Aug 9 07

August 9, 2007

This place was like Grand Central Station today. For some reason we were unusually popular.

Since it hadn’t rained for a day or two Robert went outside and cut down weeds and sprayed for bugs. Since the rain had destroyed the toxic zone around the trailer he felt it needed to be repaired so he could sleep at night. Unfortunately, now the mosquitoes have arrived and they seem unimpressed with our barriers.

Just as he was finishing, Bill Ghormley from the FM group arrived. He fixed the speaker system in the church and put a new printer in the branch president’s office. Then he cleaned out the water pipes to the washer…AGAIN. By then it was lunchtime so we fixed lunch and he ate with us. He left about 2:30.

Meanwhile, Robert went to the post office where he saw Roletta and Irene. He said to Irene, “Are you ready for tonight?” Now keep in mind that yesterday we talked to her about demonstrating how to make a cradleboard at Homemaking Meeting (I had initially asked her on Sunday) and even showed her a calendar and pointed to the day and said it would be tomorrow. But when Robert asked her about it she looked totally blank and said, “Is that today?” So he showed her the announcement we had posted at the commercial center with her name on it. She actually smiled and then assured him she would be there. Roletta said she wanted to come by and talk to us this afternoon, but never came. Robert also had a 5:00 appointment with Paula, but she didn’t come either.

Also while he was out Cheryl called and wanted us to come by before 3:00. She said she had a “surprise” for us. Elder Rogers said the surprise was probably that she’d thought of a new place we could take them. He was wrong. She had made the bolo tie and necklace that we paid for several months ago. We had both wondered if we should remind her, but we felt she’s really honest at heart and would get them done. And she did. We did give a ride up to the elementary school, but that’s pretty minor when dealing with Ricky and Cheryl.

We visited Betty. She’s still having a very hard time dealing with the death of her daughter.

We had another Temple Day scheduled for August 18, and had asked Ken Wilcock right after we couldn’t get in the July session, if he would call immediately and get us scheduled for August. We said just put down everyone who has a temple recommend and then we can cancel those who don’t want to go. He didn’t do it. Today we called LaFawn, his wife, and she called the temple but we’re too late to get in on August 18, as we had scheduled. So we called ourselves and put the names in for next Tuesday at the 10:00 session. Pres Bonito and Fernando won’t be able to go, but we just felt like we can’t cancel again. We have people wanting to go and we don’t want to discourage their enthusiasm.

When the Elders arrived this afternoon they surprised us with the news that now the zone leaders want to come down tomorrow and visit us. Of course they’d like to visit right around dinnertime.

I spent the entire day cooking. I made crock-pot enchiladas for dinner, chocolate cake, banana bread, and a tray of fresh vegetables, crackers and cheese, mints, and veggie dip for Homemaking meeting, plus lunch for Bill. Robert helped me set up the chairs and tables for Homemaking and put everything together and then he cleaned everything up after the meeting while I was taking ladies and kids home. Irene actually showed up and demonstrated her cradleboards, which no one in their right minds would ever want to make, in my opinion. There is a reason some of the old ways die. We had 8 women come and about 400 kids. That may be a slight exaggeration, but only slight. I did stick with the rule that the ladies have to eat first, then we let the kids eat something. They also pretty much finished off the candy in the trailer. We have told them that they can’t throw papers around the grounds or we’ll quit giving candy. This morning the lawn was a mess…papers and paper cups all over the place. So no more candy, at least for a while.

After Irene’s demonstration I did a little thing about writing personal histories and gave them a family history worksheet. They seemed interested and actually talked more than usual. They also got some ideas for things they’d like to do for future meetings, which was a real blessing. It’s not doing the meetings that I hate, it’s trying to think up what to do. Now I have pretty much every meeting scheduled through December.

Finally at 8:30 we had a little party for Elder Rogers and Elder Miller. Elder Rogers had a birthday in March that we completely spaced and did nothing for him. We all think he’s going to be transferred next week, so we had cake and ice cream and candles and said it was a birthday party for both of them. We gave them the crocheted names Sharon has been helping me make. She made the Rogers one and I made Miller’s. Also gave Rogers the “holey spoon” from the trailer. We’ve joked about this spoon for months so felt it should be his. He says he’s going to put it on the wall of his home forever and we said, sure, your wife will love that as much as Veda loves Shawn’s fish. For right now he wants to put it in his apartment with a label that says, “Holy Spoon from Cibecue” and when anyone asks about it he’s just going to say, “I can’t tell you. It’s too sacred to share.”

Bill was working on the washer when Robert went to the post office this morning. He needed some help, so I got a chair and stood on it in the bedroom so I could turn the water valve for the trailer off and on as he instructed me. He was by the washer, catching the gunk in a cup as it came out of the pipes. While we were thus anxiously engaged Robert returned. I heard him come in the front door, and instinctively started to call to him to let him know where I was. But the words I almost shouted were, “I’m back here in the bedroom with Bill.” Both Bill and Robert were eternally grateful I thought through that impulse before opening my mouth.