Week of 20260222 - Church via Zoom; Choir Rehearsal; Borrowed Van; Climate Storage Not Blocked; Toastmasters Open Houses; Family History Event; Fiber Internet; iPad; Minivan Ready; Missionary Meal
= Sunday, we had no vehicle; so, we watched Sacrament meeting via the Internet. Good talks, but it was sad not to be there. Snippets: God loves us as a parent, but feeling heard by God can be tough. Sometimes we get answers, or feelings, or promptings; sometimes we recognize God is hearing us when we give or receive help. Just as sand and waves create a thing of beauty from broken glass, our experiences smooth our edges, even edges that we like as they are. We can choose to be happy - or not.
= We asked Jim Garner for help; he chided us for not asking sooner. Jim picked up Thayle Byington and me for rehearsal. After dropping Thayle off, we continued to the house of Jim's oldest son for a visit. Then I drove home in Jim's minivan.
= We won't sue the management company for being ineffective - tough to prove, and they have lawyers - but if they won't give an accounting of how our repair money has been spent, I'll take them to small claims court for that.
= In the bedroom, I found I could look away from the TV and do something useful during the show, but the commercials (!) eventually hooked me and I had to leave the room.
= Monday, we priced office chairs at Sam's Club: too much. Then the Ann Street Wal-Mart, where we bought a chair and did regular shopping. Then Best Buy to pick up Steph's new iPad; the old one is too old to update. Then climate storage. We were blessed that a box partly crushed didn't tip the boxes above it into a rolling cart; that would have blocked the aisle. We picked up musical instruments. The post office had wanted more confirmation of our address. Home, I made supper; we watched some episodes of Andromeda.
= Tuesday, we went to Tower Toastmasters downtown. It took a few minutes to find the parking garage. Then a passerby helped us find the building where the meetings are held now. We were embraced by more than a few folks; we were back. Today was an open house, with snacks, to encourage guests. Steph was General Evaluator. I provided the word of the day. Ben McGhee gave a regular 5-7 minute speech. Kenny Robinson led a Table Topics session. [He provided a different opinion-based question for each volunteer to answer in 1-2 minutes.]
= On the way home, we took a side trip to the building we used to attend church at; it's for sale. We hope it will become a homeless shelter.
= Before long, we went back downtown for the evening portion of the open house. We missed this different venue at first but eventually reached it and joined the others. The event was nice for visiting among members, but I think our guests may have felt isolated; we’ll see whether they return for meetings.
= Tonight, remembering that we had just told others not to save activities for "someday", and comparing the ticket price to what we spent on takeout until we had utensils and food, we bought tickets to see Shen Yun (a famous dance troupe) on 18 March in Montgomery.
= Wednesday, I tuned Steph's autoharp, then spent hours trying to buy a fancy webcam for the podcast from Amazon, then from its manufacturer. Unsuccessful, I finally put off perfection and ordered a good-enough webcam for delivery to Wal-Mart. I picked up the webcam and phone chargers from Wal-Mart. From regular storage, I picked up a dishwasher rack to use as a dish drainer on the counter and a couple of wooden crates I anticipated using to give the cat a perch. Home, I reviewed FamilySearch features until almost 11.
= Thursday, we manned computers at the Wetumpka Civic Center after 0915 until 1000. Then everyone focused on the guest speaker who had done her family history through multiple lines: birth mother and adoptive parents. She is a certified Daughter of the American Revolution (DAR), unusual for a black lady, but she’s not the first; she has an ancestor who fought in the American revolution. She has both black and white ancestors and spoke proudly about their accomplishments.
= After helping at the family history exhibit in Wetumpka, we picked up items from the RV and then met the AT&T technician; we arrived at our house at the same time. It was good that we had settled on the bedroom farthest from the furnace/ heat pump for the podcast room. Based on where other lines come into the house, that bedroom has the wall where the technician wanted to run the fiber optic cable to, right next to Steph's desk.
= Friday, we unwrapped the display case, wiped it down inside and out, and installed and wiped the glass shelves. Steph put a few items there from the mantel. I went to the Wetumpka Wal-Mart, fueled the minivan, and bought three plates of combination Pad Thai from Yummy Thai. We watched TV and Netflix until very late: 0415.
= Saturday, our minivan was ready; we picked it up and returned the Garners' minivan (the same model and year as ours!) with much gratitude. Jim and others were removing dirt to lay down and cover a grid from the street to their back yard so the lawn won't sink under the camper's weight even in rainy weather; the city wants them to move their camper to the back yard. We couldn't stay; missionaries were coming.
= Home, four of the six missionaries to feed this evening were a few minutes early, the other two were running late; I entertained the four by having them try various musical instruments. Steph assembled a meal, the other two arrived, and all went well. After our guests left, we watched Andromeda until after midnight. We could picture our younger son, Quinton, playing the part of Tyr Anasazi.
Chocolate Ice Cream-Flavored - toothpaste!
or..
Mint Chocolate Ice Cream-Flavored toothpaste!
.
This rolling cart folds
Toastmasters is a game you can play all your life to speak and lead better among friends, and they will become your friends.
See towertoastmasters.org for directions and more information.
(The red and yellow object is a repurposed cat litter container that I use as a toolbox.)
Family historian, U.S. Army veteran and Daughters of the American Revolution member True Lewis invited Elmore County residents to reflect on their shared past Thursday as she traced her family’s roots to the nation’s founding during a community presentation marking America’s 250th anniversary. -- https://elmoreautauganews.com
Journey to the American Revolution
My Family's Providence in Alabama and into American History
Presented by True Lewis
See https://www.facebook.com/mytrueroots
True Lewis
Until 1967, laws forbidding marriage between blacks and whites were still on the books. Adopting a mixed-race child (True) was a bold step. True Lewis honors her adoptive parents and biological mother by documenting their history.
Her presentation was inspiring, but it's not mine to share here. Her oral history is in the Schlesinger Library of Harvard University.
Welcome to Millbrook - A City on the Move
Proof that people (including us) will eat anything
[My camera doesn't capture lit signs well.]
No comments:
Post a Comment