a stead pace. Perhaps I should listen to conference talks or books on tape or something.
Tom decided this was the week to change out the cement footings supporting the pillars holding up our living room extension. I met this idea with trepidation, but he assured me he could do it. So he rented some jacks and jacked up the support beam and removed the two columns. The cement below them had settled a little. He then rented a cement saw and cut a larger hole and the brawny man dug and pulled out the former hulking cement piers. Then he dug through the rock and clay to make the hole 24' x 24"x18"inches deep instead of about 16"x16"x12".
Friday we had a cement truck come and deliver3/4 yard of concrete to fill the holes. He did a lovely job of smoothing off the cement top. We only have a few cat prints to show for the work. It's curing over the weekend and on Monday he will reinstall the former columns. Then whatever cracks are in the drywall from the settling and moving can be patched and should not grow again.
Saturday was a service day. We looked at the last few rental properties to see what maintenance was needed. Then Tom picked up a member's dead car... that had been at another member's house to be checked out... and brought it to our house preparatory to them deciding to junk it or to use it as a trade in.
One of my visiting teachees was having a health problem. I spent the afternoon talking with her on the phone, going shopping for her and taking her the food. She lives a good 30 minutes north and west of town and her house is back from the road and unmarked. So Tom drove me out there to find it. (He'd taken the bushhog out to mow her fields once.) We visited and then came back home. We ate a quick meal and then another person dropped by for a visit and some advice.
I had not planned on any of that. I'd thought I'd have lots of time to finish my lesson, my hand out ideas and poster.... Oh the woes of procrastination. But by 11pm it was all done.
I had a lovely drive to West Plains today. It was a good conference and I think my lesson went well. We visited afterwards with a sweet sister. After listening to her trials, I felt very blessed. We do have some wonderfully strong women in our church! I think Tom had a little harder day than I but seems to be the lot of a bishop at times.
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