Grandchildren

I love my grandchildren. As they well know, my favourite place to take them is down to the creek that runs behind our home. Fun to move rocks and logs, and on a hot day, walk in the water and on the shady trails. They are good for me too. The hiking and activity is just what I need.


Some I do not see as often as others and I regret we can't get together more often.  However I do enjoy emails across the distances, and this blog is another piece of communication.   A

research study showed that communication with grandparents adds to the life of the grandchild.  The mother of Jarom and Jenevieve suggested I send my writing and forwards to these two grandchildren.  Are there any others who have their own email address and would like me to do this?

 

I love to read, just like Jenevieve shown here.  I received 6 new books for my birthday.  Minutes ago I finished reading, "Pathfinder" by Orson Scott Card.  His book, "Ender's Game" is one of my favourite novels.  I am also reading "Life's Lessons Learned" by Dallin Oaks.  It is inspiring me to write more of my life story.  I am glad that most of you enjoy reading.  One of my special times is reading to and with my grandchildren.  We keep many books here just for you. Especially during the winter, I hope everyone can find inspiration in a good book, whether it whirls you away to another land, instructs you in your hobby, or lifts your spirits.  Consider these words that were written over the entrance to the library at the university I attended:  "seek ye out of the best books words of wisdom; seek learning, even by study and also by faith."  I do not always set the best example, but in this thing I encourage you to follow my example; enjoy reading and learning good things.

Most of all I love to have great conversations with my grandchildren and to snuggle with my young grandchildren. My favourite song is, "Love One Another".  Let's do that!

"Tis the season, the Christmas season. I love this time of year when we have more opportunity to celebrate the birth of our Saviour and His life, death and resurrection Because of Jesus, I have hope of being forgiven of my sins as I repent, because He paid the price and has mercy on me. How fortunate we are to have a Heavenly Father and a Brother who love us so much they give us the gift of eternal life, that is, to live with Him forever.

We are given challenges and weaknesses so we might grow strong and learn to make the choices and learn to rely on Him. That will bring us to Him.

So we join Christendom in celebrating the birth of Jesus. One way our church members (and many others around the world) have chosen to celebrate His birth is with an exhibit of nativity scenes from around the world. This "Creche Exhibit" has been provided for the public for about the last 13 years. It gives us a quiet and beautiful reminder of what Christmas is all about.
For most of the four days of the exhibit, Christmas music by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir is played. One evening a program of live music is provided in the chapel. This year our little branch choir was invited to sing, and I am a member of the choir. Eventhough we were small in numbers, we received good feedback. We sang arrangements of "Were You There on that Christmas Night? and Hark the Herald Angels Sing. (We also sang these in our sacrament meeting today.) Six community groups and soloists, including our two church choirs performed. I was fascinated by the 5 piece Recorder Ensemble. With their simple instruments they harmonized music that made them sound heavenly.

My bit of wisdom today:  Look for the opportunities to tune into the Spirit of Christmas.  Music tugs at my heart the most; just ask my daughters when they sing spiritual songs if tears don't come readily to me.  So find a quiet time and tune into the message of Christmas; whether that is live nativities, Christmas programs, an inspiring story, your own traditions, or an uplifting production.  Feed your soul and appreciate that warm feeling of peace.

I like this quote from a friend:

May you have a wonderful Christmas

That your heart will be filled with love for

Christ, others, and yourself.

Remember, Christ loved you first.

Sweet Nectar

What is my favourite drink ever since we moved to this valley?  You know it.  Home made apple juice!  Would you rather this be a "how to" posting or for me to continue telling you how good it is?  How about both.  Mom and I picked free apples three times. 

The best juicers were the Spartans that Murray B. told us about.  The  last were tiny Red Delicious frozen on the tree.  I am still intrigued by the set up of 9 Hoover washing machines set up in the trailer.  This nice man said we are likely his last customers of the season.

We were fortunate to have helpers.  A new friend, Melanie helped Mom inside while the Elders worked outside.  The Elder takes our apples from inside the garage and pours a box into a little hopper where they roll into an electric chopper.  The owner of this outfit is holding a cloth bag.  His helper is pouring chopped apples into a bag inside the washing machine.  The machine is set for only the spin cycle, forcing the juice through the bag and into a pipe under the machines that collects the juice.  The other Elder puts a little vitimin C in the new pail of juice to keep it a more clear colour and brings it into the kitchen.  The apple pulp is dumped into the garbage can and the machine is ready for another spin.

 Inside everything is busy because many clean bottles must be rinsed with a purifying solution ready to be filled.  But first the juice must be pasturized.

The foam is first skimmed off and then placed in big pans on the stove to be heated to 180 F.  The juice is again skimmed and then poured into the bottles and capped.  It will keep for years but is usually all consumed before the next season.  Mom also put 14 ice-cream pails full in the freezer.  Frozen juice does not need to be pasturized.  I think frozen juice tastes fresher. 

She also sprinkled an enzyme powder on 25 gallons.  Overnight the solids in the juice all formed on the top or the bottom of the pail.  We use a little pump we bought years ago for this as it removes the juice without disturbing the sediment.  The clear juice looks the best but personally, I like the taste of the cloudy juice best. 

The next day I helped fill bottles with the clarified juice.

Of course Mom was in charge, but she appreciated me lifting the heavy pans of juice.  I have great motivation to help, because, I enjoy the juice so much.  Sometimes we add a stick of cinnamon and heat a glass in the microwave.  Sometimes I add ice.  Sometimes I add water to this concentrated juice.  It is good any time.  Also makes a unique gift at Christmas time and a treat when family visits.  Mom calculates our juice man made over 85 gallons.  Of that: 14.5 gallons frozen, 26 gallons in 1 gallon bottles, 15.5 gallons in half gallon bottles, for a total of 56 gallons put away.  The rest we are drinking or taken by Melanie and Debbie who also supplied apples and helped.  How's that for a year's supply?  Except for gas and labour, it cost only $50 plus $18 for crystals.  Anyone like to drop by for a drink of divine apple nectar?

Like the ant that worked vs the grasshopper that didn't, I like the satisfaction and enjoyment of gathering what others discard and making something delicious out of it.  Involving others makes it all the sweeter.



All Decked Out

What do you see through our open front door that is new. If you said snow, you would be correct, with about fives inches in the last few days.  If you said, What is new is the deck, then you are on the right track.
I finished building the deck last week.  I feel very blessed that during the last phase of construction, the weather cooperated so I had joyous times in the sunshine and only one day of cold wind.  It was actually enjoyable.  But then don't we have projects so we can use our time enjoyably?
I was telling a friend of mine, Peggy, about how it was all going.  A week after it was almost done she asked what my next project was.  Let's not rush it.  I am getting caught up on my writing, like this blog, although Carroll and I have started a new project, a delicious one.  But that is for next week.

Construction started back in August when I dug out the grass down about 6 inches covering the 21 foot area in front of the house.  Next I dug six holes.  Actually I dug 9 holes but covered 3 of them in; deciding I didn't need them.  After all, this is an exercise in physical exercise.  Wheelbarrow was handy to carry away the dirt and to mix the concrete in.  Six 8 inch sono tubes filled with concrete about 21 inches deep.  The double outside frame of 2X6 treated lumber is securely nailed and screwed and attached to each of the 6 metal saddles that were secured in the concrete when I poured it.  This should ensure the deck does not move eventhough it is not secured to the house.  I have never built a deck before and didn't know what I was doing.  I am grateful to framer Chris next door; Pieter, best friend cabinet maker; clerks at Home Depot, Home  Hardware; and most of all, Harvey at Trans Canada Lumber who had built his own elaborate deck and had lots of tips and ideas for me. 

I am especially grateful to my friend, Scott, who spent a day with me setting up the construction and brought his chop saw over for me as long as I needed it.  That made me faster and more accurate than my old skill saw.  I also bought a new yellow De Walt drill because my old blue drill didn't have the power to put the 3 inch screws in.

Once I listened to my team of experts, (who didn't always agree by the way, aka the extra holes), I could relax more and enjoy the work.  Carroll was a big help when the 16 foot deck boards needed cutting.  She also helped me keep the angles straight.   

As usual this project took longer than I expected.  I was glad I poured the concrete posts before we left in September for our 3 week trip, because the night temperatures fell to freezing when we came back.  As much as I enjoyed building this deck, once I knew what I was doing, it was good to get up off my knees and pull down all the yellow CAUTION tape I had strung up for so long.  Now we can relax on the front deck

or the back deck; in sun or in shade; but in actual fact we seldom just sit around when outside.  When we bought a smaller home, Carroll wanted room to garden.  Maybe I wanted room to landscape and make projects; as long as I don't have to complete them in too speedy a fashion.  The deck is our answer to the increasing tilt of the sidewalk - cover it over.

The bit of wisdom:  I have discovered that idle time gets me into trouble.  I thought retirement meant I could do pretty much anything I wanted, including watching all the TV I wanted.  No!  I am happier when engaged in something productive - like building a deck.  As I reflect back on the blogs I have posted, most tell of effort, whether it is work or play and many include family.

Travels in October

After General Conference in Salt Lake City, we drove to La Verkin and stayed in the home Mom grew up in.  She met with all her sibs.  They also sorted books.  Both of us grew up loving books.  We also stayed long enough to meet Christina's fiance', now her husband.  Christina is usually so reserved - but not with Shon Jessee.  We met lots of family at the reception.

Sarah and Rob invited us and Micah, Keziah and Arrianna for Thanksgiving dinner.  They warned us that it would not be a traditional dinner, as you can see.  Rob spent much of the day making fresh California sushi, won tons for the soup, and cubed pork, chicken and mushrooms to cook in the soup with the shrimp.  What fun! and so delicious!  The girls brought 2 pies.

Rob is the master chef at work.

Isabella is so cute and talks lots now.  She gets her  white blonde hair from both her dad and her mother.  She loves to go for walks outside.

I love to see cousins having fun together.

Arrianna and the rest of the family all have winning smiles.

Guest blog by Keziah

I am taking over my grandfather's blog. MWAHAHAHAHAHAHA! He asked me to write a little diddy to improve his blog, so I accepted. Grandpa and Grandma are over visiting MY house while my parents are gone for their anniversary in Mexico. It's been fun having my grandparents around but they don't like playing the same games as I do (strategy and long... like Risk). The house is much more quiet than normal but I'm getting used to it.

Our family has discovered a hard working, gruelling, risk taking, savage, inopportune, irrelevant, freezing, burning, sweltering, aggressive, bloody, bright, dark, filthy, drab, ugly, homely, bad, annoying, crazy, dead, helpless, horrible, odd, poor, old, tough, wild, angry, annoyed, arrogant, stupid, awful, clumsy, condemned, cruel, dangerous, depressed, disturbed, frightening, nasty, naughty, terrible, troubled, uptight, disagreeable, uncomfortable, heavy, broken, damp, dreary, rough, weak, empty, crooked  job... Delivering newspapers! We have been delivering newspapers for about three years and at one point we had nine paper routes, just a little too many. Now we have three and it takes us an hour to finish, which is actually pretty fast. We get paid about $250.24 every four weeks for twelve hours of work. :) (can you count the adjectives in the first sentence of this paragraph?)

Our family life is pretty busy and we don't have that much spare time. My only free day is Thursday, but not really even then because that is the day that I have youth. Church, papers, piano and supper, papers, youth, papers and chores. That is my week and sadly my life. I love my life though, don't read that wrong, it's just really busy, but we all need something to do.

As you now finish reading the best post in this whole blog I would like you to think about your family and what they mean to you. How much time do you spend with them? How often do you do activities together? I know that I love spending time with my family and playing games with them. I am thankful that my grandparents took the time and effort to travel down to little old Lloydminster to visit their grandchildren. Toodledoo!
Keziah Jensen

NB:  Keziah wrote this post in October when Carroll and I were there.  Thank you Keziah.  A sad post script is that Keziah's Uncle Seraft was murdered earlier this week in St. Vincent in the Caribbean.
Grandpa, November 18th.

General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints

 Carroll and I were fortunate to obtain tickets in our stake for the Saturday afternoon session of General Conference, October 1st in Salt Lake City.  We were delighted that our grandson, Ben, wanted to attend with us, and we had the extra ticket.  This Conference Center holds over 21,000 with nothing to impede the view, except the distance in our high balcony seats.  For close ups we relied on the large screens on either side.  The choir seats are occupied by Primary children as they replaced the Mormon Tabernacle Choir for this session.  They sang with gusto and with simple faith.  Tears came to my eyes as they sang "I Thank Thee Dear Father".  Another highlight came when Ben rested his head on my shoulder during the conference.  I don't think he was napping because he answered my question.  Love that grandson.

I like this view from in front of the Conference Center because you can see the spires of the Salt Lake temple, across the street, just beyond the trees.  We ate dinner the next day with Ben and all the family at their home in Payson.

General Conference is a special time because we hear the apostles and prophets and others remind us of what we need to hear for our time and in our day and age.  I particularly liked the talk by a Seventy, Ian Arden, who reminded us of priorities of how to spend our time.  In my notes from that Saturday afternoon, I wrote: family, things of God matter most, seek deligently from the best books, service to others.  Be as quick to kneel in prayer as we are to text.  Cease to be idle, but be profitable.  I have a great deal of discretion of how I spend my time.  I am making an effort to waste less time so I might be more profitable: to the Lord, family and others.

In the general priesthood session, President Dieter Uchtdorf reflected on our caring for the poor and needy.  Our commitment to welfare principles should be at the root of our belief.  President Henry B. Eyring is one of my favourites.  "We need faith and humility to rediscover" what we learned of the Plan of Salvation.  The Lord calls weak and simple people (versus the worldly learned people) to carry out His purposes, [like the young farm boy Joseph Smith].  Our beloved prophet and president, Thomas S. Monson, announced more temples for people around the world.  He also reminded us that, "We are never alone when we stand with our Father in Heaven."  Even now I stop to ponder the meaning of these great talks for my life today.  I find answers to my challenges in the inspired words of their talks.

To read all their talks given during the five sessions of Oct. Conference, go to:

http://www.lds.org/