"G"...for now

A Raisin in the Nose*

What happens to a thing pushed up a nose?*

Does it dry up                                                   
like a raisin in the sun?                                  
Or fester like a sore--                                    
And then run?                                                  
Does it stink like rotten meat?                  
Or crust and sugar over--                             
like a syrupy sweet?                                      

Maybe it just sags                                           
like a heavy load. 

Or does it explode?



For the record, if something is pushed up a nose so far that you can't see it, it won't "work its way out." A raisin in a nose, for instance, needs immediate removal. If you wait till tomorrow, the raisin will have increased 5** times its entry size, causing irritation, swelling and infection to the nose/sinuses. Plus, the rehydrated raisin will not be removed in one piece, causing more "irritation" to all involved.

*Langston Hughes' original title and opening line are "A Raisin in the Sun" and "What happens to a dream deferred?"

**This is an approximate figure. And, I was only TOLD about these eventuallities. We had our raisin removed aproximately 30 minutes after insertion--but only because we were in the car running errands at the time and were passing by the good doc's office anyway.

The Result of Too Much Suffering

1.       I am confident that ANY mattress in the store would have been superior to our former mattress. But we didn’t buy just ANY mattress. No sir. We went straight to the top! Tempur-pedic Cloud. Oh yes we did. This is what happens when you suffer too long; you finally just snap and do something akin to overcompensating.

2.       Although all sales people lie, mattress sales people must be the worst.

“The gel beads keep the mattress cool.”

L: “So, this one [without gel beads] would be hotter?”

“No.” 

“It has a patented open cell technology that keeps air circulating.”

[later] “It is completely hypo-allergenic. No mites or dust can get in.”

“There’s no motion transfer because there are no springs.”

B: [later] “Then there really isn’t much use in these massaging/vibrating beds. They won’t work with the foam.”

“They work exactly like a spring bed.”

B: “But foam won’t transfer the motion the same way that the other beds do.”

“Yes it does.”

L: [whispers] “Just drop it. We aren’t getting it anyway.”

3.       I realize that my presidential vote could have been swung by promises of bettered sleep. We were told that Termpur-pedics will “change the way you sleep.” We were given several nice sounding but dubious reasons for this (none scientifically proven). Change is what we are after. Improvement. Rest is what we need.  Tempur-pedics claim to be the answer. Burn victims sleep on Tempur-pedics, for goodness sake! They have a model called the “Cloud”? Sold.

And does it work? Has change come to our home? Yes, my friends. I’ve never slept on my back in my adult life until this bed arrived—I didn’t think it was possible. How’s that for “changing the way you sleep”? Even better, the first night we had the bed I went from 4-5 wake-ups per night to 2 and it’s been like that since. Could a different mattress have accomplished this? Probably.

Still, Tempur-pedics are the #1 most recommended bed in America...
...and we aprove this message.

Northwest Adventure 2012 - Part 2

While at the beach, a stranger in conversation with B said (out of the blue), “If you are interested in aircraft…”

B responded, “I AM interested in aircraft.”

This exchange prompted our beach exodus. We headed to great-G&G’s house for a day and night, so B could visit the fabled aircraft museum in McMinnville. Two words: Spruce Goose. If you are in to this stuff, then you understand. For the rest of us, the day was spent walking country roads, picking blackberries with farmdogs, riding tractors and scooters, and playing instruments. Top it off with a Mexican restaurant and homemade blackberry cobbler. Win-win-win.

Northwest Adventure 2012 - Part 1

I’ve always wanted to do a big northwest vacation. The vacation I have in mind would take at least three months, and until we are unemployed (maybe soon) or independently wealthy (definitely not soon) we will not be able to take this trip. So, I hoped to travel NW during the one time of the year when I could see the most family. Sadly, we were not available at that time this year, and I wondered whether we should hold off on a NW vacation till next year. But as something will likely come up, I decided to take what I could get out of a NW vacation. This may seem like a no-brainer to you, but you must know that 2011’s vacation taught me that when facing a “now or never” opportunity, “never” may be the better option. So, don’t try “now or never” with me. Never.

Here is part one of the trip: The beach.

Several days at the coast with G&G. We stayed at my aunt and uncle’s beach house. House, beach, and three short visits from aunts, uncles, and great-grandparents made up our lazy days.

While I was trying to sleep...

B says to me, “I got some kind of bad news at work today.”

L thinks, “The imminent layoffs due to the sequestration, no doubt. Or maybe they are upset that B hasn’t worked 40 hours since June, due to house-hunt, move, vacation, & illness. Could it possibly be that they don’t like his work wardrobe made up primarily of solid colored shirts a la Seven-Brides-for Seven-Brothers? That would be good—I mean, ‘kind of bad news’…for Brett…in a way…”

“I’m on a list of people who need to be ready to travel for 3 weeks sometime in September or October.”

L is relieved. So relieved, in fact, that she says, “Oh, well, that’s fine.”

B is not convinced. “Three weeks is a long time.”

L is still relieved that we are employed.

“And I don’t think I’ll have cell phone/phone access.”

“Why not?”

“It’s international.”

“Are you going to Afghanistan?”

“No. No combat zones.”

“So, where?”

“Australia.”

Now L is upset. “You’re going to Australia for three weeks?!?”

“There won’t be anything to do. I’ll just be on a base where you just work and drink.”

L, “Sounds great!”

Now, come to think of it, Afghanistan would still be a vacation. Yes, you would work, and there would be nothing to do in the evenings, or in the night, or on the weekend, but THAT’S the vacation part of it. A “work trip” is still a vacation during those times. Nothing to do!

B may be the luckiest guy I know. Off to Australia for a work vacation. He’s also getting some new shirts whether he likes it or not (Sorry Adam, Benjamin, Daniel, Frankincense, & Gideon, you’re out. [He never had Caleb & Ephraim.] Auf wiedersehen.).

Update: The three week vacation has been extended to four weeks and will include Thanksgiving. To the two people who read this blog, this news couldn't be worse.

(There is no paint trouble above the garage. Just my sweet house-number-hiding photoshop skills.)

This is the basement. Not the real kitchen. No photo of the real kitchen, now that I think of it.

Also basement.

Sing...for MEEEEE!

Dear Diary [July],
Sigh. I feel like I could really go somewhere – really be somebody – in this church if I could just get out of the ward chorister calling. Sure, I just got in it a couple weeks ago, but I clearly see that this is the bottom rung. The chorister has the least consequential job in the entire congregation. I do nothing but stand in front of everyone waving my arm. For what?

Cons:
1. Singing. Singing hymns. In front of everyone.
2. Everyone stares at you—you singing—hence, the need to shower and find something cute to wear every week (ok, so this MAY be a pro…still a challenge)
3. People think YOU are responsible for the music selections and universally slow tempo at which they are sung. Not so. The chorister is a victim—like everyone else in the congregation. But unlike everyone else, she is their scapegoat too…
4. You have to be on time to church every week.

Pros:
1. There is absolutely NO WORK required. Zero prep time.
2. There are no additional activities/meetings/planning to attend.
3. I get to enjoy (or rather, attend while wrangling one or both kids) my regular Sunday meetings.
4. I get thanked -- PUBLICLY EVEN -- every time I do my calling.
5. I have to be on time to church every week.

B thinks I’m so lucky. He is constantly telling me I should really “own” this and get into it. He demonstrates, flicking his wrist and bobbing his head. He’s all talk.

[Update: September I received an ADDITIONAL calling: Primary secretary. So much for the “I get to enjoy my regular Sunday meetings” pro.]

[Update: B is not all talk. I had him fill in for me one week and he immediately asked for a “wand.” When I determined that he was serious, I suggested a white wire hanger or a [too large] plain wooden dowel rod. He chose the dowel rod and, get this, PRACTICED the songs the night before AND the morning of. I don’t even know what the songs are till I show up. I’ve received compliments for him all week.]

New Plan

We're headed back to Colorado. Denver this time.

Denver vs. Hville? The positives:
Close to an airport.
Close to a temple.
Close to a good friend.
Less likely to be blown away by a twister.

Denver vs. San-D?




Help..me...





In other indirectly related news, I have recently become very minorly involved with a fantastic non-profit organization. I feel very strongly about its mission. And, I have decided that if we go to Denver and if we decide to stay in Denver and if no one does it first by the time I have time, then I will do whatever I can to get this charity started there. So, that's something. Something that makes me excited at the very prospect!--even though the ifs above are numerous, the timetable is distant, and my own abilities likely lacking.