December!

I forgot to mention that on November 20th, the Stake President sent our missionary paperwork to Salt Lake City. For senior missionaries the process takes about 5-6 weeks. So we will not expect to hear anything until about the first of the year.  Apparently, they send the couple's info around to all the sections that need senior couples- military, humanitarian, education, public affairs, office couples... to see if we have skill sets they need.  Then it goes to the apostle who looks at the list of requests and makes a decision.  Since we're happy to go wherever the Lord wants us to... I'm fine with that.  I'm just anxious to know where we'll be going.

I worked on writing this week.... to make up for my lack of work over Thanksgiving. My two main projects are a 10 email series for Eagle Publications, a financial newsletter; and a long sales promo package for Chad Walker, a new guy trying to move into the financial newsletter space.  I got some work done on both of them.

Chad's promo I'd done a lot on and sent it off to my a friend to copy-chief it. She reviewed it. We had a phone call... and basically I need to change it all.  But I'm okay with that. I think the revision will be much better.

I was also asked to do a little revision on the financial book I'd finished months ago. It's still in the production process. Deborah is doing more copy editing. And they keep adding more things for her to look for as she edits.

We had a monster wind blow through about two weeks ago.  It completely blew the metal awning type roof off of the tractor shed. It landed intact in the next field. Well... mostly intact. A few dings worse for wear. Tom and Katie and Aaron carried it back to the correct field and Tom started on rebuilding the support structure.  The last supports were a leeetle bit too close.  As in... the tractor clobbered one support already.

So Tom moved them out a few feet and nailed 4x4 support beams across the top. On Saturday, the cow people came over-- the father and two teen boys.  Together we hoisted the awning back up over the top of the support beams and slid it into place. This time we'll use metal brackets and other fastners to secure it to the beams and wall.

They had a half dozen round hay bails delivered as well, and I thought they could go into the barn. So Tom cleaned it out a bit-- organizing the wood and other odds and ends we collected in the barn-- and they rolled the bales into the barn.  It looks much nicer outside now.

Thursday we invited a new family in our ward over for dinner.  Their last name is Tobler... as in chocolate. How could we not invite them.  Their family line comes from Switzerland, too.  They have two little girls 4 and 14 months.  It was kind of a lively dinner and fun to get to know them.

Friday we did our sort-of-annual housing inspection. We went to all our rentals, plus Adam's, Deborah's, and Rebecca's to check them out. We ask if they have any problems- leaks, electrical outlets not working... etc. We see if they've added more or unauthorized pets or people to their houses and how clean things are. Does the yard need raking?  Most all of them were pretty good, except one of Rebecca's tenants was filthy. Fortunately, Tom fixes the problems (there weren't many) and the property management fixes the filth and other lease discrepancies.

We got back home in time for our new washing machine delivery. Tom had moved the old one out Thursday night.  So the delivery people got to shoe-horn the new one in. It's taller and longer, but fortunately no wider... so it fit into the slot.

Later in the afternoon, we went to see the Justice League movie.  It was entertaining.

Saturday, in addition to the awning work, we cleaned out the chicken coop, trimmed bushes in the front garden, and got the front area ready for winter. The neatly trimmed bushes look refreshingly precise and clipped.

Sunday we had a lovely fast and testimony meeting. In Relief Society they introduced the new lesson format we will follow after the first of the year. I think it will be a great change. After the meeting block, we met with the Self-Reliance Initiative leader from Tulsa area as well as the Stake leader.  We had some Q and A.  Then back at 4 pm for our next to last Self Reliance class.  In the evening will be the First Presidency Christmas Devotional.  That is always a delight.