Week of 20260308 - We Started Part-Time Work; Spectrum Hold Lifted; Blog Posted "Everywhere"; Danced to Wal-Mart Radio; Retrieved Laptop; Bought Second Vehicle: an SUV; Saturday Stake Conference
= Sunday, we arrived at church early and visited. We spoke briefly with the person whom missionaries had placed us on a Zoom call with on 14 March. I led the lesson in Elders Quorum focused on the counsel given in a conference talk: Be Reconciled to God; the group had plenty to say. After, we stayed for the baptism of a young man; Steph had promised him that we would attend. Before the baptismal service began, I had waves of gratitude wash over me for the many people who gave me the gifts to let me be here at this time and place. We weren't home long before we were back in church for Stake Choir rehearsal.
= Monday, Steph accepted an offer to work for Quinn Millington's company from 0800 to 2 on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. I did, too.
= Tuesday, Steph was Toastmaster of the Day (master of ceremonies); I brought Table Topics. Afterward, Farmers Market Cafe provided Steph a breaded pork chop almost an inch thick, yet tender. In person, we got Spectrum to lift the "hold" on our address that was caused by our tenants. Publix; climate storage; Wal-Mart; Steph did laundry. Steph used a headset as she watched TV past midnight.
= Wednesday, our first day at work was largely taken up with in-processing. Afterward, we ate at Slim Chickens. At Chantilly Wal-Mart, we bought nearly all the items on our list and saw a likely couch/ futon combination we'll probably order. (We sold our couch before our mission.) “Wal-Mart Radio” had good dance music; we took advantage of that. I wouldn’t be surprised to see us (or at least Steph) show up in somebody’s Walmartian video.
= Steph's blog platform posted automatically to everywhere except YouTube, and the platform eventually posted just the audio there; Steph had to post the video manually. We ate ice cream and watched episodes of Andromeda until 0200. I typed in the journal in another room until 0300.
= Thursday, Alexa went off at 0900 for no good reason. In our group WhatsApp, I dove into politics - something we've stayed out of for two years - in my response to a post that noted difficulty in flying out of Ghana during the conflict with Iran. I was gently reminded that not everyone wants to hear it.
= After 2, I bought a mouse at Best Buy and picked up my laptop at ubreakifix. Then I worked in the yard to prepare it for someone else to mow. It was a long project that included scraping dirt away for the fence gates to open and filling holes left by renters in the front yard. Steph fixed a roast with candied yams and pearl couscous; I had never had pearl couscous before. I’ll have it again.[grin]
= Friday, Alexa went off at 0600 instead of 0630. Steph watched videos about an aspect of her job. I ran custom reports and discovered by eyeballing the data a long-standing issue that will be corrected. Steph received training. It’s only our second day on the job. :)
= Done, we bought sandwiches at Arby's, then stopped at Fountain City Imports. We test-drove two SUVs and bought one for Steph. Including the minivan, we have two vehicles again. [grin] We drove to Ollie's Outlet to seek cloth hampers to put dirty clothes in and saw for the future raised planters for a garden. Guitar City for guitar strings. Olive Garden for Date Night. Dollar Tree, where we bought small laundry baskets instead of cloth hampers.
= Saturday, steamed pork roast and seaweed snacks. Nap from 3 to 4. Then to the chapel to sing at the beginning of the Saturday evening session of Stake Conference. A few snippets: We seek to learn to love others as much as Jesus does. No family has been spared challenges; they're part of the plan. We are saved by a perfect Savior, not by our own efforts; but when we help others, that prepares us for God to shape our lives. When we seek to serve others, happiness finds us.
There is still some agriculture in the south part of Montgomery, but it feels as if it's a placeholder for future homes and apartments.
It generally consists of hay or grazing land, not plowed fields with plants for human consumption.
We were at church in light rain.
This building was designed to have Primary sharing time at the carpeted end of the gym, but we have way too many kids for that. So, it has been turned into the Nursery (18 months to 3 years), and Primary (3+ to 11) meets in other rooms. (Kids sit with parents during Sacrament, then have classes while the adults have classes.)
This snack was available at the conclusion of a baptismal service.
It's an interesting idea; we probably won't follow up on that, though.
The EMG Solutions office is currently at the edge of EastChase, but it will move soon to this location (Parliament Place), just before the Ray Thorington turn off of Vaughn Road to reach the church.
We rehearsed with Stake Choir at the chapel.
The difference in shininess of a portion of the big wall in the master bedroom shows that someone had installed a TV on a master bedroom wall and then someone tried to cover signs of the installation. It's clear that some "repairs" have been done we have no record of; It's uncertain what repairs we'll be billed for.
We're consistently getting home after five, regardless of the day.
I shelled edamame..
And served it with pasta, tomatoes, and bao. (And a little grated cheese didn't hurt.)
Real Spam doesn't grate as readily as the fake spam (chicken luncheon meat) in Ghana. So, I sliced it instead..
and served it with rice, green beans, and hoisin sauce.
The sink has a dish detergent dispenser. Steph unclogged it and diluted the detergent. Then we reattached the dispenser and it worked again.
This is Kraft Mac and Cheese and meat pulled from leftover pork ribs.
To get to Toastmasters today, we took the Sixth Street exit from the bypass and turned onto North Court Street, an area of warehouses and railroad tracks.
Here's part of the old alAga syrup facility.
Some downtown buildings become more obvious after you get across some of the railroad crossings.
As Toastmaster of the Day, Steph successfully raised the energy level of the room.
Dorcas demonstrated timing signals.
Spoke on International Women's Day (and Women's Month).
[One of our guests also responded to a Table Topic, but I'm waiting for her to join before I share her photo here.]
Ben evaluated Tammy's speech.
Scott, currently the Club President, encouraged us to do speech projects that will help us grow as speakers and improve the club's overall educational standing.
Hamburger Steak and fixin's at Farmer's Market Cafe
The thickest pork chop we've ever seen, and it was tender and juicy throughout. Very nice.
HSA1NT: an interesting license plate
Our climate-controlled fortress
Pennsylvania is represented by preparations for Lewis and Clark's expedition.
The shopping list works if you take a current photo to the store.
Artwork, possibly provided by the landlord, at the current office
I had chicken and waffle.
Chicken mac and cheese: served cold and overcooked
Wal-Mart, prepped for Easter and spring
Wal-Mart "Radio" had catchy tunes..
We secured the exercise rack to make it easier to move.
Refilling the snack cupboard
Gunk from the quick release for the hose nozzle
It gives a stronger stream now, but the faucet and the nozzle connection also spray (where they shouldn't).
We brought the exercise rack in on an appliance dolly.
Unless she's a legislator, HERWHIP raises all manner of questions.
VABLESN. Is Virginia a blessing? Is the VA a blessing?
The renters put decorative bricks in odd places..
And took the dog house but left its floor.
We may have to replace some fence sections.
But until we do, I've blocked the holes.
The vehicle gate has sagged a bit, and the grass has grown.
I used a flat-nosed shovel..
So the vehicle gate will open.
[The passenger gate, open in this photo, had no such problem.]
Renters had torn holes in the front yard, probably by trying to move a loaded trailer in muddy conditions. One the holes had broken brick to try to partially fill it. I had already removed broken car glass and pieces of wood.
I removed the brick and used some of the dirt and grass I had scraped from near the gate to fill some of the holes.
I also trimmed trees and removed vines from the fence.
I straightened up this area. My goal was to prepare the yard for someone else to mow.
A weight that had been left in the grass
And pearled couscous: my first time having that.
With canned, candied yams
[We only had this much of the pork loin and set aside the rest for later.]
Dessert. (There's flan in my bowl.)
When I used a paper towel to clear some of the frost, the windshield wiper, knocked the paper out of my hand and deposited a tiny snowball on the inside of the then-open driver's door.
On a wall at the drive-through to Arby's: Potatoe Cakes.
I had forgotten that curly fries existed.
Notice for regular storage that the active slide is above the fixed slide, so the position of the active slide is obvious.
Dirty Hands - Clean Money
Some signs at Ollie's Outlet
Calamari, an appetizer, became a complete meal with the addition of salad and breadsticks.
Olive Garden now has what it calls "light" meals. I picked one with for ravioli, and with salad and breadsticks, it was enough. Perhaps late lunches leave us too full for a big supper.
Dollar Tree baskets gave us a way to sort laundry.
We watched The Closer until very late.
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