Jan 17 07

January 17, 2007

Spent the morning with our favorite passengers, Cheryl and Ricky. They called yesterday when we were in Snowflake and wanted a ride to Whiteriver, but of course we couldn’t, so said to call us in the morning and we’d see. They needed to go to the bank in Wells Fargo. They had to get an “advance” so they could pay their rent. They told Robert last week they couldn’t make the rent, and he told them to ask President Bonito for help. But when we told Bonito about that he said the reason they won’t call him is he knows how much money they get every month. They get enough to live on but spend it as fast as it comes in. Tiffany, the one who was in the hospital, left and went to live with someone else. So now they won’t get assistance for her any more.

When Cheryl called she said the pipe to her washer froze and so they needed to take their clothes to the Laundromat in Canyon Day, on the way to Whiteriver. Then when we went to pick them up they had a friend who needed a ride to a place near Whiteriver. That made Cheryl, Ricky, the friend, Jeanette, Naysha and Baby, with his car seat. We told them we couldn’t fit that many in the car, but they insisted they could. Naysha sat on Ricky’s lap with the friend and baby in the back and Cheryl sat up front with me. Not comfy, but we survived. Turned out they didn’t need to stop at the Laundromat. They said they could use the washer next door at Cheryl’s aunt’s house. We couldn’t quite figure that out. Were they hinting to use our washer? If so, we didn’t get it.

We told them we had to be back by 1:00 for an appointment. We picked them up at 9:00 and got to Whiteriver about 10:30. As we passed Ft Apache Ricky asked if we could stop at the museum there on our way home. We said noooooo…we need to be back by 1:00. Hello! They did buy our lunch today…a bean Indian taco from a stand in Basha’s parking lot. That’s the first time I’ve been forced to eat something I really don’t like, but I thought it was sweet of them to buy it for us.

Came home and had Faith and Ariel over again. We made Kris Bever’s cereal candy and cupcakes. The cupcakes were a mess. I hate making cupcakes with kids because they’re always a mess. Maxine Bonito went to the hospital last night with one of her bad headaches and she said her blood pressure was way high. She has a lot of health problems. I was glad I had planned to take the girls for a while because it gave her a break. The girls are always cute and we enjoyed them.

We’ve been able to hear water running under the stage in the chapel for about a week. Today Bill and Shawn came from FM and fixed a leaky pipe.

Fernando Thompson, counselor in the branch presidency, has a son in 6th grade who cannot read. I’m going to start reading with him on Wednesdays just before scouts. He was supposed to start today but didn’t show. His mom, Roma, came by later and said he was with the school basketball team and didn’t get home in time. I swore I wouldn’t do reading, but Casper (no friendly ghost jokes, pleeeeaaaaase!) is such a sweet kid I really would like to be able to help him. I was disappointed he didn’t come.

Also, the keyboard instruction kit from the distribution center came today so I’m going to start giving piano lessons next week. I’ve been kind of bored so I’ve been looking for some new things to do…NOT! But so many people have asked about learning to play the piano I decided to try it. As long as I can keep all these lessons on Tuesdays and Wednesdays when we have to be in town anyway I’ll be OK.

Robert finished the day with the scouts. They had 17 boys tonight. The group gets larger every week. After last week we had a chat with the mission pres and he said I don’t have to go with Robert to pick them up and take them home…that it’s OK for him to be alone with a group of boys for that long. I think he felt it was better than having me beat up some of the scouts on the way home. So I got to stay home while Robert took care of scouts.