Meditating and cleaning

 

Wednesday

I got up at 7:35, not having slept well. I did a few morning chores, then prepared for coffee morning. After four rounds of meditation, I started cleaning the bathrooms. Michelle contacted me about cleaning. In fact while we were still talking, she walked into my house. So I quickly threw on regular clothing and she took me to Saronna's house. We stripped the beds and started a load of wash. We discussed. Then she took me home and went to sub at the school. I finished my bathrooms and washed dishes. I took a steam session and a shower. I ate some yogurt with pumpkin seeds. I also made a bit of egg salad.

I went over to Saronna's house and started cleaning. But Michelle never came. She couldn't leave the dog alone. So I worked mainly in the kitchen. Also I swept and mopped floors and washed more bedding and tossed stuffed animals in the dryer. I emptied the dishwasher and restacked it, but there were things that could not go in. Michelle told me that the kids were talking badly about her at school and she considered that maybe she shouldn't be alone with them.

Around 6, I went home. I heated leftovers and ate supper while catching up on e-mail. I posted to my blog. I thought we would watch TV, but Chris was gaming online till 10:30, so then we went to bed.

Saronna's surgery

 

Tuesday

I got up at 8, having slept through the night. I went through the morning list. I practiced the hymns plus Sleigh Ride. I texted Michelle and she was napping after not having slept well with Saronna's kids. So I checked e-mail, then dealt with the gopher mounds and set traps. Then she called just as I was heading to the garden. She was going to the school to check on the kids, then heading to the house. So I went to the garden and then came home and started breakfast.

When she called to say she was at the house, I headed over there. She exclaimed over everything dirty. Then we started on a bathroom. The bathrooms are small so after awhile, we were running into each other. I wanted to move to the other bathroom but she didn't want to be left alone. Really, it wasn't THAT bad. So I did the door and jams and stuff. Then we moved to the other bathroom. It was more crowded with personal care products. We didn't get that far before 3.

Then she went to the school to pick up the kids and run them somewhere for a bit. So I swept the floor and went home to finish breakfast. Then I met her back at the house. She got a neighbor to watch the boys while she and the girls cleaned the clutter in their room. I worked in the livingroom and then the kitchen, washing dishes.

I got a call from the lady I was supposed to quote at 5:30. So I dropped everything and drove over to her house. She showed me around her house and everything she had done. We agreed to meet again when she had everything moved out.

I called Michelle and she said they had eaten and were getting ready to head to the rented house. I drove over there and she was getting them packed with pajamas and clothing. I stayed after they left to wash dishes, but was hungry and tired so I went home.

I put supper in the toaster oven. I talked to Chris. I ate supper and had some sugar snap peas. Then Michelle called saying one of the girls was missing and could I check the house? So I drove over there and no one was home. So I went to the ACS building. All the lights in the Keetch room were on, and quickly got switched off. I called Michelle and we suspected that the girl might have gone there before the building closed and hid, then turned the lights on and read a book or used the wi-fi. So I called Chris to open the building and waited. But then Michelle called back to say the girl had been spotted walking to Michelle's house. So I called Chris and told him not to come after all.

I went home and worked on my blog. I made tea and we watched TV. He went to bed, but I stayed up to catch up on e-mail and piece puzzles.

Camp Michelle - opening night

 

Monday

I got up at 7:30, having kept awakening and reawakening during the night. I went through the morning list. I started cleaning my slide. Then Housing asked me when I was going to submit 403 for inspection. I thought it would take till Thursday to get the yardwork done, but when I met Bobbie over there, it was already done. So I scheduled inspection for this afternoon. She said Randy signed for the house next to Rod, and made arrangements to move the assignment over to Rod's house since that is where the bedding is and it hasn't just been freshly painted.

I went to the post office to mail the package from 403. But they did not have the forwarding address so I had to go home and get it. Amazingly it was $75 to mail. Yikes! I went home. I looked up previous band posts to identify the next meme in line. I posted to all three Facebook pages for band practice. I looked up hymns about prayer. I picked two, and one was not in my large print folder. So I went to the library to get a large print copy made. I stayed to chat, then left. I chatted with Tara on the way out, then went home.

I made and ate breakfast. I finished hemming a cleaning cloth for the slide. I went to 644b for inspection. They decided to do it after the kids had their 5 days there. Randy came over to inspect and then sign a paper saying there was no damage that he would be responsible for. I went to 403 to get the rest of my stuff out, plus all the cleaners they left behind. I did a last vacuuming and mopping of high traffic areas. Then I sat in my car waiting for the inspectors to come in.

When Bobbie and Sarah came, we went inside. Sarah took the pics. Bobbie and I talked, waiting for Collie, but he didn't come over. So then I went to the swap shop to drop off some stuff, including a toilet brush for the little bathroom. I went home and jotted notes for my blog.

I re-hemmed my cleaning cloth to be narrower. I finished cleaning the slides. I used a magic eraser and then 0000 steel wool to get the rust off. I re-oiled the inner slides and it worked much better.

I put supper in the toaster oven. I checked e-mail. Chris came home from work. I ate supper, then went to band practice. I emptied the trash cans until Jenni arrived. Then we played through the hymns and some Christmas songs. Michelle and Randy and Casey came to get folding chairs. Jenni and I talked for some time.

Then Michelle called to say she needed toilet paper and shower hooks. So I went to the swap shop to pick up the TV table that we forgot yesterday. I went home to get toilet paper and a shower curtain. I drove to 644B, arriving right after Michelle. So we went in together. I brought in the stuff I collected and some of the swiffer cleaning kit.

The kids arrived with Randy. Michelle quickly got them organized as to which beds were theirs and laid out their sleeping bags on the piles of blankets and sheets and comforters. Then she got them one at a time to take a quick shower while she instructed them on how to wash. This was followed by teeth brushing and music. Randy left, so I asked to be dismissed from Camp Michelle as well. I was tempted to stay, but I had no preparations. I closed the garage door and headed home.

I worked on my blog. I made tea and we watched TV. Chris went to bed, while I stayed up looking for a page on parasite cleanses and caught up on e-mail.

Preparing for Camp Michelle

 

Sunday

I started my day at 8:30. I went through the morning list. I practiced, then made a copy of the music. It wasn't quick. Chris gave me a massage. Then I took a shower, and made cheese squares. The first eggs I cracked didnt hold their shape so I cooked them in the microwave with a paper towel over. There was popping. When the one minute was over, I put it in for another minute. There was no more popping, so I opened the microwave. While I looked for a potholder, there was a very loud pop and suddently the dish was empty. There was egg all over the inside. I thought it was the funniest thing.

I made another copy. I pieced the copies together to make a one page hymn.  I ate yogurt, then watered outside. I set the trap. I prepared for breakfast, then made and ate breakfast.

I looked at a random verse generator, then got dressed for chapel. I packed up cheese squares and my trombone. Chris drove us to the chapel.

We had the normal progression for the service, although it went longer. Keli was ill, so Chaplain and Jenni did the praise songs at the beginning. Neil gave the sermon. Then Jenni and I played two hymns at the end. Then we chatted in shifting groups. I asked Bryce about noise-canceling headphones for Saronna to go from her house to the hospital in Salt Lake. He said he had some but they needed glue. We all said goodbye to the Praise team and the chaplain took them back to the hotel.

Chris and I went home. I changed clothes and ate the parts of breakfast that I missed. I sent out a bunch of texts. Randy said they tried such headphones and they only made it worse. I went to the garden to check the trap and water the tomato. I went to 644b to get the rest of my stuff out. There was a gray car with no license plate in the driveway, but the house was empty. I grabbed my stuff and went home. I listened to one last tapping meditation. I signed into Discord for the game. We played for 3 hours. Afterward, I took Chris to 403 to pick up the package to mail tomorrow. We also dropped off a package at Wendy's house.

When we got home, Michelle was waiting for me. I got in her car and we went to the swap shop to get lots of bulky bedding. We took it to Rod's former house. We made up 'nests' for each of the kids to sleep on. We also made a list of other things like shower curtains and toilet paper.

She dropped me off at home. It was too late to watch TV. We made the bed with clean sheets. I made tea and listened to a Highwire Plus episode on parasites. Yikes! Then I went to bed.

Day 4: barbecue

 

Saturday

I got up at 8, and went through my morning list. I leveled 4 gopher mounds, and watered the plants. I looked up bean salad recipes for the potluck later today. I went to the garden – more gopher mounds. I went to 403, passing Isadora. We chatted, then she cleaned bathrooms while I pulled weeds and raked gopher mounds in the lawn. The trash can smells like a dead gopher, so I left the lid up.

I took her home, then went to the commissary for cans of beans and a lemon. I made bean salad in a large covered bowl. I took it to the fridge in the chapel. I grabbed my stick vac and brought it home.

I made and ate lunch, then checked e-mail. I took the stick vac and microfiber cloths and went to Tina's house. We talked, then I vacuumed all the floors and carpets that I could. We talked some more, then came home and took a shower.

We went to the barbecue that had started at 5. But for whatever reason, we didnt start eating until 6.

After eating, Chris took me home. I took the forgotten yogurt and delivered it to Tina. We chatted a bit, then I drove back to base, the setting sun making it really hard to see. The guard at the front gate talked to me for awhile, then I went to chapel.

I had just missed the music portion. I sat with Chris and listened to the teaching. Later there was an altar call. Some people went there. Later the service ended with prayer. I talked to the other women.

We came home and I worked on my blog. I changed into a nightgown, made tea and read e-mail. Then I joined Chris already asleep.

Day 3, the chofar

 

Friday

We got up at 7:30. I went through most of my morning routine, then washed up and got nicely dressed. We went to the hotel to meet the praise team for a continental breakfast. Lisi and I did not eat. We all chatted and then went outside where Neil spoke a blessing and blew the chofar. Then we went inside for a Q and A. But it ended up being more of a prayer request thing. At 10 it broke up. Neil gave me the chofar to practice on for tonight.

Chris and I went home. He went to the office. I ate yogurt, then went to 403 to mop and to clip trees growing in the fence. When I got back, I ate fiber gel and practiced trombone. Then I made and ate breakfast. I had to reboot my computer to get rid of the green outlines. I watched two videos on how to blow the chofar. It seemed to go well.

Chris came home and made his lunch. Then we went to the commissary for groceries. When we got back, the mower was back in the driveway with a new part.

Chris didn't want to go to Tooele. I nearly fell asleep while we planned our anniversary trip. I laid down, but then jumped up to make yogurt for tomorrow and jot notes for my blog, and work on yesterday's post. Now I was able to add pictures to previous posts. I went to the garden to weed and check the gopher trap. On the way home, I thanked Richard for fixing the mower. He mentioned how much we needed rain. Later he said I was a saint and not to let anyone tell me different. I think I will remember that for the rest of my life.

When I got home, I mowed the back lawn, then put the mower away. I got dressed up and we went to the chapel by 6:30. The service opened with praise music and a few hymns. The words projected on the screen were not always what the players were singing.

Then we stood in a circle up front. Neil asked me to play the chofar. The first notes went well. He asked to put a talith on me, but I wasnt comfortable with that. Then he tried the chofar, not so good. I tried again. Not so good this time. Stefani tried. There must be a trick to it.

Then we prayed for the world, mentioning as many countries as he could. We prayed up and down, right and left. Most of the other ladies sat down. I was in the center aisle, so I knelt down, but then my feet went to sleep. So when the prayer finished, Chris had to help me up. Chaplain wanted to pray for me and I said we should pray for rain. Then Neil had quite a story about praying for rain in Africa and it rained so much that they had to pray for it to stop so they could hold elections.

After the service ended, Chaplain brought out a lasagna that was left over from dinner. Chris and I delivered the lasagne to the Clarks. He quietly invited us in and we spoke in whispers. He told us about the house he is being given to house the children while his wife is in the hospital. Its the same house I just cleaned and will have inspected Monday afternoon. It was sad to see the young boys having to be so quiet (because any sound causes their mother a lot of pain).

We went home. I got ready for Game night. I drove over and gave cheese squares to Michelle. I played the game using all the notes I had, then explored where to go next. I exited the game at 11, but we talked till 12 about their Disney trip. Then I went home.

Day 2 of Revival

 

Thursday

I got up on time. I followed my usual morning list. I made up supplements for the week. I went cleaning, then stopped to open the swap shop by request. I went back for 2 hours. When I came home, I ate fiber gel, watered the plants, etc. I ate breakfast and watched The Highwire. I paused it to go clean again.

I went to the garden to pick onion stems and check the gopher traps. Nope. I stopped by Self-Help to tell Richard about the mower. He said he'd pick it up after work. I went home to wash and chop the onion greens. I put them in a container. I put shredded cheese in a container, and took both to the chapel. I put them in the fellowship hall with other toppings. Presently we gathered to say a blessing and line up to get tacos. I just made a salad with the meat and toppings. We – the praise team and ladies of the church – chatted together as we ate.

Then the chaplain called the praise team into the sanctuary for prayer. I went home to change into better clothes. Then Chris took me back. We sat for the Day 2 service. It was much better than Day 1. We sang praise songs and hymns. Most of the time the right words were on the overhead. Then the praise team pastor spoke at length. Finally, people were invited to come up to the altar to pray and be prayed for (or with). Then the chaplain ended the service with a prayer.

We chatted with each other and I spoke at length with Lisi who is from Brazil. We have a lot in common. When the chaplain started turning off the lights, conversations broke up and we headed to the doors. We agreed we would see them tomorrow for breakfast. Then we went home. I changed clothes and finished The Highwire. Then I worked on my blog. Suddenly I realized that I forgot to lock the swap shop. But I was already in my nightgown and figured the police had locked it anyway. Sigh.