Week of 20260315 - Stake Conference; Fred Walker; YSA Conference Committee; Power Outage Timing; Toastmasters; File Transfer; Shen Yun; Dan Gordon; SUV Quit; Couch; Nightstand; BTS

Week of 20260315 - Stake Conference; Fred Walker; YSA Conference Committee; Power Outage Timing; Toastmasters; File Transfer; Shen Yun; Dan Gordon; SUV Quit; Couch; Nightstand; BTS

= Sunday, Steph was at the computer where she had been all night. We attended Stake Conference. I got to speak with Fred Walker; I miss our work together, driving to Tuskegee to provide the Sacrament. I miss stories from his colorful life. Snippets of talks: Be humble enough to accept correction and offer your whole soul. The atonement of Jesus Christ is the safety net of mortality. If you choose to, you can be a part of the gathering of Israel. Satan is a skilled imitator. The family is essential to the divine plan of God.

= Home, Steph tweaked podcast material; it includes transcripts, summaries, video clips, still clips, and thoughts for reflection. We met with the YSA Conference Committee council and the Stake Presidents of Tuscaloosa and Montgomery via Zoom: a progress report. Afterward, I spent four hours finding a way to move files between the laptops; it was harder to implement than it sounds.

= Monday at work, Steph finished watching videos they wanted her to watch to see how to perform various functions. I determined referral amounts by month and used sparklines for something useful for the first time. Quinn asked me to come in briefly tomorrow; Steph will cover for me at Toastmasters. President Rawls asked us to meet with Elder Youngblood via Zoom at 7:15.

= We went to Costco, then Five Below. Home, Steph cut up and bagged meat for the freezer. About 6, the power dropped. Blessedly, we hadn't opened meat for dinner and we did have salad from Costco. And, we had flashlights we hadn't left at the storage units yet. So we were eating salads instead of a hot meal and had flashlights to illuminate our faces on the call when the Zoom call started at 7:15; less stress. And then the power immediately came back on! Area needs the proposed venue, housing, and food arrangements before early next week. After the call, we alerted the committee of the new deadline.

= Tuesday, I met with Quinn and we discussed data. Then I moved on to Toastmasters. They were having a blast. It was fun. Scott had come up with topics of the form would you rather a or b? Our answers revealed some things about us both, as most Table Topics do. The YSAs provided some data; we reviewed it and commented to them and then the Stake Presidents.

= Wednesday, I worked with the data Quinn had pulled yesterday and eventually added to it. In talking with John, I’m gradually learning to get beyond the numbers to likely interpretations: the “why” of what I’m looking at. I heard Steph interacting with patients; we check on each other from time to time.

= We went to the Montgomery Performing Arts Center to see Shen Yun: something on our "bucket list". The dancing was athletic. Stage magic made it seem that people were moving in and out of the background: well done! 

= Thursday, sites confirmed, then denied a problem I was having with the Chrome browser. We ordered a couch and two chairs for the living room. I drove Dan Gordon to lunch, then to run an errand, then to talk at his house.

= The person who mowed our lawn did a good job. He also asked to tow away and sell the abandoned vehicle that's been sitting outside our house for months, maybe longer. (Alabama law allows it to be declared abandoned after notification on a State website for that purpose.)

= Friday, we worked; we had enough to do. Afterward, we ate at Crazy Crab and slowed down enough to talk. I had not realized that her car didn't start and so she missed the dance fitness session led by Velvet Faison. We rejoined AAA for the next time we need a tow, not this time; the person helping me asked what we learned from our mission. The first thing that came to mind was that dreading is worse than doing. From there, I quoted our mission motto: We can do hard things cheerfully!

= Then at Wal-Mart, we bought the couch/ futon in person; the manufacturer had stopped shipping them. Home, we got its box inside with an appliance dolly and assembled it. Then we watched three old Westerns in a row, followed by The Closer until 0300.

= Saturday, we let the Conference council know about the replacement for one of its members (who will move away this summer). I moved my work area from the craft room to the library so Steph can begin organizing the craft room as a retreat. Steph worked on the podcast. I assembled a nightstand that we had ordered. Then we watched the concert of BTS returning after their two-year break.

The parking lot was full for the Sunday session of Stake Conference, and some people parked on the grass.

Steph with Sister Galland, wife of the Mission President. She and her husband were called to lead the Alabama Birmingham Mission while they were serving in Ghana.

Sister missionaries

Some of the missionary elders

These rubber ramps allowed regular vehicles to readily handle the curb to park on the lawn.

Steph, taking photos of the refrigerator the renters left

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It has a hose for an icemaker; we don't know whether that works.

This is a "transformer" planner whose "front" cover is paired with whatever topic is at the front. Keep watching..

Flipping to the next section, now this is at the front.

Or this.

Not aliens hatching from a pot pie, but pearled couscous added to give it some bulk

Threatening weather

After the office moves, this what we'll encounter if we're late.

Steph sliced these pieces of meat to make them thinner (easier to cook and eat).

Meat, portion-bagged for the freezer

The music suggests dance moves..

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Waiting with the power out for a Zoom call with President Rawls and President Lewis.

The plastic stands held flashlights.

Cooked chicken pulled from a couple of skewers

And added to rice with green beans

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With some kimchi on the side

Elsa's comfortable

I'm copying files between laptops. We have no dressers yet; so, we're living out of suitcases.

Elsa wants my attention.

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Do-it-yourself pasta sauce

For this

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An amateur radio operator

Dark morning

Ready to see Shen Yun

Communication hub

I don't know that I would advertise it.

Nice lawn job

Dan Gordon at Piggly Wiggly

[Dan's a poet and long-time friend.]

Foggy morning

Nice sentiment

Fish and shrimp at Crazy Crab

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They must do some serious travel.

A vending machine outside Cakeology

It features plastic containers of cake crumbs and toppings.

Steph knocked on the door, and an employee added product.

Securing the couch/ futon to an the appliance dolly

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This box, labeled "Empty Box" was there to keep contents from shifting.

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Unfolding showed that the major sections were hinged together!

Adding feet keeps it from folding back up.

Not as obvious, though, was that parts were inside zipper compartments.

Here's the back of the center console; this zipper provides access to secure it.

A wire runs from the USB charger built into the console. (The console also folds up.)

The finished couch

Testing. It's a little hard, but it will do for guests. And not shown, the whole thing can lay flat for use as a bed.

Yul Brynner, leading "The Magnificent Seven" (1960)

Loaded yogurt

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I emptied the craft room so Steph can begin to build a retreat.

Bread to bulk up a wimpy pot pie

Yes, this nightstand, not assembled yet, came in a very small box.

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Yes, it's shorter than the bed and the side table, but it will be useful, nevertheless.

An unusual combination of Allen wrench and Phillips head screwdriver

For the BTS come-back concert, the venue was a city street. Most of the fans watched on one of seven giant TV screens at intervals down the street.

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The stage was hollow; that's a real building behind it.

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They worked hard to connect with fans.

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Sometimes, they interacted with their audience from a "T" at the end of a runway from the stage.

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One of the members was injured before the concert and worked from a chair most of the time.

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Sometimes, they worked from the stage.

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Sometimes, they were augmented with other dancers.

It was spectacular. Fans will remember this day.