My memory never serves.....

I saw the movie The Queen with Kate last night. I was excited to see the movie until I realized that I was thinking of a different movie. I had thought the movie was the Esther Movie (One Night with the King) but it was a movie of the british royal family at the time of Princess Di’s death.

Now, as you all know, I have a horrible memory; therefore my memories of the events of August 1997 are extremely hazy. I do remember that I was working on the housekeeping staff for Days Inn in Provo. My boss was very affected by the death of Diana, to the point that she listened to the play by play of the funeral on the tiny radio in her office. I remember that people we lauding the work that Diana had done with her various charities, almost painting her as a saint. I also remember that for some reason there was a great dislike of the Royal Family. The main thing I remember of that time is that I was shocked at the grandiose measures that were taken in regards to Diana’s death and the fame that was heaped upon her head for her charity work when a mere week later Mother Theresa died and it was a mere blip on the radar. A woman who dedicated her life to charity work, she even one the Nobel Peace Prize in ’79 for her work, but she was not as “important” as Di? But that is a diatribe to be written at another time.

Back to the reason for this post…..

Last night’s movie was a view sympathetic to The Queen. It causes one to empathize with her struggle at the time of Diana's death. I was impressed with the way she was portrayed. It gave her a very human feel as she tried to deal with all that is being thrown at her and realized that maybe she didn’t know what was best anymore. I was so intrigued in regards to what I did not know about her that I looked into it today.

I learned many interesting points……..such as did you know that Queen Elizabeth was a mechanic(technically titled a driver) during WWII? She is, so far, the only female member of the Royal Family to serve in the armed forces. Her first Prime Minister was Winston Churchill. She was called Lilibet as a child and was know for her sharp wit. At the age of 14 Elizabeth made her 1st broadcast addressing the children who had been evacuated due to the War (WWII)

Queen Elizabeth II is not a person I have ever thought much about therefore I had no real opinion of her. As I have read about her, I have created my opinion of her. She is a woman who amazes me. One that has done the best she could for herself and her people. I truly believe that she has devoted her life to the service of her people, as she pledged when she was a mere 21 years old. I am glad that I went to the wrong movie last night.

P.S. I promise to post the pics of last weeks wedding soon. It was an adventure and the Bride and Groom deserve to be celebrated.

Upoming Posts.....

I am waiting to blog about This weekend until I have pictures.....It shouldn't be long.

But until then....

Congrats to the Happy Couple Mr and Mrs Truman Hinkson!!!

Pass the screwdriver please

This weekend Erin was out of town so I had the house to myself again. I really like having roommates but every once in while I enjoy having an empty house. I didn’t want to go out so I slept late and hung around the house. Kate came over for a while. We went for a walk in my neighborhood. While it was beautiful outside and I thoroughly enjoyed the atmosphere; this walk did nothing more then cement my belief that whoever created the roads in VA was severely disturbed (yet again a story for another time).

During a manic moment after our walk, I decided to rearrange and clean the common areas in our house. After moving the couch and small tables I learned our lamp would not stand straight. It only required a little tightening and I was onto the cleaning phase. Unfortunately the first thing that I noticed was that our vacuum was broken. There was no suction. This was a travesty; some things should suck when I want them to! A quick assessment proved that the hose was clogged. Not a big deal, I assumed it would be easily fixed. After about 15 or so minutes (it was really clogged, I should clean more often!) I realized that the clog was not the cause of the lack of suction. I sat down with a couple of screwdrivers and took the machine apart. I found and fixed the problem and then closed up the machine.

Now you might find me silly, but I actually had fun taking apart the vacuum and putting it back together. I had flashes of childhood memories. Helping my Dad put together the bunk beds when we moved to Utah, helping my grandfather build the playhouse in our back yard, fixing little things around the house. I remember my mother teasing me when I was 9 or 10 that I was going to grow up to be the family fix it woman. Lol! By the time I was 12 things had changed. Among them was the realization that fixing things required a coordination I do not possess. I quickly moved onto other things and became the family bookworm, a title I still hold. I rarely have reason to handle a screw driver or hammer any more but I still get a little thrill when I get to take something apart, especially when I can put it back together correctly. Lol!

Let me tell you a little story………

Once upon a time there was a young woman. We will call her….ummm… How about Rae. For various reasons Rae decided to move 2000 miles away from all of her family and friends. Upon arrival in her new land Rae knew no one, not one to make friends easily she was set to be very lonely. While sitting in the new member class her first Sunday, Rae caught a glimpse of two women, Steph and Boo, sitting at the very end of the long high council table. Steph and Boo were obviously already friends. They were laughing with each other over some irreverent comment Steph had made. (Really when is Steph not irreverent during church classes)
After Church that Sunday Rae approached Steph and Boo in hopes of finding a place to use a piano during the week (there is a long story for that which I will explain at another time). Alas there was not one available; but contact had been made. It is unclear when the friendship between these women started. It seems to have just happened. A fourth woman joined them, Gwen, and they became R.A.G.S. By summer time there were together all of the time. They sat together at church, they attended parties together, they went to the movies and they had dinners together. By fall, when Rae wanted to change jobs, she had Steph take over her old one. Then 2 months later when Rae lost her new job, Steph was the one to help her get back on with her old company.
Among the three of them there were boy troubles, and friend troubles, there were musicals, and birthdays, there were Christmas parties and Halloween costumes, deaths of family members and friends, classes starting, jobs ending, new jobs and new apartments. In a short 22 months they have run the gamut of experiences and emotions. Gwen was the first to withdraw from the group. She suddenly became a world traveler and after a couple of quick jaunts to Europe decided to settle in Utah. Now there are changes on the wind again. The remaining trio is breaking up. . Steph is leaving us. Things will never be the same.

A little of everything.....

No wonder I can never make up my mind! I am apparently a little bit of it all. Now if only I could get to London to feel like I fit in.........

You Belong in London

A little old fashioned, and a little modern. A little traditional, and a little bit punk rock. A unique woman like you needs a city that offers everything. No wonder you and London will get along so well.

What City Do You Belong In?

Out of Focus...

I am supposed to be working....How do normal people do this?

Here I sit in my office; I have a pretty nice office if I do say so myself. It is rather spacious, with two desks, though I am in here all alone. There is no window, yes sad I know but I have a great corkboard that I have had a lot of fun pinning various things to. Focus….

So here I sit in my office. I have lots of work to do. We are finally allowed to start recruiting again and HR is all abuzz with recruitment efforts. I love this part of my job. There is a hole to be filled and it is my job to find the person to fill it. It is an organizational thing, I have to read through resumes, co-ordinate interviews, gather and then report on all feedback; all to find the one personal with the right personality, skills and experience to fill the position that we need filled. Focus….

Again….. Here I sit in my office, with lots of work to do, and ready to work. I even turned on my iTunes to set the work phase. I have the most eclectic taste. My music will play Il Divo one moment and then Missy Elliot the next. I have Show tunes, Otis Redding and Monsters of Rock (80’s) which can be followed by Death Cab For Cutie, Radio Disney or Michael McLean. I love to put my music on random and see what comes up. It makes no sense, I know but it is the way I am. I like too many different things to be locked into one category. Focus….

Now Again……Here I sit in my office, ready to work, with lots of work to do, and the inability to focus on my responsibilities. I seem to do this often, Am I always like this? I don’t honestly know. I thought I was good at focusing. I can be single minded when reading a book and not even notice what is around me. But here I don’t focus well; there are always things that get in my way. This is driving me nuts!

Here is a quick glimpse:
Today is Wednesday…Wednesday…..Yoga Class…..I forgot my yoga clothes…..maybe I will not take the next set of yoga classes….what if I asked Kate to walk the National Mall with me after work. We could go in the evenings after work…we could even meet on The Mall to save us time……Print Job Descriptions……I hate the way that is worded if we change this just a touch….That sounds better I should get the okay here in a minute and then it can be posted……Good Song……New recruiting website to look at….I wonder if the cork board is up so I can post flyers in the basement kitchen…………Hmmm….I might be getting hungry….good thing I brought lunch…I am glad I cooked last night…….I wonder if Nessa could mail me the bridesmaid dress so I can try it with the shoes…maybe I need to have it fitted…Oh crap I have to find out if I need a liner for the shirt…email Nessa on list of things to do!.....

Etc…Etc….Etc….It never ends….Maybe now that I have gotten all the garbage out of my brain I will be able to focus.

Wish me luck….

....Did you know that to walk around the National Mall is 3 miles? Yeah for walking...I love to walk... Arrgghhh FOCUS!

My big Sister

I have an amazing sister. I am not going to share any details of my week. It has been an emotional one for my family and the experiences are not mine to share. I would like to share something I have learned though.

I have an amazing big sister. T is just over a year older then I am; we grew up together. We lived together. We were raised by the same parents. We went to the same church and schools. We were taught the same gospel principles. We are completely different people. Neither of us are bad people, as a matter of fact, I think we are both pretty good people. I am constantly amazed by my big sister. This week she has taught me the meaning of love. I am not talking the romantic love. Romantic love has many faces and I have even seen some of them. But this week I have watched my sister, in the midst of her grief, think of others. She has comforted and worried over everyone, even those that most people are not as considerate of. I have listened to her answer various tactless questions with patience and kindness. I have watched her interact with people who treated her with much less respect and kindness then she deserved. She never allowed it to effect her, she never once let others idiocy change her treatment of them. There was always understanding and caring. At least that is the face she presented to me and the world, even though I know that some of the comments were very hurtful. Not one person there could ever doubted her kind heart or genuine love for each person.

Again, I have an amazing big sister.

Love you Sis!

Sunday Pot Luck

I know I said I would be taking a break but I am feeling the need to write. Who knows why but this is what you are stuck with.

It is Sunday. I am at Nick’s house tonight, at least for the next couple of hours or so. This seems to be a weekly occurrence. My friends love football, they love food and they love when we put these things together. As it is football season, we gather every Sunday at one house or another for football, food, and games. Sometimes I even offer my home.

Personally, I am not a fan of football. I am usually a person that needs other people around. One of my favorite things to do is go with my friends and sit in the background reading a book or typing on my computer as I am today. I figure it is part of nurture not nature. I grew up in a family that more often then not is loud and obnoxious, with children running everywhere, lots of laughter and lots of food. Of course there are also moments where we are all occupied with our own things. We could each be found in a different room reading a book, playing computer, or just working quietly; each with the knowledge we weren’t alone. Maybe it is different for my siblings but I realize that I do not do well all alone. I need the knowledge that there are others around even if I am not interacting with them. Then should I want to actually talk to someone or join in a conversation I can, but I am not required to (except when Steph forces me to but that only happens when I am too antisocial for too long)

Hence, I like football season even if I don’t know anything about football and have no desire to learn anything about it.

I always liked Baby got Back......

This one gave me a needed chuckle..
Baby got book

Taking a break due to Family Issues...

I'll be back in a couple of weeks.

LIkes....

There was an interesting comment made last night. One of the girls mentioned that I happen to like guys with less then normal social skills. I believe the comment was I have to “knock the physics books out of their hands” to get them to pay attention to me. I thought about this and ironically enough, I don’t think it’s their social skills I am attracted to. I think it is the fact that they use their brains, there is something that is such a turn on about a man that can carry a conversation with my face.

Mornings....

I am not a real energetic person in the mornings. I am not one to jump out of bed ready and rarin' to go. It is never going to happen. I’ll admit that I love the morning; there is something peaceful in knowing that so far your day has no mistakes in it. The look and smell of morning is amazing; I love sleeping with my window open in the fall so I can wake up to the smell of crisp mornings. But getting going early is not in me. I like to wake up slowly. I plan my wardrobe from my bed. What is the point of getting up if you don’t know what you are going to wear? Once out of bed there is a nice hot shower and puttering around the house in the morning quiet before I am off to the office. All of this is done at leisurely pace, of course. Once at work I struggle, I know that come afternoon I will work like a mad woman, but until then I can’t seem to focus. I can’t seem to concentrate. This morning I am supposed to be working on a presentation for Wednesday. Instead I am staring at the screen of my computer drawing a complete blank.

Well back to the struggle……

I'm A Big Kid Now!

It is just about 1 am here. I am awake. This might be because I slept most of today, If Erin and I hadn’t had tickets to Toby Keith I am not sure I would have even gotten up. Which considering I am up at 1 am could have been a good thing. But that is another story entirely. The concert was good, I liked most of the songs, but realize as open minded as I think I am, I am really a prude when it comes to certain things. We met some nice people, some not so nice people, and one creepy older gentleman whose staring gave both of us the heebie jeebies.

Tonight I am blogging because I am missing my family; specifically my younger brother Paul.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY PAULIWOG!

Paul is the 1st half brother born to my mother and step father. I now have 3 half brother and 3 half sisters from both of my parent’s second marriages. Today I was trying to figure out Paul’s age; I couldn’t remember the year he was born so I had to think back to how old I was when he was born. He was born in the first year of my mother’s second marriage. I turned 12 the June after my mother married and Paul was born 4 months later in October.

Therefore he is 15 years old today.

There are only a few things I remember from when he was born. Someone standing in the Kitchen of the house in Provo, talking on the phone with Kent just after Paul was born to tell us his stats and what they had decided to name him (Was it Gretchen on the phone? Tiana? Ralph? Someone help me out, I can’t seem to remember?).Mom was in that tiny hospital room. And a month or so later all of us in white going to the temple to see Paul sealed to Mom and Kent. I wish I could remember more.

Paul is a nice mix of our two families. He has the famous temper that Ian and I share but he keeps it locked down tight; which is pretty impressive for a kid his age. He loves to read; as a matter of fact I try to send him a new book every birthday and Christmas (sorry this time it is late but I don’t know what series you are on now.) He has a wicked sense of humor that comes out at the oddest moments. He has the Hinkson build which is great for runners and he loves the computer. He can be really thoughtful and sweet. He has been playing the frech horn for 2 years now (he plays the theme song to Star Wars and Indiana Jones!!) He is also taking French classes (like me and Tallie instead of Spanish like the other 9 siblings in our family) He is an amazing kid; though I guess technically he is a young man now. I miss being able to see him all the time, knowing how his classes at school and church.

So this one is for you Paul! I miss you kid! I Love you! I hope you had a fabulous birthday!!

Love your Big Sister

Rachel

Hmmmm.....

People who find their way to my blog via a google search interest me greatly. The hit I get the most is looking for "a day when everything went wrong". Sadly that post is not one of my best. It wasn't even the worst day I have had in the last year. Though I remember feeling completely overwhelmed and frustrated at the time I blogged.

That this particular post is googled so often has made me contemplative. There are some horrendous days in our lives. The Fridays (as Elder Wirthlin called them) will come. Tonight I am going to be grateful that my "Friday" was an exploding bottle of perrier, a few drops of blood on the floor, a couple of trips up and down the stairs, and a backhanded compliment about my hair.

Milk is of the Devil

Saturday Tiana, Heather and I bought 2 gallons. We had to be sure we had enough for people coming over on Sunday. Ironically we didn't even drink half a gallon. So what am I going to do with a gallon and a half of milk when I do not even drink it any more? And to top that off, Steph Just brought over another full gallon. Heaven Help me. I am drowning in Milk. Agggghhhhh.....gurggle...gurggle....glub...glub...glub

Nothing really to say today......

I felt the need to blog today, but had no idea what to write. So here I sit, at 11 pm on a Monday night, trying to figure that out. There were a few interesting things that happened today.

I was finally able to ship the company package to our employee that was called up. Frank is currently in Iraq. It is amazing to see people respond to the call for support. Last Monday the email went out that we were sending another package to Frank. Under great duress Frank had created a list of things that he and his buddies could use over there. Our employees were given the opportunity to contribute money or drop something by my office to be put in the package. By Thursday I had received almost 200 dollars. Items from the list have been dropped off daily in duplicate and triplicate. Today I shipped 3 boxes that all together weighed over 65 pounds. That didn’t include the items that we saved so we can send them to Frank for Thanksgiving. People want to help, they just don’t know how. Give them specific instructions and they will jump at the chance.

I also came to a realization about myself today. Not anything new or exciting, as a matter of fact people have been telling me this for years. I have been telling myself for years but that doesn’t mean that it isn’t a shock when it hits me again. I am a very opinionated person. (Yes I know that made my family and close friends laugh, thanks for your support. Lol! :P ) I always view myself as someone who can let people make their own choices and tell me there opinions and not get upset. Recently I have found that I have a few nerves that can cause me to shout. I don’t think there are many, but pick just one of my hot topics and I can lecture for hours, usually in a loud voice, about how I am right. I do not believe that is a good way to act, I should be able to be calm. I am (*gasp*) like my mother in this way, the warrior for the underdog. Each one of my “nerves” involves innocent bystanders. The hottest ones are when the choices of one person, either directly or indirectly, affect the lives of others in a negative way; especially when the innocent is a child. It seems to be knee-jerk reaction, one I will now spend a considerable amount of time trying to control. At least I will try to get it down to a level where I am not shouting any more. It gets rather embarrassing when I get all hot about a topic in a restaurant and half the people there are listening to me rant and looking at me like I am nuts. It’s just another step on the ladder of making Rae a normal person. Lol! I hope everyone had a good Monday!

1 year and counting.....

One year ago today I started my blog. No one else read it at that time; I just wanted a place to pour out the thoughts that would never quiet in my head. I have always had a fear of rejection and abandonment; that once people knew what I actually thought they would run screaming into the night. Lol! I did finally let Steph and The Professor read and now I have a couple of people who check in every now and then. If nothing else now I know what I did over the last year.

So this day has been remembered. Now I am going to bed! G’Night

Quote of the Day:
DON'T WASTE THE PRETTY
(If he won't appreciate it find someone who will)

Saturday night at the church....

The following post is very long. It is not often that I post my feelings on my religion; it is something that I hold close to my heart and feel inadequate trying to explain. But after this weekends meetings I felt the need to write. Feel free to skip reading this one.


The lights in the chapel are dim. The pews are filled with women of all ages; mothers and daughters, grandmothers and friends. There is the dull roar of chatter as these women catch up on what has been happening since they were last together. I arrive a few minutes early with Erin and Boo. The room quiets as the pre-conference presentation starts and we are given a glimpse into the life of our remarkable prophet through a series of photographs. Our presenters tell of their journey around the world following President Hinkley. The pictures are wonderful. But that is not what we are here for. Finally 8 pm comes…. The conference center in Salt Lake is projected onto the screen and we see women in brightly colored blouses singing a hymn. Women’s conference starts. The Theme is 2nd Nephi 1:15 “...and I am encircled about eternally in the arms of His love.” It is not a smooth beginning; Murphy’s Law requires that there be a technical difficulty right in the middle of the second hymn. Though, again, as beautiful as the music is, that is not what we are here for.

Sister Parkin starts to speak and the reason we have all given up our Saturday night has arrived. We are given the opportunity to listen to the Relief Society leaders of our church. This opportunity comes once a year, and every year I am tempted to skip this meeting. Then as I sit in the dark listening to the words of the Lord for the women of his church, I am reminded why I attend. There is something peaceful in the bond that is built between the women of our church. None of us are the same, yet we are all connected by the bond of Relief Society, something I cannot articulate and even if I could I doubt the world would ever understand.

As the conference progresses my thoughts and feelings are unexplainable; they tumble through my head so fast that I cannot get them all down on paper. Some I am able to capture others I reference in my notes so that I might think on them later. One of these is the question posed by Sister Parkin; “How do you feel the Lord’s love in your life?” I would like to answer this question; if for no other reason then to remind myself.

There are so many ways I feel His love, as a matter of fact, many times a day my friends and co-workers will hear me flippantly say, “God loves me.” I do sincerely recognize how blessed I am. One of the greatest blessing the Lord has given me is my ability to find joy in small things. I live in a city which enables me to get around without a car. On a regular day, I get to walk to the metro station. This takes me about twenty-five to thirty minutes. I love the chance I get to walk in the mornings before sunrise or at night as the sun is setting; there is a feeling that is indescribable. I find His love in the beauty that surrounds me at any given time. The sky can be cloudy and a foreboding grey or it can be clear and a crystal blue. There can be rain or snow, humidity or dry air, beautiful sunshine or twinkling starlight. Regardless of weather I am reminded that this world was created for us, His children. The beauty is awe-inspiring. And as I walk I usually listen to music, it varies according to my mood. It doesn’t have to be a hymn for music to touch your heart. Bach, Beethoven, or even the National Anthem can bring a skip to my step just as quickly as a pop or country song. I have not been gifted with the talent of creating music, but I have been given the blessing of enjoying music. I consider this to be an amazing show of the Lord’s love for me. Not everyone can allow music to transport them to another place. Life is not always comfortable and to be able to find peace and solace in music is an amazing blessing.

There are many other ways that I feel the love of the Lord, but already this blog is too long and I feel too vulnerable. Suffice to say, I am blessed with a large, boisterous and complex family, a wonderful group of friends and a firm knowledge of the sacrifice of my Savior. I will be forever grateful to know that I can be encircled in the arms of His love and that He will not leave me.

The Cap'n Mad Dog Flint at your service:

Thanks to Shaka, I now know that "Talk like A Pirate Day" was yesterday! I know I missed it but I had to post this....I mean come on, how many times are you going to find out that I am "part crazy, part mangy, and ALL rabid".

My pirate name is:

Mad Dog Flint

Part crazy, part mangy, all rabid, you're the pirate all the others fear might just snap soon. Like the rock flint, you're hard and sharp. But, also like flint, you're easily chipped, and sparky. Arr!

Get your own pirate name from piratequiz.com.
part of the fidius.org network

Or that I could be THE CAP'N....

Some men are born great, some achieve greatness and some slit the throats of any man that stands between them and the mantle of power. You never met a man you couldn't eviscerate. Not that mindless violence is the only avenue open to you - but why take an avenue when you have complete freeway access? You are the definitive Man of Action. You are James Bond in a blousy shirt and drawstring-fly pants. Your swash was buckled long ago and you have never been so sure of anything in your life as in your ability to bend everyone to your will. You will call anyone out and cut off their head if they show any sign of taking you on or backing down. You cannot be saddled with tedious underlings, but if one of your lieutenants shows an overly developed sense of ambition he may find more suitable accommodations in Davy Jones' locker. That is, of course, IF you notice him. You tend to be self absorbed - a weakness that may keep you from seeing enemies where they are and imagining them where they are not.

What's Yer Inner Pirate?
brought to you by The Official Talk Like A Pirate Web Site. Arrrrr!

The results are in.....

For those that were worried the tests prove......

That I have a Brain!!

Who knew? Lol!

On a more serious note, the tests came back normal.
What ever the issue is, it is not in my brain. So we are back to square one.

Thank you for all of your thoughts and prayers.

Here's hoping that the doctors know where to go from here.

Tribute to Utah

I might never be to keen on moving back home but every so once in a while something comes along that makes me chuckle. Enjoy!

Today I am in a pensive mood.

I would love to just sit on my couch at home, turn on a bit of Jazz or some nice moody Blues music and stare out the window and just let my minds wander. I could even take some time and read a good book. ;) Unfortunately, this is not possible. First, and foremost, because I have to go to work. Secondly, because I am not feeling well so I would probably fall asleep if I were to do this. Bummer!

It seems that this week seems to be one of deep thoughts and music that winds through the soul. It goes well with the grey rainy days that are outside. I hope every one is enjoying it as much as I am.

How much am I worth these days......

I'm always curious.....

My blog is worth $1,693.62.
How much is your blog worth?

If you commonly come to my blog you might have noticed a block that appeared on the bottom of the right column a couple of months ago. I become a part of a tribute to the victims of 9/11. I have thought about today’s blog off and on since July. I have tried to learn about Robert D Pugliese from East Fishkill, NY. I do not know much of this man who lost his life that dark day in September five years ago. He was the assistant Vice President of Marsh and McLennon Companies Inc. I know he had a daughter named Lisa who was in college at the time. That isn’t a whole lot.

So what do I write? Along with everyone else in the country I have been thinking about what I was doing that morning. I was living with my family in Orem, UT. I was working 2 jobs at the time while preparing to leave for my mission. That morning my uncle had been watching the morning news in his room as usual; he came running upstairs to turn on the news for us. I only had a few minutes watch before I had to rush off to my morning job at the MTC. I watched the second plane crash into one of the towers and was in shock. I spent the short drive to work wondering what was going on. At the MTC, rumors were running wild. No one knew what was really happening. There was no TV allowed, no radios, no idea what was really happening. But we heard of missionaries stranded in airports around the country. It was un-nerving and frightening. By 10 am I was heading to my second job. I expected this to be the easier of two. I was temping for a company as an admin assistant. Unfortunately, 2 of our men were in New York, one even on the same block as the Towers. I was finally able to learn more about what was happening. Talk about shock and fear. Who would do something like this? I was soon fielding frantic calls from the two wives. There was nothing we could tell these women. No one knew how to contact our guys. Their phones weren’t working. No one knew where they were. I was more then grateful to pass them on to the VP I was assisting. I don’t remember much of the rest of that day.

So why am I remembering this? What do I find so important about that day five years ago? That day taught me what I valued most in this life. I was itching to get out to the mission field. I wanted to tell people that this life was not the end. I wanted people to know that there is something after this life; that those that lost a loved one that horrible day (or any other day before and since) would have the chance to see them again. I wanted to spend as much time with my family as I could, to make sure they knew I loved them. We had already been through so much as a family; I wanted each member to know that I loved them and would always love them. That day showed me that the most important things in my life can be summed up in 2 things; God and Family. I do not know what I would do with out either one.

My heart and prayers go out to the families of those that did not get to come home that day five years ago.

~Rae~

Finally....someone who will agree with my mother...sort of. ;)

I promise to try to blog this weekend. All of the testing is finally finished. I should have my test results by next Thursday. I'll let y'all know what the neurologist says then.

So to tie you over until I blog here is the latest quiz I was sent from the girls at Team Ten!

If only life were this easy.

The Regency Romance Quiz: What kind of Romance Heroine are you?

My dear girl, you are clearly On the Shelf. You are unmarried and in your mid-twenties. You are intelligent and sensible, but quiet, and consider yourself plain. You have had several Seasons, but never received an offer, or perhaps you refused the offers you received. The reason for this is that you have always loved the man you danced with shortly after you came out at 18. He, of course, never returned your affections, or even knew about them, and is probably courting your sister. Nevertheless, he always seems to like you, and treats you much as he treats his sisters. Your love for him is immediately evident to everyone else, especially his sister, aunt or mother, who think you are the best possible wife for him. This attitude may prove either helpful or difficult, depending on how much the author likes you. When an accident befalls, your calm practicality and ability to stitch up wounds impresses him, and all of a sudden he finds himself noticing the way your smile transforms your face, lighting your eyes and making you quietly beautiful. His interest and appreciation will quickly turn to love, but he will have to spend the rest of the novel trying to convince you that his affection is genuine and not a result of pity.
Take this quiz!

Some days seem to never end.

I'll blog something positive another day. Until then....

Daniel Powter

Working from home.....

So this morning I woke to stage three of the dizziness cycle. (For Clarification: Stage one is dizzy spell, stage two is nausea and stage three is the shakiness). Now depending on the severity of these stages depends on the severity of the dizzy spell. Last night's dizzy spell was pretty bad. So when I woke this morning the shaking was pretty bad too. I was a little worried about trying to walk the 15 minutes to catch the bus so I called in sick to work. Not that that stopped the calls to me. It really didn't bother me; as a matter of fact, it made me feel needed. I finally gave up trying to sleep when I realized I wouldn't fall back asleep. The cicadas outside my window are really loud. I figured if I had to be home I might as well work while I could. Thank heavens I brought home my laptop.

Between my laptop and my cell phone I can do almost everything I need to. I have never worked from home before so this is a new experience for me. I now realize the joy of working in my PJ's. There is just something about knowing that you don't have to shower and get dressed that makes the day nicer. No makeup or even a bra if you don't want! You can crank your music as loud as you want and eat when ever you feel like it. I have spent the afternoon finishing all of my projects. It is really nice.

So here it is 3:20 pm and the shakiness is almost completely gone, down to just a slight jittery feeling. I can't tell you how good that feels to me. I think I might even go for a walk.

(Kristin if you are reading this, I promise it will be a short one and if I get weak I will call for a ride. I promise!)

On an upsetting note...

I go in for my first MRI tomorrow. They are going to check my brain to make sure that there is nothing visibly wrong there. They will also do a test for a rare type of seizures. (Steph could probably explain it more than I can) This morning I thought I was doing well. I really thought that maybe that this was all in my head. Maybe I am causing these things to be happening to me. ( I used to have the same thoughts when I was sick as a missionary) It was driven home to me that this is my current reality when during my yoga class I had a dizzy spell that worried not only my boss but also my yoga instructor.
Maybe I should be taking this more seriously. But why should I if the doctors do not know what is wrong with me? What is the point of getting all worked up over an unknown. I figure, sooner or later we all have to die. It's not like we won't see each other again. And that is the end of my morbid rant. Good night all, I am going to sleep off the nausea from this evenings dizzy spell.

Family

So I went home last week. My brothers mission farewell was Sunday. I flew home Friday night and arrived just after 2 am on Saturday morning. The day was full of interesting
things.

It started with a short walk and a chance to see my big brother Kent's new lawn and his family Garden.

This was followed by a fabulous lunch with Meg, William, and Sarah. Some days the most fun can be had with old friends and a restaurant full of memories.

After lunch I got a chance to watch Lukas play Soccer. My Goose has been playing soccer for almost 2 years now. While I have had a chance to watch a couple of practices, this is my first game. It is also the first game of the season. It rained a nice cold rain for the first half which was followed by a sunny and hot second half. The Hillcrest Hawks (Lukas' Team) won 4-0 I think. I got kind of lost in the middle of the game. I should really pay more attention.


Goose had the largest fan base on the sidelines. But then again with our numbers how could he not.

Dinner was Pizza and Kentucky Fried Chicken on our front lawn. There was lots of laughter and fun. Afterwards I went for Coldstone with Truman and Vanessa. It was nice to meet Trumans Fiance. I am excited for their wedding. It should be great. Vanessa is great. She is sweet and nice, all the things I hope for Truman.

Sunday was full of people and fun. Hugh's talk was great. He really is a talented speaker. Mom and Cynthia set up a fine spread for the Open House. Ian was able to come home a day early, giving me a chance to visit with him.

All in all it was a great chance for me to talk with all of my siblings. Lukas, gave me lots of hugs, and asked that I move back home again. I told him that wasn't possible and we had a talk about him coming out for a visit one of these days. I think it would be fun. Now all I need is our parents permission. Hopefully Paul, James, and Goose can all come for a visit.

I think one of my favorite parts of the trip was the chance to finally meet Sean Micheal Gifford. My first nephew. He was born at the beginning of January and this was my first chance to meet him. I was thrilled to be able to hold him and rock him to sleep.What more fun could you ask for?

The Day Everything Went Wrong.....

*****Warning*****

*****Written Poorly. Read at your own risk. I'm too tired to care*****

The morning started off right. I woke up at 6:30; my roommate had lost her morning alarm so I said I would wake her. After waking her I made a serious error. I got back in bed! It was only for 15 minutes which somehow turned into 50 minutes. (It could have something to do with the repeated late nights and strenuous lifting of the move.) After a hurried prep of 12 minutes we were in the car and on our way to the Metro. I thought I had barely caught my bus, but I was wrong. I could have sworn it said #425, apparently it read #427. Not completely bad, it was just a short walk (about 15 minutes) so I was only about 20 minutes late to work, and then of course I dropped a glass bottle in the kitchen here. A bottle of Perrier that explode upon impact. Of course while cleaning it up I cut myself. It is small but bled enough to leave drops on the floor. It seems it never ends….I kept forgetting the things I needed down stairs so I was up and down the stairs 3 separate times this morning. And then I got pinged by a gentleman that has not talked to me in months. (Good? Bad? ) And now, I was just told by a co-worker that I look like the old Raggedy Anne Doll...”All red curly hair going everywhere” (his exact words). And it is only 11:20 in the morning. It is going to be a long day.

I have to clean my old room tonight to prep for the new girl moving in, I need to finish unpacking, and then make sure I am packed for this weekend. It is going to be a long night.

Is it over yet...........

So today I am covering the front desk for the morning. I figure since I have the time to write I might as well. So here are the updates on my life.

“The Move” Update:
The move has been started. I am moving closer to the metro. Erin and I will live in this house for the next 11 months. It is shaping up to be quite nice for me. I have my own room, my own bathroom, a fully furnished kitchen (which is beautiful) and shorter walk to and from the metro.
I packed completely last night. I even moved a carload of boxes to the new house with Kate’s help. I probably should have planned a bit more carefully when I was choosing what would go to the new house. Necessities should not have gone. But some of them did, and I had to scramble to make sure I could get ready for work this morning. Hopefully the furniture will be moved tonight and I can spend my first night in my new house.

“Health” Update:
The dizzy spells still happen once or twice a day, though they have lessened in severity. I am very grateful, today was my deadline day. It should have been over by now. My doctor will be referring me to a neurologist to find out what is going on. Yay, for more doctors’ appointments. Apparently 4 appointments in 3 weeks are not enough for me.
My emergency visit to the dentist last Friday resulted in a referral to an oral surgeon. I have broken a tooth. After the surgeon I will have to go back to my dentist for some major repair work. Aren’t I excited? Can’t you see me smiling from ear to ear?
As a side note I have never been more grateful for Medical/dental insurance; especially a high deductible medical plan in which my company pays my deductible. There is always a silver lining, right?

Family Update:
My brother Hugh has recovered from his bout of the shingles. He will be entering the Provo MTC in one week from today. This Sunday is his Farewell talk in church. I will be flying in to SLC Sat @ 2 am so that I can attend church with the family. I will then be flying home Sunday night at 11 pm so that I can be at work Monday morning.

All in all…..
I wish it were September.

Hope everyone else is having a better August then I am. This has become the Month from Hell!

"Marian the Librarian, at your service...Shhh"

Apparently everyone realizes that I should be a librarian. Now if only I could get back to school. Some day.....*sigh*

Your Career Personality: Idealistic, Service-Oriented, and Future-Oriented

Your Ideal Careers: Alternative health practitioner Architect Environmental lawyer Librarian Magazine editor Museum curator Novelist Nutritionist Photo journalist Playwright

The Quick and Dirty Career Test

Welcome to the family.............

I know I have not been posting any good stuff recently. The only excuse is I haven't been feeling well. Life now consists of work, visits to the doctor and the dentist (as of yesterday), sleeping and reading. So on to the Farkledunkons....

My younger brothers Paul and James started a chain of emails with my family. One in which we all received a new name. I of course am Goober Farklebreath, is that not a fabulous name. It has been humorous to me to see all of my family respond. I am now giving you the new names of my various siblings. (We are missing many as they have not yet figured out their new name.)

The real names have not been given to protect the innocent. Hee Hee Hee

Enjoy!

The following are the fabulous members of my family...

Sleazy Farkledunkon

Dipsy Farkledunkon

Snickle Farklebreath

Boobie Chickendoodle Farkledunkon (my second favorite)

Sloopy Farkledukon

Boobie Farklebreath Dippintush (My all time favorite!)

Sloopy Chucklefanny Farkledukon +1

(couldn’t have 2 with the exact same name)

Sneezy Chucklefanny

Sleazy Chucklefanny

We are quite the crowd. ;)

Tagged again.......

Here's the latest Tag....

1. Grab the nearest book.
2. Open the book to page 123.
3. Find the fifth sentence.
4. Post the text of the next 3 sentences on your LJ/blog along with these instructions.
5. Don’t you dare dig for that "cool" or "intellectual" book in your closet! I know you were thinking about it! Just pick up whatever is closest.
6. Tag five people.
(Steph's Paragraph)

"Finally the girl said, in that same strange tone, "I see deer--a great herd of deer, and a man among them with his body painted--they put the antlers on him--oh, he is down, they will kill him--" Her voice trembled and again Viviane passed her hand above the surface of the water, and the ripples passed over the surface. "Enough," she commanded.

(me)
"He turned to the agent next to him.
"Take four men and search the road and brush. Don't take chances. These are criminals who---What the hell is that?"

I tag...ummm whois left to tag?

The Professor.............Did anyone get Sherpa yet? Tiana?

I am out of names.

Hey T.....Can you send me your blog address again. I lost it. :)

Quote of the evening....

There is just something about live music that seeps into the soul. I live it. I could listen for hours. And tonight I did. It has been a long night, which started and ended with a headache. But even that couldn't overcome the excitement of seeing the Dorothy and her friends follow the Yellow Brick Road on their way to see the Wizard. Tonight I saw the Wizard of Oz on the big screen at The Wolftrap. This was not just any showing of the Wizard of Oz. Tonight they removed the music from the movie and had the National Symphony Orchestra play it live. It was amazing. I loved it.

Though tonight's quote comes from the ride home when Amber got lost in the conversation. No one but those in the car will find it funny, but I told them I would blog it....therefore:

"I thought you said your foot was swollen, now I feel dirty."

Boo, we love you!

Tagged

People keep reminding me that I was tagged. Alright already. Here is my response.....Enjoy

What is your salad dressing of choice?
Italian and Cesear are the fall back dressings, but I like to try just about anything....

What is your favorite fast food restaurant?
I don't have one.....They all have their moments.

What is your favorite sit down restaurant?
The Sushi joint in Vienna where we used to go to lunch.
Hey Steph what is the name of that place?

On average, what size tip do you leave at a restaurant?
between 20% and 25%.

What food could you eat every day for two weeks and not get sick of?
Chicken and Cheese Rice Bake, or Ghetto Chicken Parmesean

Name three foods you detest above all others.
Icky Sauce (sorry Mom), and cooked fish: Halibut and Salmon particularly

What is your favorite dish to order in a Chinese restaurant?
Dumplings

What are your pizza toppings of choice?
Mushrooms, Sausage and Cheese

What do you like to put on your toast?
butter and peach jam

What is your favorite type of gum?
Winterfresh or spearamint

Number of contacts in your cell phone?
133- but 1 is my grandpa who passed away at Christmas time, I haven't the heart to delete it.

Number of contacts in your e-mail address book?
Which email account. I have 3 and only some of the address are in more then one account.
Lets just say there are plenty of contacts.

What is your wallpaper on your computer?
My familys laughing picutre

What is your screensaver on your computer?
Don’t have one

Are there naked pictures saved on your computer?
Only half naked. Sorry

How many land line phones do you have in your house?
0

How many televisions are in your house?
3

What kitchen appliance do you use the most?
microwave...cuz I can't cook

What is the format of the radio station you listen to the most?
my alarm is a country station. Otherwise I listen to my iPod.

What do you consider to be your best physical attribute?
I would have said my hair but I cut it all off. So maybe...my eyes?

Are you right handed or left handed?
Right

Do you like your smile?
Depends on the day

Have you ever had anything removed from your body?
not anything that I can comment on here.

Would you like to?
yet again pleading the 5th

Do you prefer to read when you go to the bathroom?
Of course, what is life with out a book in your hand.

Which of your five senses do you think is keenest?
Not touch, not hearing is off, not sight is horrible, taste is preety good. But I think smell is probably the keenest, especially when I don't feel well.

When was the last time you had a cavity?
Today, Tomorrow, Forever

What is the heaviest item you lift regularly?
Cases of Soda...though Steph says my backpack weighs more then any case of soda.

Have you ever been knocked unconscious?
Not that I can recall

If it were possible, would you want to know the day you were going to die?
Ignorance is Bliss

If you could change your first name, what would you change it to?
Larrissa...cuz then I would be able to fulfill my fathers dream to be called Larissa the Pissa

How do you express your artistic side?
I don't, it is a scardy-cat

What color do you think you look best in?
Peaches, and the right color blue

How long do you think you could last in a medium security prison?
It would depend upon my "alliances"

Have you ever swallowed a non-food item by mistake?
Please clarify...this could be incriminating

If we weren't bound by society's conventions, do you have a relative you would make a pass at?
Not really

How often do you go to church?
Define Often. Eveyr so Often.

Have you ever saved someone's life?
Not that I know of but who knows.

Has someone ever saved yours?I do believe there was an Incident were a home teacher had to pull a chicken bone out of my throat

Would you walk naked for a half mile down a public street for $100,000?
That’s just one of the many things I would do for that much cash.

Would you kiss a member of the same sex for $100?
Do I have to use Tongue?

Would you allow one of your little fingers to be cut off for $200,000?
I like all of my fingers personally

Would you never blog again for $50,000?
Depends on my mood when the money was offered

Would you pose naked in a magazine for $250,000?
When we have sno-cones in Hell

Would you drink an entire bottle of hot sauce for $1000?
Probably not, I do not like pain. Give me a year or two to work my way up to a whole bottle.
Would you shave your head and get your entire body waxed for $5,000?
Probably, Though I do like the hair on my head.

Would you give up watching television for a year for $25,000?
If I could go to the movies still I would be okay.

Who do you tag?
The Professor, Steph, Gwen

My Big Brother in Egypt

My big brother Ralph has been spending the summer in Egypt. He emails semi-regular updates. Here is one I thought was interesting. Sorry Ralph. I did edit it. But just a little.

Life is starting to wind down here in Egypt. I will head off to Luxor on the night train tomorrow night, and I'll get back on Sunday morning. I had planned to not go down to Luxor and Karnak this time out here. First of all, it is blazing hot. None of the members of the branch want to go down in the summer. They tend to head down in February when it is only ninety or one hundred degrees down there, instead of up to one hundred and thirty five degrees, like it often has been this summer. Again, I was resigned to go down the next time I come to Egypt, which I feel is inevitable. But, I was invited to go down with Kaysha, and a small group of temporary people here... people who are here only for the summer, and therefore unable to go in the "moderate" winter weather. Well, the group that had decided to go had drizzled up into Kaysha, a member of the branch who is seeking a Masters degree at the American University in Cairo... and ironically enough, her boyfriend, Garth, who is not a member of the church, but for some odd reason thinks that I am hilarious. Kaysha has begged me to go. I imagine as a chaperone... but as I was contemplating the trip, I realized that we will be together for a few days... and I am sure that he will have questions about the gospel. It is physically impossible for me to avoid discussing the gospel. I don't think that I can talk about anything without it leading to the gospel directly or indirectly... So, even though I don't know Kaysha and Garth very well, I feel compelled to go. I imagine many good things coming out of it. The few times I have met Garth, I have felt that he is a good person.

A little clarification... in Egypt there are strict laws against baptizing Egyptian citizens. We are technically allowed to baptize non-Egyptians. Even Sudanese, regardless of the fact that most of them are Muslim. In fact, our branch had a baptism as recently as December. A man from Cameroon, named Simplice, was baptized. In the eighties the branch baptized hundreds of people, and was censured by the government and lost their meeting privileges for a time. So, it is not absurd to think that non-Egyptians who rub shoulders with Mormons might be able to become members of the church here. But, it is announced over the pulpit that we should not engage actively in missionary work here. However, in the case of Simplice, those who knock... it shall be given unto them.

An interesting side note and then good luck to me figuring out my original train of thought was (Oh, yeah, I am going on the night train to Luxor)... An opposition newspaper (meaning oposing President Mubarak) came out with an article against the Mormon Church. Now, first let me explain that all newspapers are censored here. First of all, they are censored by editors, who don't want their newspaper to be shut down... and then they are censored by the government. However, it is interesting to see that some newspapers are given more liberty than others... to satisfy the emotional need to rebel and denounce the government. It is as if the government knowingly throws them a bone from time to time. Some newspapers know that they are allowed to cater to a certain group. Well, this newspaper is written primarily by Coptic Christians here in Egypt (who are the largest minority in Egypt, about ten percent of the population -- or six to seven million people). I was able to dabble a bit in translating the article into English for the Public Relations senior couple assigned here to Egypt. Let me paste the article and then talk about some aspects of it. Okay? Some of you might find this intriguing, while some of you may skip the entire email if you want.
...........
I am going to skip this part. If you are really interested in the dissection and debunking of this article email me and I can send you everything he said. As a side note myself...Ralph: If you are going to cut and paste and article for me to read it needs to be in English. I can’t read Arabic. Lol!
Now back to the rest of the email.
...........
What a long, but interesting tangent, if I do say so myself. At any rate... I also was given the task of pinning down a hard copy of the article... which I have done. It was printed a little more than two weeks ago. The reason it was brought to our attention, is because there is a Brazilian member of our branch, who was asked to stop coming to church because her employers read the article and were worried about her being arrested. True to form, she has not attended church for about two weeks.

At any rate... I also wanted to write a bit about my lunches. My lunch was especially disgusting yesterday. I decided to talk about it a bit. Samir has been busy lately when I visit him. So busy in fact, that we have had sandwiches sent to us from his home to the shop. I haven't been up to his house for two weeks or so. So, I would get these sandwiches with cheese... very strong cheese... and he would tell me that it was "old cheese." I was fine with that. But, yesterday, we went up to his apartment and I helped him prepare the food. I cut the lemons (which were the size of marbles... I am baffled at how large and delicious looking US produce is compared to Egyptian produce) Any way, Samir carefully lemon juiced each piece of boiled okra and inserted a pinch of spices. He then pulled out a pot of distilled home-made yoghurt. Now... as some of you may recall, the Coptic Christians had been fasting for fifty days, so they couldn't have dairy products or meat (only fish and seafood). So, my eating cheese has been a new thing at Samir's house. Plain yoghurt disgusts me, but especially home-made yoghurt in Egyptian homes. I quickly explained that I was lactose intolerant... I can only eat a little bit of cheese, but not milk or yoghurt. I explained how I was weaned on goat milk as a boy... But, the worst part is yet to come. Samir went to the refrigerator and pulled out a plastic container. He opened the lid and a murky liquid was inside. He reached in and grabbed a white mound of something. He rinsed it off and set it on a plate. I have called people, pardon my French, phlegm wads before... in junior high. But, I had never seen a wad like this before. This, he told me, to my chagrin, was the old cheese. Apparently they make it themselves. "How old is your old cheese," I asked. Eight months old. That container of rancid liquid has had lumpy wads of cheese floating in it for eight months... longer than my daughter has been alive. Samir then told me that year and a half old cheese is even stronger.

It is a very sad day when you choose to eat okra instead of cheese. But, yesterday was one of those days. A beautiful thing about losing your appetite... you really can't eat very much at all.

Rafting again....

It is twenty after ten pm and we are just leaving Lexington, Virginia. I have a little time as I sit in the backseat, all by myself. So why not write how the trip went.

Friday was a difficult work day. Concentration was not a possibility. I just wanted to be on the river. Erin picked me up at 5 pm on the dot. We threw my gear in the back and were off to get Joy. We took a short detour to drive by the house we will be moving into at the end of Aug. (Yes you read that right. I am moving again. It was inevitable. But that is a topic for a whole blog of its own. I have a theory there.) Once Joy was in the car we were on our way to the Wild West Virginia. It is a 6 hour drive and we talked most of the way. Kenny Chesney was playing Nissan Pavilion which caused a horrible traffic jam. All the fans apparently have to take one road to get to the Nissan Pavilion. SO they filled our road. It took an extra hour to get past them. Once past we were flying. It was really nice to be on the open road. Unfortunately both Joy and I had a problem as the roads got more and more curvy. We survived. It was after midnight when we arrived and we crashed.

This morning our Rafting trip started at 9 am. I was mistaken; we rafted the Lower New River, not the Gauley. My mistake; it was still way fun. It was on the river. There were some great rapids. The water was warm. The day was nice, there was a touch of rain but that just added to the experience. Yes, I ended up in the water, but never involuntarily. I swam 2 rapids, they were little baby ones, but the current was strong and so much fun. I did the rock jump (I never miss a chance). I finally felt that I am starting to know what I am doing. I think I finally am getting the basics. There were pictures but none that I felt were worth $20 and the DVD was definitely not worth 50 bucks. So posterity will just have to believe me when I say I rafted it twice this summer. I am starting to realize these things are fun. Who knew? Who knew that these are somethings that I can do? But I can. Maybe not well, but I just need practice and a little more training. Today for the first time I got back in the boat with out help. 4 separate times. (There was a 5^th time but I needed help for that one. Lol!)

Erin mentioned that we were going to pass Buena Vista, Virginia on our way home. I called Tiana and asked if she wanted to go to dinner. It was very last minute but we met at the main campus of Southern Virginia University. It is as beautiful as everyone says. The rest of the town is pretty ghetto but the school building is beautiful. We then went to Don Tequila for dinner. It was a Mexican joint, in an old Pizza Hut Building. Funny? Yes. Good food? Yes. It was nice to see Tiana. We decided that this covers our visit for Aug. (yeah, yeah we know. It is still July. But it is close enough.) I got to meet Tiana’s co-worker, Margaret. It was fun. We now plan for her to come to visit me in the district for September. Then I am planning a trip back down here in October. Now all we have to decide is where we will go in November. That is Thanksgiving after all.

Joy needed to hit a Wal-Mart to get a few things for her coming trip to Mexico. Of course you can’t go into Wal-Mart and come out empty handed. So I got 2 pair of earrings and 3 new shirts. J

I am excited for Oct. We are coming back for Bridge Day. The New River Gorge Bridge is the second longest steel arch bridge in the world. (This year China had to go and finish theirs that is about a hundred feet longer) I was also told that this is the second highest bridge in the United States, I haven’t verified it, but it is 876 feet high. Once a year people are allowed to base jump off of it. You have to be certified, and have 50 previous jumps under your belt before you are allowed to try this one. But people can go watch. It is the only day that pedestrians are allowed on the bridge. Joy and I want to come down and watch and maybe go rock climbing or bouldering. I already know I enjoy bouldering I just need a little training and I think I will like climbing just as much. Though I am definitely have to work on my upper body strength. Lol!

Well now I am going to have to close because this is making me carsick. Not a good thing. I will end with this thought: I made a discovery. I have found something that I can do, maybe not well yet but that doesn’t detract from the enjoyment I find in it. I will enjoy it while I can.

When did it change....

There was a time when I could create a whole meal for the family and not worry about how bad it was going to be. Somehow in the last year and a half I have lost everything I had learned. Granted it was not much to begin with, but I could at least make the signature meals. I could handle, Tacos, enchiladas, chicken and rice, and even a whole meal of chicken, egg rolls, rice, and pot stickers. Now I cannot make any of it.

Tonight the elders came again. I choose an easy dish, anyone can make it. My younger brothers and sisters have successfully made it. Who knew that it could be screwed up. Apparently it can. The chicken didn't finish cooking (note to the world: putting together casseroles before you are completely awake in the morning is not the best idea) and the rice didn't either. On an ironic notethe exact same dish assembled by my roommate and cooked in the exact same oven came out perfect.

It wasn't as horrible as the enchilada debacle of March. But still wasn't as good as I want. Is the outcome of our various efforts ever as good we want them? Uh-Oh...I am starting to think. Not something I want to do at 3:20 am. Dryer is almost done.

Time

It is almost 1 am here. Both the washer and dryer are running. I have yet to pack. But I have been thinking of what I want to pack. It is only 1 night so it shouldn't be too hard.

Mall Rats is on TV. Jay and Silent Bob are beating up the Easter Bunny.

2:30.....last load is in the dryer.

"What you do not smell is Iocane powder........" It is a classic. Packing is almost done.

Too much excitement to sit still.....

So I have not had a weekend to myself for awhile. I thought it was going to be this weekend........BUT NO! I got invited to raft the Upper Gauley River this weekend. So it is back out to West Virginia to hit the Grand Canyon of the East again. This river is the one I rafted last year. I am so excited I can barely type. To tide you over till I get the rest of the New River pics blogged...Here is my favorite:

The proof .......

A couple of weeks ago my sister came for a visit. Tiana is my big sister. She is 18 months older then me (or is it 16 months? Who knows? Who really cares?) Any way, she now lives about 3 hours south of me in a college town called Buena Vista, which she shortens to BV. Now this is exciting for a couple of reasons. First, Tiana is going back to school, my long term goal is to get off my duff and follow in her footsteps. Second, this makes 2 out of 19 people (not including spouses or extended family) who live on the East Coast. I am excited to have at least one member of my family so close.
So she came to visit, she drove up after work one Friday night, arriving almost in time. ;) We then went to see Pirates 2 with Boo, Steph, Hugh, and Perry. It was fun. Unfortunately, she sat by Boo who doesn’t like talking in movies. My family is big on the running commentaries; I have had to train myself to not talk when I am at the movies with people. I really enjoyed being able to talk to my sister, even though Boo and Steph weren’t so happy. Lol! Afterwards there was a night of talking and bonding which was really nice. Saturday morning we were off early to the Eastern Market and brunch with some of her friends who have moved here. I found a fabulous hat, and some earrings. Tiana found a great necklace and Earring set.

After that we headed to the National Mall for some Touristy stuff.



We got to see the Sunstone in the American History Museum(got to see the Mormon stuff of course).
















Tiana found the love of her life, unfortunately he lived to long ago for her to date today.


















Then we moved on to walking outside. It was hot and muggy. But it was fun.
The Washington Monument weighs a ton:








































Lincoln’s Monument was just so stubborn, for some reason I couldn’t squish it!



















We got up close and personal with FDR













And his dog:















Tiana, trying to prove to the family back home just how broke she really is, stands in the bread line:
Tiana'a favorite Monument was the WWII:









My favorite Picture:

Here is why you don't let tourists take your picture. You get the Wahington Monument coming out of your head:













At the end of the walking we had to sit for a while to get the strength to walk back to the metro.













We ended the day perfectly with Appleby’s Carside To Go and Gilmore Girls. It was almost like the old days...... Tiana was on her way early the next morning so that she could make her Sacrament Meeting.
It was nice to have her come for a visit. I am looking forward to the time we can do it again.

I received my pictures from the rafting trip last weekend. I will post them another time. And then I will tell you all about the beach. Wahoo!! There was a lot of sand and fun.

1000 and counting

Well what a moment. I have had 1000 visitors to my blog. This is an odd feeling. Especially since this blog was created to vent my feelings to no one. As a matter of fact only 2 people knew it ever existed at the very beginning. So congrats to me for continuing to write here even after other people started to read it.

Today’s blog has to be devoted to the last weekend though. I have yet to blog about last weekend with my sister Tiana. I promise to do that but I have promised many that I would write of the festival and rafting. So here goes. Friday was the festival and Saturday was rafting…..

Friday afternoon I drove to a small town in West Virginia. Every year Elkins, West Virginia is host to a Summer Program devoted to American Heritage. Each week is dedicated to a type of music. They have concerts on Tuesdays and Thursday and outdoor dances every Friday. There are classes during the week to teach you various things from that heritage. Everything from singing, to dancing, to blacksmithing, to learning to play the guitar, you name it and people are brought in to teach it. The dance on Friday is a culmination of all the students have learned.

Last week was Cajun/Creole Week. Zydeco is a combination of cajun, blues and rock music that hails from Louisiana. The sound is a little faster then country. There is a different rhythm. The band includes and Accordion, a guitar, a fiddle, the drums, and I am told true Zydeco has a washboard (though there was not one at the festival on Friday)

A girl from one of the single adult wards invited those of us involved in our rafting trip to take a detour to this festival. It is in her home town. It is about a 5 hour drive from DC and we arrived about 7:30. We were welcomed like long lost children into the MacArthur home. Here we were fed and given a chance to get ready to go dancing. I, of course, dressed completely inappropriately in a t-shirt, jeans and flip flops. But no one mentioned anything to make me feel uncomfortable and I had not planned on actually dancing anyway. We also got a chance to meet Chester; Zydeco dancer extraordinaire. Chester hails from Beaumont, Texas. He travels to West Virginia for the festival every year. He is amazing to watch. So smooth, graceful and controlled. It is extremely cool. The steps to Zydeco dancing seemed simple enough when they were demonstrated, just a 4 count. Anyone should be able to do that right. Sort of a 2-step; instead of quick, quick, slow, slow; it is quick, quick, quick, quick. It should be easy right. I watched for the first couple of dances and was finally coaxed on to the floor. I proved yet again that I am a klutz. But that is okay. No one pointed or teased. I laughed and we went back to counting. After a few hours I could get the basic steps, and sometimes I was even able to do turns. I know I am pretty proud of myself too. It was so much fun. Even when I didn’t have a partner we would go to the middle of the floor and just enjoy the music. I soon learned the reasoning behind skirts on a crowded and hot dance floor. It was hot and muggy even this late at night. But no one let that slow them down. Even with everyone sweating profusely the dancing went on till midnight. Some where around my second dance I gave up on the flip flops, I went barefoot the rest of the evening. People were extremely kind. Mama MacArthur calls dances like these the great equalizer. Her favorites are Zydeco and Contra (another form of dance that I have only heard about, sort of like square dancing but different, it involves everyone on the floor dancing with each other though) She explained that you see everyone dancing with everyone. Old with Young. Rich with Poor. All Races dancing together. Gender didn’t really even matter when you needed a partner and there weren’t enough men. As long as you got to dance. The dancing was extremely pleasant.

Afterwards we all filed back to the MacArthur home and were treated to homemade Strawberry shakes. They were delicious and the discussions were lively, but by 1 am, with the realization that we would have to be up for rafting in a few hours, we started to turn in for the night. Mama and Papa MacArthur were up to see the first crowd off at 5:30 to make their 8:00 departure for rafting. The second crowd woke to the mellow tones of a dulcimer being played by Mama MacArthur. We then left by 7:00 to make our 9:30 departure time. The Macarthur’s were very good to us, they provided directions and breakfast. Mama MacArthurs was praying for us by name when we left, she didn’t want anyone hurt. She is a sweet lady.

Rafting was also fun. There are pictures. I just do not have them yet. We rafted the Lower New River. Apparently it is the second oldest river in the world, who knew? It is also called “The Grand Canyon of the East”. The rapids ranged between Class I thru Class V. With 3 sets of Class V rapids. It was not as difficult or intense as the Gauley last year, but still it was highly enjoyable. I got to swim through a couple of rapids, completely voluntary. I actually never fell out of the boat. As a matter of fact while trying to surf a specific set of rapids, me and Kyle were the only 2 that stayed in the boat with the guide. Everyone else ended up in the water. I also got a chance to go cliff jumping. Again the cliff wasn’t as high as the one that I jumped at the Gualey, but the falling sensation was the same. There is that feeling in your stomach; that tingle and jump that comes. Wahoo!!! There was also a waterfall that I got to climb up. I have decided I like bouldering much better then regular hiking. Bouldering is hiking big boulders; it is more of a scramble to get up and down. It is lots of fun. I took a camera, who knows how well the pictures turned out. But I also bought a bunch of pictures from the rafting company. They took them as we were rafting the rapids. They are fun. I will post them once I have them down loaded. By the time I got home I was exhausted. I showered, fell into bed, and slept through Sunday. I am glad I went but I think I need to pace myself. That way I don’t crash and sleep thru church anymore.

This weekend I go to camping to the Assateague Island in Maryland. I know nothing about this trip other then there is a beach and possibly wild ponies. It should be fun. I’ll let you know.

A family Con Call...

For the first time in our family history we had a conference call. Every member of my family dialed in (except Ralph in Egypt) to hear the great news. It was loud and chaotic as only the Hinkson/Gifford Clan can be. But the waiting is at an end. The letter came today......

Hugh has received his Mission Call. He will serve as a missionary in the Chile, Vina Del Mar mission for 2 years. He reports to the training center in Provo, Utah on August 30, 2006.

Hugh, Congratulations and Good Luck!
Ralph, if you read this before talking to Hugh or Julie...Oops. Sorry.


For those that are not LDS here is a link to explain a little more about missionary work and why we think it is so important:

http://www.mormon.org/learn/0,8672,1022-1,00.html

Happy Independence Day!!

Let Freedom Ring!

I hope every one got to enjoy some Fireworks.

Congrats to my big brother Kent and his wife Cynthia, the newest addition to the Hinkson Clan will arrive in December! Yeah.