A Simple Woman's Daybook~October 6, 2014

Our lives pass swiftly by! I want to do something to remember

the everyday moments and my thoughts about them.  

That is what this Daybook is all about.

Focusing on the little things that become my life.

One entry at a time.

Just for today~Monday, October 6, 2014 

Outside my window...it is 3:40 pm and I am just taking a break from my teaching preparations to do a little blogging.  It is warm and sunny out.  An Indian summer like we always get after it cools off and we think summer is over.  We'll be safely into autumn by Halloween, but anything goes between now and then.

I am thankful for....making the decision to join the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints 36 years ago.  It has been the best thing ever.  We have worked hard and grown and served others and been served by them, and come to know Christ in a better way and we have had an abundance of blessings.  

We have learned so much of the Savior's ways and grown in our faith and  dependence upon His grace. And we have made wonderful life long friends that have supported and sustained us through it all.  We have been happy through thick and thin because of our choice and desire to believe.  We have felt joy in our sorrows knowing He is with us to lift us up.

From the learning room...persistence and daily good habits help us accomplish the big things.  That and just never giving up when we feel like it.  We can and must push through it.  When something is right we stick with it even when it is hard.  We can and we do hard things all the time. 
It is how we develop our character and become who we are eventually meant to be.  We should not believe the things we think about ourselves are true just because they pass though our heads through negative self talk.  Instead we should ask ourselves the good questions like what did I do well this week to move towards my goal?  If it worked...repeat it.  It is by small and simple things that good things are brought to pass.

I am reading...Cooked by Michael Pollan.  Pollan offers some very convincing arguments for how cooking our own food at home is the best way to regain our health as a nation.  It is a sequel to Food Rules.  Also very straight forward and compelling for health and well-being.  I am trying hard to relearn how to like cooking again.  As you know if you come by often it is not my favorite thing.  But I am willing to learn to love it again.

From the kitchen...Taco salad tonight.  Looking forward to that.

Some spiritual thoughts I have been having...letting our burdens go is a big thing for most of us.  We want to hang on to them and own them and worry about them.  This is non-productive.  We need to enlist the help of God in overcoming this and being faithful.  Worry and fretting is a form of unbelief and fear that we just don't need in our lives.  We do our best and find faith instead of fear.  We carry on and find the win in laying it all down.

Someone I am praying for this week...Friends and family that are struggling or incapacitated right now.  Our good friend Stephen who had shoulder surgery today and Hazie still recovering from her eye surgery. Annabelle a baby born with multiple problems just a few weeks ago, and Ben an 11 year old boy with a serious battle with leukemia right now.  Praying also for all those who have personal and unknown struggles and that need prayers as well.

I am missing...Carol...come home soon!  It is just not the same when you are gone.  Tomorrow will be a struggle without you there to entertain me. Sigh...

I am hearing...Josh Grobin's Hidden Away.  That guy's seriously talented.  On my bucket list to see in concert one day.  I just got an invitation from my new friend on Pinterest, Connie Smith, to join her next time she goes.  I'm in!

One of my pleasures...Mondays when I can get so much done without interruptions.  Getting up at 5:00 am is painful but has its definite advantages. I also take pleasure in the day after General Conference for our church and all the cool things to reflect back upon.  

Pet Peeves...Seeing political signs going up everywhere.  I don't mind that but I detest the politicians that never return to take them down after the election.  Such poor manners.

Past Remembrance...the other day I drifted back to my childhood  memories  and recalled when my mom would put me on the kitchen counter and wash my hair.  She would lather up my long hair and then form it into a unicorn's horn and she'd let me sit up and look at it in the hand mirror.  It was mighty cool and very tall.  Then she would rinse all the soap out and rinse my hair with cold white vinegar.  It smelled so yucky but made my hair squeaky clean and tangle free. What made me think of it...opening a bottle of white vinegar and smelling "that smell" again.  Oddly I hadn't thought of that since I was a little girl.  Funny how the smell of something can trigger thoughts like that.  Two others fragrances that come to mind...Aqua Net hair spray (being a teenager) and Noxzema (summer, swimming and sunburns.)

I am quoting...Pinterest...Thought this was funny but looking for a paradigm shift so I will exercise more and feel better.  Getting the new lifestyle under control, now must get to this.  Diamonds sure would help though.

If I could change one thing it would be...that I would not need a dental implant to the tune of $5,000!  Holy Cow.

An enjoyable movie/ TV show we have watched lately...there are 8 seasons of Foyle's War.  Can hardly wait to watch it when we get the chance.  I am in love with that man.  He is so sweet, with a sadness about him that his eyes cannot conceal.

I am curious about...what life will feel like once I am done working on these conference presentations coming up on October 18th.  I'll be able to just breathe maybe?

Plans for the rest of the week...haven't thought much about it until right now.  Just the usual routine. Work and play and sleep and go for some walks. You know.  I am starting to think about the holidays a little.  I got all my fall decor out and up so that is the gateway to all of it. I do love doing it.  The warm feelings that fall engenders take me a long way.  I'm in the nesting mood.  Just want to stay home and cozy up.  Shuffling clothes between summer and fall until summer is gone.

One of my favorite things...seeing my hubby so happy in his new wood shop.  After over three and a half years of laborious toiling with David, it is finally done.  He is doing the fun stuff now and he is in his glory.  It is really pretty sweet since he has wanted this since he was 17.  It was even sweeter to watch Jim and Dave work together.  There are few friendships as devoted as theirs.  They did an absolutely amazing job.  It looks like it has always been there nestled beneath the tall trees that surround it.  The outside is beautiful, the inside is, well "industrial" but beautiful to them.  So many regular tools and big shop floor tools that I couldn't tell you what they even are...but he is in hog heaven.

One thing that made me so happy this past week...Receiving an original wedding picture of my grandparents from my 2nd cousin in Arizona, Our grandparents were siblings.  Thank you, Jim Godfrey. Cousins are the best!

The most surprising thing this past week...hearing from one of my best friends in grade school through Facebook.  Sixty years has passed since we had contact.

A photo I am sharing this week...

                            

Just a picture of the sky I took while waiting at a stop light last week.  This is not a typical California sky.  Love these billowy white clouds and the bright blue sky.  Hope all is well with you dear readers!

UNTIL THE NEXT DAYBOOK,

 BE HAPPY AND CARRY ON!

June is a Month of Celebration!

My brothers, Steven and Gary

I think I could have spend the entire month writing about the celebrations of the special occasions that occur every year in June.  It is a good thing we do not imbibe as we'd have barely seen a sober day!  Haha!  Our birthdays for the month started June 1st.  My brother Gary turned 62 that day.  My brother Steve is 65 today.  That is who I planned to tell you about today.

But first let me at least give mention to some other great days this month just for the record, lest you think I'm kidding.  On June 2nd, our youngest grandson Owen turned 7.  June 4, was my cousin Chuck's 66th birthday, June 10th was our 35 baptismal anniversary, June 15th our 46th wedding anniversary and Father's Day, June 16th was our sister-in-law Emily's birthday and the baptismal anniversary of our cousin Stephen, June 23rd was our family sealing anniversary in the Oakland Temple 35 years ago, June 23rd my "new" cousin William turned 69,  June 27th my cousin Bob turned 70 and today, June 29th my brother Steve is having a turn.  Then let us not forget the graduates...Hazel graduated from Kindergarten, Ross from Elementary School, Connor from Junior High (all grandkids) and our great nephew Thomas from High School.  So now you can see I wasn't kidding if we had been toasting each and every one of these events.  Holy toledo!

Not only that but it doesn't lighten up for another week.  July 2nd my birthday turning...well getting older.  July 3rd Ross turns 12, July 4th we celebrate another year of Independence and Liberty and on July 6th Ross will be ordained as a Deacon.  After that a pause for a little while.

Here's one big pretty cake to celebrate June for everyone!

If I missed anyone, have a piece with us!

Jim: "That is not a cake!"
Me: "Yes it is, Honey!  It is a ribbon cake on
 a vintage cake stand!"
Jim:  "No way!  That is a big pile of ham on a fancy dish."
Me:  "Sigh..thought bubble....Men!"  ;-)

When I think of my brothers I think two things.  I love them to pieces and I miss them.  I miss the days when we saw each other every day growing up, even though they drove me nuts once in awhile back then.  You know how it is with younger siblings.   They are kind of ridiculous if they act their age and annoying if they think they are old enough to hang out with you and your friends.   Aside from the usual sibling things we got along very well.  At least that is how I remember it.  I am not sure what they would say.  Everyone's perspective is so different in any given situation even when all are there and present in the same scenarios.  

We grew up in a good home where our parents tried their level best to create a happy home for us and teach us correct principles.  We went to Lutheran schools which was a close community of friends and culture.  We felt loved and secure and I don't remember ever worrying about anything beyond kid stuff.  They sheltered us from the worries and cares of the adult world.  It was nice.

 The only times I remember feeling really scared as a child was during the Cuban Missile Crisis and when little Stevie got lost at the State Fair at age three...just as the sun was setting.  We were not wealthy in anything but a good family and always had what we needed and often what we just plain wanted.  We did not have a lot of clothes or stuff like our kids and grandkids do today. We didn't even know to want it I guess.   It just wasn't the way things were then. Our parents struggled with finances sometimes but we didn't know any difference between the normal times and the lean. 

Both my brothers got their college degrees and went on to marry my great sisters, Marilyn and Emily.  We have spent some amazing times together over the years but the busyness of modern times has taken its toll.  The raising of kids and hectic work schedules and other obligations have created a time when we just don't get together as much as I would like.  I am a real family girl; you know me!  But I love them both very much and am happy whenever we do get together.  So that is why I said, "I love them and miss them in the beginning!"  They both have good families that contribute to society in a great way.  

I am happy for the great kids they both have and the grandkids that Steve and Emily have.  And today as it is Steve's actual birthday I want to wish him the very best day with his clan.

Here is a picture of Gary on his birthday and one taken a few years ago with their two kids!   Their daughter had lunch sent in for them for Gary's Birthday this year. She lives in Utah now.  He looks pretty happy about that gourmet pizza!  Their son lives in NYC.  Sure miss them!

And below is one of Steve and one of their 

daughter's children and one of his son's daughter.

Cuties aren't they?

So happy celebrations to you and yours.  I believe in celebrations.  These are the days that set days apart from the ordinary and create great family memories.  Upward and onward to July!  Happy Fourth if I don't get back here between now and then.  Party on!  And be safe!

Beautiful Couple~My Parents

Married 72 years ago last week

 on September 28, 1941

I miss them and feel grateful for

 Their wonderful parenting everyday!

Sacramento and The Forgotten Carols

The Sacramento Memorial Auditorium

where the musical was performed.

Jim and I had a fantastic time going to Sacramento on Monday and seeing the Forgotten Carols, a really wonderful Christmas Musical written by Michael Mc Lean. The musical is about the forgotten carols of Christmas and suggests that we all have our own carol for Christmas. The Forgotten Carols is about the players in the Christmas story that kind of take a back seat, like the Innkeeper, A Shepherd that slept through the whole thing, A Maiden that helped Mary tend her newborn baby. It was just so delightful. What a talent Michael Mc Lean has!

I was born and partially raised in Sacramento. We left there when I was 12 to move to the Bay Area. When we approached the auditorium I remembered I had been here as a child. Twice I performed in a ballet recital (no laughing, I was skinny when I was a kid) here and also attended the Nutcracker here once. I had totally forgotten about that but it did bring back a flood of early childhood memories. We had dinner at PF Chang's right across the street and it was so comforting being there again after many years. It was a nostalgic, enchanting evening. It really put us in the mood for Christmas.

We stayed at the Holiday Inn just 12 blocks from the theater and right beside Old Town Sacramento. Jim was out early taking these photos while he patiently waited for me to get ready for the day.

This is the H Street Bridge,
one I passed over many times in my childhood.

We came down this way because Jim loves the Train Museum in Old Town and this was an outing for his birthday. While he did that in the afternoon I shopped around Old Town and then went to the Westfield Mall next to our hotel and found some great glass candle sticks for our mantel and some pomegranate scented candles. Then I was freezing so I had a carmelized apple cider from Starbuck's. I always feel like a martian when I go into Starbucks, I don't know the lingo or how they roll there at all. It is comical.

The cider was delicious and I sat outside and texted back and forth with Laura! That was great as she had been here with me before so she knew all about exactly where I was and could envision it all. She and I both whined about our not being together at the moment or for the holidays! We always whine about that.

This was a great get-away, it felt magical and perfect. We like to get out of town for at least overnight on our birthdays. It has always been more expensive for Jim's birthday as the 26th often falls very near or on that 4 day Thanksgiving weekend. But now that we are retired we can go early and beat the rush. Loved that!

Some of the shops in Old Town.
It is a fun place to browse around
and find stocking stuffers, etc.
I got a little more Christmas shopping done too!

Just love this photo he took of the tracks.

And the color in this one as the day was
trying to decide on rain or shine!

Having lunch on the River Queen
and enjoying the view.
(I look like a goof but it was the
only photo of us to choose from..yikes!)
The little waitress that took it said it was "precious!"
Ahh, not!!

The Hornblower passing by~
It is a dinner/dance river boat we have taken before. Very fun!

Old Town Christmas Tree

After we left the Old Town area we decided to go over and see the place I went to elementary school that was very close to where we stayed. I went to a small private Lutheran School called Trinity.

Since that time the old school house has been torn down and replaced with a large cultural hall for various church activities. But the corner stone remains of the original part of the building which was my school. It was taken down in 1993. Besides home, I was probably right here on this block more than any place else growing up. This was a tremendous walk down memory lane for me.

I remember being excited whenever
I was enough taller to gaze into the
next window up on these doors.

27th and O Streets
just two blocks from Sutter's Fort.
Guess where every field trip was headed?

The inside of the church~
we were lucky to run into the new,very young, pastor.
He let us in to take pictures.

I was sprinkled from this original baptismal font in the church when I was 2 and a half months old. To them it was a baptism. When I became a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, I was baptized by immersion as Jesus was, and that is what I consider my real baptism.

But it was cool to see this as a little piece of my personal history anyway. Just to know that my parents brought me here in perfect faith, made me feel happy. Happy to know that they were Christians and happy to know they wanted me to have a Christian upbringing to give me every advantage. What I learned in this church became a great foundation for my faith today.

I spent many an hour gazing up at this
when I was little. I still love it today.

I did my share of looking at these side windows of the sanctuary as well. The church was already olden when I went to school here in the 50's. The first pastor started working in the church in 1915.

Just down the block is this little park (Winn Park) with very tall palm trees, where we use to walk, two by two holding hands, and we'd go to play on Fridays, if we had been good all week during school. I 'Kicked the Can' here many a time.

The neighborhood around the church.

Sacramento is a beautiful city!
I love their old street lamps!

7th Avenue off Freeport Blvd.

We then went to the first home my parents lived in in Sacramento when I was born. It looks the same except for the Dish, the paint that use to be white and the new windows. It also use to have the two cement strips with grass in between for the driveway but that has been replaced now. We lived here until I was five.

At that time we moved farther out of town to a new house at 1157 Hampton Road in Sacramento, CA.  My parents bought so there was more room for us 3 kids. My mom carpooled us to Trinity Lutheran School until I was in 7th grade. By that time a newer, closer school was available and we and several other families made the switch to Town and Country Lutheran School and Church. I wonder if I ever thanked her for that dedicated mom's taxi service for all those years. Round trip probably took nearly an hour each morning. Thanks Mom, where ever you are!

We headed home as the sun was setting yesterday. The sunset was beyond gorgeous. I did not nearly capture how spectacular it really was. We took the river road, also something that highlighted days gone by for me. Although it was Jim's birthday trip I think I loved it more than he did, although we both had a fabulous time. One of our best retirement outings to date for sure.

~The End~

Now it is almost noon and I had better get cracking on preparations for Thanksgiving tomorrow. But for this morning I just wanted to bask in the light of the fun time we had the last few days.

Ready, set, go! Have a wonderful day tomorrow and thanks for being such wonderful friends!

Love and hugs,

Bonnie
(Poof...I am outta here for awhile!)