Wednesday this and that . . .

I am almost dreading looking out my windows this morning after the sun comes up.   The gales were really blowing last night and we could hear things hitting the house.  With winds hitting in excess of 85mph  Storm Barney (yes they are naming them now!) was really making his presence felt.  Todd went out once and discovered that the wooden chairs that sit around our patio table had blown away.  More fool us for not putting them in the shed.   I said to Todd I would not want to be outside trying to walk anywhere in that wind.   Getting hit by flying debris in these strong winds could be a killer . . . it sounded positively wicked howling down our chimney.

We ended up bringing Mitzie upstairs with us last night when we went to bed. I was afraid to leave her downstairs all alone, just in case something blew in one of the windows or some such.   I know  . . .  silly me,  but if we are going down, we are all going to go down together.  ☺



Have you ever had one of those days . . .  days when you wonder what that is between your ears?  I have been having more of them lately.  Is this a sign of old age?   For instance,  on Sunday morning this week I wanted to wear a particular dress to church.   It has a tie belt across the back however and I confess . . .  I just don't like them.   So . . .  I thought  to myself, I will just snip it off with a pair of scissors.  I often do just that.  You can hardly notice that it's gone or even used to be there.  I snipped away, only to realise afterwards . . . get this  . . .  that I had snipped the straps off the top of it.  Big DUH!

 And then I did something as equally stupid yesterday  . . .  but for the life of me I am getting so old now that I have already forgotten what it was and I can't tell you about it!  (But I was going to, I promise!)



Wait, I just remembered.   Yesterday in the process of cleaning up my e-mails . . .  I accidentally deleted them all.  There was only 3000 of them.   I know!  How on earth does somebody get 3000 e-mails?  I keep them because I think they are important, or I am going to get to them later, and then they become overwhelming, and I can't find anything.  And then I make a big boo boo and delete them all.   So . . .  if you have written me and I don't respond, you might want to write again coz . . .  I accidentally deleted all 3000 of them.

I hope that it is like missing a phone call and that whoever e-mailed me will just e-mail me again.




This was at the end of our District Meeting yesterday morning.   The kids were striking a pose for the camera.  (I hate iPad photos, they are so dull.)  Anyways from left to right, Elder Singsam, Elder Judd, Elder Rayner, Sister Holmes and Sister Gregson.  The Zone Leaders and the other Senior Missionary Couple were absent yesterday.  Elder Johansen has a bad cold and the Zone Leaders were in another area.

These kids are so much fun and such amazing young people.   Our meetings are soul enriching and I always walk away a better person for having spent the time together.  They are also very brave . . .  travelling thousands of miles away from their families like they have to serve the Lord.  It's because they love Him and they love the Gospel . . .  and it's because they love their fellow beings.   I think it's all very, very special.  I know they have bad days too . . .  but they don't let the bad days or experiences get them down.   The good days and good experiences help them to ride through the bad times,  and they would all tell you that they are exactly where they are supposed to be . . .  and doing what they are supposed to be doing.



This is Sister Gregson and Sister Holmes.   Chester was Sister Gregson's first area on her mission and now it's Sister Holmes' first area.   This is a great place to start I think.  Our Ward is a fabulous Ward and it's members are just amazing, but then I am a tad bit biased.   I love these two young women so much.  They have tender hearts and wonderful testimonies and are so inspiring to me.



Likewise Elder Singsam and Elder Judd.  If I had only been half as sure of myself and on the ball when I was their age it would have been a blessing in my life.   Elder Singsam is just a kind, kind, kind person.  I have never seen him when he hasn't been being kind and patient with others.   He is amazing, and Elder Judd, well . . .  he's pretty amazing too.  These two young men are so humble and caring.  And you should hear them play the piano.  They are fabulous piano players both in their own rights.

Plus the four of them sing like angels.   And are filled with so much joy.  They inspire me to want to be a better me. 

If someone had looked into our meeting room yesterday morning, they would have been pretty puzzled to see us all sitting around a table with sticky notes stuck to our foreheads.   One of the first things we do (after a prayer, hymn, purpose and spiritual thought) is to play an ice breaker game.   Yesterday we had to write the name of a Disney Character onto a sticky note and then paste it on the forehead of the person to the left of us.  Then they had to try to guess what character they were by asking questions.  It was fun.  Poor Todd. He was Mufasa, but he kept mixing up non Disney characters with Disney characters.   He thought at one point that  he was Sylvester the Cat.  Oh we did have a good laugh.



And they talked me into doing a selfie.   I kinda look like one of the chipmunks . . .  I know, but oh well.  I did it for them.  Not my most flattering picture yet!   I don't really have three chins . . .  that is a wrinkle in my neck.  Oh   . . .  getting old, getting old.  I think I need to invest in some pretty scarves . . .  and a fringe/bangs.

All in good fun.   They were going in to Chester to do a Street Display yesterday afternoon.  Todd had an appointment with his hearing specialist so we didn't go. I hope they managed alright with the wind and the rain.



Monday night was Family Home Evening and we watched The Muppet Christmas Carol together, Todd and myself.  Can you believe I had never seen it before?  I know . . .  I am in love with it.   I thought it was just wonderful!  I can remember sneaking into the AV Room at lunch time when I was in High School and all of us watching Sesame Street on the television in there.  What an amazing children's program that was, and largely due to the Muppets . . .  and we never missed watching The Muppets show at home either.   Always so entertaining.   I think they had "feel good" built right into them.   It is the same with The Muppet Christmas Carol.   Just brilliant.  I can't believe I waited so long to discover it!

But then  . . .  Todd and I were talking.  It's funny how our tastes and our spirits have changed being on a Mission.  Before we started watching the muppet movie we had started to watch Love Actually.   And you know what . . .  within the first five minutes of it we looked at each other in disgust and said, we don't want to watch this.  The language was foul and everything was about sex and promiscuity.  It was like they had mixed up lust with love.  We have watched it before and it never bothered us.  Our tastes have changed.  We have changed.   I think that is a good thing.  We are becoming.   Becoming better.



 
We are off to visit a member of the Ward today who broke his neck . . .  literally  . . .  a few weeks back.   He, at the age of 70 odd . . .  fell off a ladder and broke his neck in two places.   They had him in a specialist hospital several hours away,  and he is now at home convalescing in a halo.  We thought we would visit him and cheer him up.  I'm baking a cake or something to take with us. 

That is why I don't let Todd go up ladders.  There is a big difference between falling off a ladder when you are fifty and doing the same when you are seventy.  No matter how fit you think you may be.  Falling off a ladder at seventy odd years of age is life changing.

And with that I will leave you with a thought for today  . . .


❥✻❥.¸¸.✿¨¯`❥✻❥¸¸.✿¨¯`❥✻❥
We all live in our own world.
But if you look up at the starry sky,
you'll see that all the different worlds up there
combine to form constellations,
solar systems, galaxies  . . . 
~Paulo Coelho
❥✻❥.¸¸.✿¨¯`❥✻❥¸¸.✿¨¯`❥✻❥ 




Cooking in The English Kitchen today  . . .  deliciously healthy Chicken Tacos with a Pineapple Salsa.

Have a great day.  Stay safe and stay warm!  Don't forget!

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And I do too!