A busy day - off to Linden via Red Deer where I picked up 4 pizzas at Costco for tonight's Relief Society meeting. {Relief Society is the name of the women's organization in the Church}
It was great to see my husband and my cat! {he - the cat - has a reasonable litter disposal method}
The meeting was awesome. Sandra Hawryluk, a sister from a ward I attended in Calgary, came and gave us a presentation on how she and her husband are working together to create a successful family based on living the principles of the Gospel as taught in the scriptures. She left us with a lot to think about and many things to try. She also gave us a handout showing her family's mission statement, guiding principles temporal, spiritual and family and some reference material.
One of the talks in the reference material can be found here -
http://ce.byu.edu/cw/womensconference/archive/2008/pdf/russellAndLollyOsguthorpe2008.pdf
I guarantee that if you read this talk and put these things into practice - you will be successful at anything you try.
Afterwards, I went to Trish's so we could work on a card making technique using a fancy paper napkin, saran wrap and an iron. Ask me about it and I'll gladly share.
About Me
- Diane
- I love my life. I'm contented enough to be relaxed and discontented enough to quest. I want to see it all, smell it all and touch it all and through writing I can. I'm especially grateful for the gospel in my life. I don't need to search anymore. I can get on with perfecting talents and abilities.
Sunday, September 27, 2009
House/Cat Sitting Day Seven Sept 22nd
I went to the temple today. It is so peaceful there and the people so nice. It's wonderful to get away from the world for a while.
In case some of my readers are curious as to what the temple is all about, let me tell you. It's a sacred house of worship where members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints go to make sacred covenants and perform sacred ordinances for ourselves and our kindred dead that are necessary for our salvation. These covenants and ordinances help us live our lives more righteously and prepare us to live with our Heavenly Father again one day.
Some of you might be asking, 'How can you do things for the dead?" We stand as proxy for them.
There are many of Father's children who pass through this life without ever hearing the gospel and having the opportunity to accept it and live by it's principles. When they die, they are taken to the Spirit world where they are taught the gospel and given a chance to accept it. They don't have their body back yet so in order to receive any of the ordinances the Savior - they need someone to act as proxy for them and receive these ordinances. That's where we come in. Once we have attended the temple for ourselves, we go back often and perform these ordinances for them.
Each time I come away from the temple, I feel refreshed and centered - ready to live even better than I did before. I want to treat my family better, to show them love and compassion - to help them in any way I can. I come away with a greater sense of love for my brothers and sisters and my friends.
Later that night I went for a walk that the sisters in the ward I attend here go on every Tuesday night. I met a lady, Chris, there and her 'date' joined us , too. We had a blast! Nigel is so funny and the way he is courting Chris is so cute. They were kind enough not to make me feel like a third wheel and we really enjoyed the evening. I'll tell you more about where we walked in another post.
In case some of my readers are curious as to what the temple is all about, let me tell you. It's a sacred house of worship where members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints go to make sacred covenants and perform sacred ordinances for ourselves and our kindred dead that are necessary for our salvation. These covenants and ordinances help us live our lives more righteously and prepare us to live with our Heavenly Father again one day.
Some of you might be asking, 'How can you do things for the dead?" We stand as proxy for them.
There are many of Father's children who pass through this life without ever hearing the gospel and having the opportunity to accept it and live by it's principles. When they die, they are taken to the Spirit world where they are taught the gospel and given a chance to accept it. They don't have their body back yet so in order to receive any of the ordinances the Savior - they need someone to act as proxy for them and receive these ordinances. That's where we come in. Once we have attended the temple for ourselves, we go back often and perform these ordinances for them.
Each time I come away from the temple, I feel refreshed and centered - ready to live even better than I did before. I want to treat my family better, to show them love and compassion - to help them in any way I can. I come away with a greater sense of love for my brothers and sisters and my friends.
Later that night I went for a walk that the sisters in the ward I attend here go on every Tuesday night. I met a lady, Chris, there and her 'date' joined us , too. We had a blast! Nigel is so funny and the way he is courting Chris is so cute. They were kind enough not to make me feel like a third wheel and we really enjoyed the evening. I'll tell you more about where we walked in another post.
House/Cat Sitting Day Six Sept 21st
An uneventful day if memory serves me right. I cleaned out the cat litter...
...an amazing contraption, that ! These three trays are the new way of cleaning the litter and are supposed to save you from getting your hands icky but, for what it's worth, you get your hands ickier - those are words aren't they? icky and ickier?
Anyway, first you prepare a bag to put the used litter in. Of course it will consist of 5 or 6 grocery bags as you layer them together, one at a time, making sure the one hole each seems to come from the factory with isn't directly over the one hole in the other bag.
Then you face the litter box. You snap up little end pieces to release the surrounding 'wall' part, which is covered in litter, I might add. You tap that off into the litter below [pieces going AWOL all over the place] and set the 'wall' aside. You loosen the top tray lifting it off the one below, just a bit as I came to learn, and slowly start shaking it from side to side. This is to loosen the little 'packages' and encourage the loose litter to make it's way down through the grate in the bottom of the tray you are holding into the tray below. If they don't loosen, then you shake harder - sure some of the litter and...whatever that chunk was might fling themselves off the edge and land on you but just remember - this is a 'new' way and you can't expect to learn it all at once. Anyway, if that doesn't work [and it didn't], you set the tray down, battle two spiders to the death, wrest the screwdriver from their cold dead legs and use that to poke and pry the stubborn pieces from their strongholds. This takes about 5 minutes - you can't rush technology...
Once the sifting is done and the 'gold' revealed, you tip the nuggets into the garbage bag which is never, I repeat NEVER open wide enough. Mountains and molehills alike- no prejudice here - tumble to the floor some of them not as compact as others breaking open and spilling their contents even further afield - ick!
Now you take the tray with the grated bottom and set it on the floor. [Hope baby doesn't need to crawl here for a while...ick!]You remove the second tray, which is now full of the sifted litter, and set it on the floor. [Don't worry, I'm not going to play a shell game and ask you where the little nuggets are...I can see them, and smell them, plain as day!]
You now put the grated tray inside the third tray - which bless it's little heart has been sitting there all along minding it's own business and causing no trouble at all. Poor thing - it's about to get a 'dirty' done to it because you now take the sifted litter in the second tray and pour it into the grated tray which is sitting in the third tray. You pick those two up together and slip the second tray beneath the third tray and put this cute little sandwich[ ick] together on the floor. [I think I'm ready to attack the Rubik's Cube now!]
You put the 'wall' back on - pausing just long enough to wish you could add few more stories to it and when the kitties jumped in you could hold them hostage until they promised to clean up after themselves...or no food again EVER [maniacal laughter] ...oops - did I say that in my outside voice?
Now to gather up all those little packages on the floor, coax them into the garbage bag and sweep up and wash up the floor where the packages and trays left their 'mark'. Then you have to sweep yourself off and and have a wash up! Oh yeah...a newer way is a better way...oh yeah, where'd you ever hear that tripe???
That took care of the entire morning. I spent the next little bit gathering up the squash and cleaning up more of the garden beds... Ahhh, fresh air and clean dirt ;)
...an amazing contraption, that ! These three trays are the new way of cleaning the litter and are supposed to save you from getting your hands icky but, for what it's worth, you get your hands ickier - those are words aren't they? icky and ickier?
Anyway, first you prepare a bag to put the used litter in. Of course it will consist of 5 or 6 grocery bags as you layer them together, one at a time, making sure the one hole each seems to come from the factory with isn't directly over the one hole in the other bag.
Then you face the litter box. You snap up little end pieces to release the surrounding 'wall' part, which is covered in litter, I might add. You tap that off into the litter below [pieces going AWOL all over the place] and set the 'wall' aside. You loosen the top tray lifting it off the one below, just a bit as I came to learn, and slowly start shaking it from side to side. This is to loosen the little 'packages' and encourage the loose litter to make it's way down through the grate in the bottom of the tray you are holding into the tray below. If they don't loosen, then you shake harder - sure some of the litter and...whatever that chunk was might fling themselves off the edge and land on you but just remember - this is a 'new' way and you can't expect to learn it all at once. Anyway, if that doesn't work [and it didn't], you set the tray down, battle two spiders to the death, wrest the screwdriver from their cold dead legs and use that to poke and pry the stubborn pieces from their strongholds. This takes about 5 minutes - you can't rush technology...
Once the sifting is done and the 'gold' revealed, you tip the nuggets into the garbage bag which is never, I repeat NEVER open wide enough. Mountains and molehills alike- no prejudice here - tumble to the floor some of them not as compact as others breaking open and spilling their contents even further afield - ick!
Now you take the tray with the grated bottom and set it on the floor. [Hope baby doesn't need to crawl here for a while...ick!]You remove the second tray, which is now full of the sifted litter, and set it on the floor. [Don't worry, I'm not going to play a shell game and ask you where the little nuggets are...I can see them, and smell them, plain as day!]
You now put the grated tray inside the third tray - which bless it's little heart has been sitting there all along minding it's own business and causing no trouble at all. Poor thing - it's about to get a 'dirty' done to it because you now take the sifted litter in the second tray and pour it into the grated tray which is sitting in the third tray. You pick those two up together and slip the second tray beneath the third tray and put this cute little sandwich[ ick] together on the floor. [I think I'm ready to attack the Rubik's Cube now!]
You put the 'wall' back on - pausing just long enough to wish you could add few more stories to it and when the kitties jumped in you could hold them hostage until they promised to clean up after themselves...or no food again EVER [maniacal laughter] ...oops - did I say that in my outside voice?
Now to gather up all those little packages on the floor, coax them into the garbage bag and sweep up and wash up the floor where the packages and trays left their 'mark'. Then you have to sweep yourself off and and have a wash up! Oh yeah...a newer way is a better way...oh yeah, where'd you ever hear that tripe???
That took care of the entire morning. I spent the next little bit gathering up the squash and cleaning up more of the garden beds... Ahhh, fresh air and clean dirt ;)
Saturday, September 26, 2009
Back in a Bit
Not feeling great just now , so I'll post more of my adventures on Monday the 28th. See you then!
Sunday, September 20, 2009
House/Cat Sitting Day Five Sept 20th
The day dawned cloudy and windy - I really expected rain, but was pleasantly disappointed.
I attended church in the Castle Downs Ward and renewed an acquaintance. I attended the 'Investigator's Class' - a class for people interested in learning about the Church and for people newly baptized to learn more about the church they now belong to and their duties as new members. It was great. We studied about the millenium - the 1000 years reign of the Savior on earth before the final judgement of all people. I learned new things and was able to share things I'd learned in the past and had a testimony of.
I was glad to get the bulletin and the announcements - there' a few activities I'd like to go to while I'm here. The ladies meet at 7PM on Tuesdays to walk around a lake I've never seen before, there's a ladies Temple night planned and we were all given info on a very cool event coming up this next Saturday. It's called -
I attended church in the Castle Downs Ward and renewed an acquaintance. I attended the 'Investigator's Class' - a class for people interested in learning about the Church and for people newly baptized to learn more about the church they now belong to and their duties as new members. It was great. We studied about the millenium - the 1000 years reign of the Savior on earth before the final judgement of all people. I learned new things and was able to share things I'd learned in the past and had a testimony of.
I was glad to get the bulletin and the announcements - there' a few activities I'd like to go to while I'm here. The ladies meet at 7PM on Tuesdays to walk around a lake I've never seen before, there's a ladies Temple night planned and we were all given info on a very cool event coming up this next Saturday. It's called -
"The Great Potato Giveaway"
"The Edmonton Potato Growers and the Greater Edmonton Alliance have teamed up to bring Edmontonians (hey...I'm a temporary one...!) to their own 'Local Harvest' on some of our city's most spectacular farmland"
They will be giving every person tools and reusable bags to dig up their own 50 lbs of potatoes They are also offering a class on growing your own potatoes on your own city lot! There will be a farmer's market, too.
I spent some time on the Church's YouTube Channel watching some very uplifting videos and now I'm ready for bed - it's early but I'm ready. 'nite
House/Cat Sitting Day Four Sept 19
I drove to Red Deer today to meet my husband, Bernard, and my parents to attend a concert featuring Marvin Goldstien and some local performers. It took me a little longer than I thought and, on arrival, quickly hopped into our van in the Value Village parking lot.
The drive to the Red Deer College only took a few minutes and Bernard dropped the three of us off at the door. We found our seats in no time and what great seats they were! We were about 4 rows from the stage. What an amazing view we had.
The show was opened by 'Precious Cargo' - 4 sisters that sing beautiful harmony accompanied by their mom Pat on the piano. This family, and indeed all the performers including the star of the show, are all members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. [Pat attends our branch in Three Hills and her daughter Amy - who I know well - is a dental hygenist in Three Hills.]
It was a really good show. Brother Goldstien is a great comedian and his fingers literally fly over the keyboard. It was a pleasure to watch and a joy to hear.
Most remarkable was Amy's performance of a song she wrote. Marvin played, she sang and it was marvellous. Music is truly a gift from God.
After the show, we went to Mom and Wes's favorite Chinese buffet and I was pleased that I contained myself. [I'm trying hard to respect my body by watching what I eat.] After that, we found a gas station that had air [for $1.00 - I wonder if taxes on air are coming soon...;)] and Bernard filled the rear passenger side tire on Chris's car that I had driven down in.
We hugged and parted ways - I had wanted to do some shopping in Red Deer but decided that I'd rather get back to Edmonton while there was still some light - and off I went.
I arrived home about 8PM and settled myself in bed with a good book. Ahhh...what a sweet day.
The drive to the Red Deer College only took a few minutes and Bernard dropped the three of us off at the door. We found our seats in no time and what great seats they were! We were about 4 rows from the stage. What an amazing view we had.
The show was opened by 'Precious Cargo' - 4 sisters that sing beautiful harmony accompanied by their mom Pat on the piano. This family, and indeed all the performers including the star of the show, are all members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. [Pat attends our branch in Three Hills and her daughter Amy - who I know well - is a dental hygenist in Three Hills.]
It was a really good show. Brother Goldstien is a great comedian and his fingers literally fly over the keyboard. It was a pleasure to watch and a joy to hear.
Most remarkable was Amy's performance of a song she wrote. Marvin played, she sang and it was marvellous. Music is truly a gift from God.
After the show, we went to Mom and Wes's favorite Chinese buffet and I was pleased that I contained myself. [I'm trying hard to respect my body by watching what I eat.] After that, we found a gas station that had air [for $1.00 - I wonder if taxes on air are coming soon...;)] and Bernard filled the rear passenger side tire on Chris's car that I had driven down in.
We hugged and parted ways - I had wanted to do some shopping in Red Deer but decided that I'd rather get back to Edmonton while there was still some light - and off I went.
I arrived home about 8PM and settled myself in bed with a good book. Ahhh...what a sweet day.
Friday, September 18, 2009
House/Cat Sitting Day Three Sept 18th
The kids are on the ship and cruising by now. I am so excited...you'd think I was there, and then who'd take care of the cats?
A walk this morning then home to chat with Trish. I manicured the tomato plants - the fruit the have now will be bigger and ripen better with the tops of the plants chopped off this time of the year. I watered the gardens and will clean out some beds next week.
And...I rescued some lady bugs. They are absolutely everywhere today! I heard that they would come in as large a number as the aphids we had and it's true. I was wondering how they were getting in the house. Well - there's a gap at the front door, a gap at the back and some window screens with small holes in the screening or gaps where the screen doesn't fit properly - like every house.
Now I'm off to get some vacuum bags, nail polish remover and some vitamins...bye for now!
A walk this morning then home to chat with Trish. I manicured the tomato plants - the fruit the have now will be bigger and ripen better with the tops of the plants chopped off this time of the year. I watered the gardens and will clean out some beds next week.
And...I rescued some lady bugs. They are absolutely everywhere today! I heard that they would come in as large a number as the aphids we had and it's true. I was wondering how they were getting in the house. Well - there's a gap at the front door, a gap at the back and some window screens with small holes in the screening or gaps where the screen doesn't fit properly - like every house.
Now I'm off to get some vacuum bags, nail polish remover and some vitamins...bye for now!
Thursday, September 17, 2009
House/Cat Sitting Day Two Sept 17th
Cristen and Chris are in Vancouver at the Inn at False Creek. I know...I left a message for them to call me...not a frantic one...not in a frantic tone, anyway...more about that in a minute.
Getting up at 4:30 wasn't as hard as I thought it'd be considering I hadn't gotten to bed until 1:15AM. [I don't know what time the kids went to bed, I could still hear them as I drifted off.]
We were all out the door by 5:30 and while Chris got gas at the 7-11, Cristen and I got some cash out of the bank machine.
On the way to the airport I remembered that we probably wouldn't be able to have breakfast together - turns out they were thinking the same thing. Once they got their luggage on the cart it was hugs all around and then I hopped into the driver's seat so they could see how to adjust the passenger side mirror for me. Someone had smacked it and it no longer would keep it's position. Cristen held the mirror where I wanted it and Chris taped it in place with a bit of clear packing tape along the top and along the bottom. Waves all around and we were both off- in different directions.
I stopped at Timmy's on the way home and ate my breakfast in the rapidly approaching dawn in the parking lot of Zellers.
On the way home I wondered where the registration and insurance was for the car. I'm a good driver but there may be a policeman out there who needs more paperwork to do and I sure don't want to be the mother-lode for him.
At home, I quickly went through the glove compartment - nope, not there. Starting to hold my breath a bit. I went through the console - nope. Less breathing. The compartment below the radio - nope. Ok, definitely low on air now.
Thought - Hmmm... my car is still here - granted it's now in a fenced yard but, if worse comes to worse, I can reinstate the insurance {I came up with only one day insurance as Cristen is buying the car} for a month. I'm still obsessed with finding these documents, though.
So...now back to the beginning of this post. In case you don't feel like scrolling back up or in case you were so caught up in this post that you forgot about it's beginning - here's a recap - I called and left a message for them at their hotel in Vancouver.
It took forever for a return call - ok, so I did leave the message before they'd even left the ground here, but this is the modern age, isn't it, where everything moves faster than the speed of light?
Anyway, when Cristen called back we chatted about their flight (I'll let her tell you about turbulence, airplane restrooms and flashing lights...on her blog), the zippy, scary cab ride and the fact that she was now chatting to me while laying across one of the two beds in their room. {Chris was on the other all stretched out}.
She didn't seem concerned that I had phoned - this is good - this means they trust me...no fires or escaped animals crossed their minds - this is good.
She laughed when I told her I was concerned that I couldn't locate the documentation for their car. She directed me to a somewhat secretish compartment in the door of the glove compartment where I was relieved to discover the nervously sought after papers...ah, no more wondering how to get that section of fence out of the way of my half-sold car (no paperwork done on that yet...hmmm paperwork seems to be plaguing me doesn't it...?) And, hey...is that some 0's rushing back into my lungs??? Ah, pure bliss...
Anyway, all is well. It's back to the phone to chat about a Stampin' Up! order with Trish. Apparently there is a gigantic sale on...sale...did someone say sale...?
Gotta go...!...and breathe...in and out...this paperwork is the good kind!
Getting up at 4:30 wasn't as hard as I thought it'd be considering I hadn't gotten to bed until 1:15AM. [I don't know what time the kids went to bed, I could still hear them as I drifted off.]
We were all out the door by 5:30 and while Chris got gas at the 7-11, Cristen and I got some cash out of the bank machine.
On the way to the airport I remembered that we probably wouldn't be able to have breakfast together - turns out they were thinking the same thing. Once they got their luggage on the cart it was hugs all around and then I hopped into the driver's seat so they could see how to adjust the passenger side mirror for me. Someone had smacked it and it no longer would keep it's position. Cristen held the mirror where I wanted it and Chris taped it in place with a bit of clear packing tape along the top and along the bottom. Waves all around and we were both off- in different directions.
I stopped at Timmy's on the way home and ate my breakfast in the rapidly approaching dawn in the parking lot of Zellers.
On the way home I wondered where the registration and insurance was for the car. I'm a good driver but there may be a policeman out there who needs more paperwork to do and I sure don't want to be the mother-lode for him.
At home, I quickly went through the glove compartment - nope, not there. Starting to hold my breath a bit. I went through the console - nope. Less breathing. The compartment below the radio - nope. Ok, definitely low on air now.
Thought - Hmmm... my car is still here - granted it's now in a fenced yard but, if worse comes to worse, I can reinstate the insurance {I came up with only one day insurance as Cristen is buying the car} for a month. I'm still obsessed with finding these documents, though.
So...now back to the beginning of this post. In case you don't feel like scrolling back up or in case you were so caught up in this post that you forgot about it's beginning - here's a recap - I called and left a message for them at their hotel in Vancouver.
It took forever for a return call - ok, so I did leave the message before they'd even left the ground here, but this is the modern age, isn't it, where everything moves faster than the speed of light?
Anyway, when Cristen called back we chatted about their flight (I'll let her tell you about turbulence, airplane restrooms and flashing lights...on her blog), the zippy, scary cab ride and the fact that she was now chatting to me while laying across one of the two beds in their room. {Chris was on the other all stretched out}.
She didn't seem concerned that I had phoned - this is good - this means they trust me...no fires or escaped animals crossed their minds - this is good.
She laughed when I told her I was concerned that I couldn't locate the documentation for their car. She directed me to a somewhat secretish compartment in the door of the glove compartment where I was relieved to discover the nervously sought after papers...ah, no more wondering how to get that section of fence out of the way of my half-sold car (no paperwork done on that yet...hmmm paperwork seems to be plaguing me doesn't it...?) And, hey...is that some 0's rushing back into my lungs??? Ah, pure bliss...
Anyway, all is well. It's back to the phone to chat about a Stampin' Up! order with Trish. Apparently there is a gigantic sale on...sale...did someone say sale...?
Gotta go...!...and breathe...in and out...this paperwork is the good kind!
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
House/Cat Sitting Day One Sept 16th
Here we go again...;) I love doing this. It's like a mini-vacation for me and it feels good to be able to help out, too!
Cristen and Chris are at work, I'm taking a break from doing up some dishes and the cats are...well, doing what cats do...sleeping the afternoon away so they have enough energy to sleep the night away too.
It's a hot one today but there's a breeze blowing. Autumn is ever so delicately dancing with Summer right now. I hope the dance is a long, slow one.
We have to get up very early tomorrow AM so the two 'cruisers' can get to the airport by 5:30AM. I'm looking forward to a hot chocolate, muffin breakfast with them at the airport before I come home and join the cats in their early to mid-morning nap - you know, the one they use to get ready for the afternoon nap...!
Cristen and Chris are at work, I'm taking a break from doing up some dishes and the cats are...well, doing what cats do...sleeping the afternoon away so they have enough energy to sleep the night away too.
It's a hot one today but there's a breeze blowing. Autumn is ever so delicately dancing with Summer right now. I hope the dance is a long, slow one.
We have to get up very early tomorrow AM so the two 'cruisers' can get to the airport by 5:30AM. I'm looking forward to a hot chocolate, muffin breakfast with them at the airport before I come home and join the cats in their early to mid-morning nap - you know, the one they use to get ready for the afternoon nap...!
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
Happy September the 1st!
I really like Fall and though I don't feel it in the air just yet - it's coming.
One day soon I'll wake up, go outside and just know - regardless what the calendar says - it's something in the air and something in my bones. The smells are richer, the colors are deeper, and my energy levels just surge!
Soon it'll be time for soup making, baking and scrapbooking. All these things that take a holiday for me in the Spring and Summer.
Mmmmmm...isn't life grand?
One day soon I'll wake up, go outside and just know - regardless what the calendar says - it's something in the air and something in my bones. The smells are richer, the colors are deeper, and my energy levels just surge!
Soon it'll be time for soup making, baking and scrapbooking. All these things that take a holiday for me in the Spring and Summer.
Mmmmmm...isn't life grand?
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