Saturday, June 22, 2024: My entire upper lip is swollen and my right cheek, nice weather 71 degrees & rain, text Rosie, no answer, Rick, Rosie will do my lesson tomorrow, Tom's antics, Pacific veggie thin crust pizza, cherry limeades, no more diet soda

 

Meridian, Idaho

158th operating temple

Dedicated: 19 Nov 2017

By: Dieter F. Uchtdorf

Book of Mormon

Alma 12:19-37

Come Follow Me

Alma 12:8-18

If I do not harden my heart, I can receive more of the word of God.

April General Conference

"God's Intent is to Bring You Home" Elder Patrick Kearon

D&C 109:36

Let it be fulfilled upon them, as upon those on the day of Pentecost; let the gift of tongues be poured out upon thy people, even cloven tongues as of fire, and the interpretation thereof.

My entire upper lip is swollen and so is my right cheek. I look freakish!

This is the third time this has happened in a month. What is causing it? I am determined to find out. This time I am targeting diet soda. Aspartame is not good for the body and I have been using it for years. It is time to stop. No more diet soda. I feel like this is the right decision for me this time.

I sent a lengthy text to Rosie Lauritzen, the RS counselor over the lessons asking her if she would be my backup if my face was still swollen tomorrow. I waited a couple of hours and got no answer from her. I called and it went straight to voicemail and then said her mailbox was full. 

I asked James if he would call Rosie's husband, Rick, so I could get a message to Rosie. James called Rick and Rick got Rosie on the phone. I spoke with her and told her my situation. Rosie is so sweet and kind. She told me not to worry about a thing, to just stay home and take care of myself and she would do the lesson. This is the text she sent to me after we spoke on the phone. 

Karen, I am coming up with a list of good conversation topics regarding Elder Renlund's talk...all is well...don't worry about anything other than getting well! We love you and hope your swelling heals soon! I am so grateful to be able to work with Rosie. Funny, when I was the counselor over lessons, she was one of the teachers I worked with so we have worked with each other for quite some time.

I spent most of the day in my bedroom. Tom was in the family room and the bedroom door was shut. Tom went over to James and meowed. No response. Tom gets on the table, meow. No response. Tom walks over to James and meows in his face. James, "Oh, do you want out?" James walks over to the patio door to let Tom out. Tom runs past the door and looks back to see if James is following him. He stops at the bedroom door and meows. He wants in the bedroom with me. I love this cat.

James and I made a trip to town this evening for dinner. I ordered a Pacific veggie thin crust pizza from Dominoes and we picked it up. Afterwards we went to Sonic and each of us got a medium cherry limeade. Next time we need to order during happy hour. We spent $7 on drinks. We also filled up with gas at Circle K.

James found a dead mouse under the oven this evening and claimed that Tom is not doing his job. Oops.

Some quotes I took from listening to Barbara Morgan Gardener's "Grounded" podcast:

Heart and understanding go hand in hand. - DAB

It is mercy in God to withhold truth until we are ready to act upon it. - Diedre Green

There is nothing so whole as a broken heart. -Jewish proverb

Agency and knowledge work together.

Alma 12:33-34 - My heart determines my salvation. 

We don't soften our hearts, the Lord softens them.

A mighty change of heart is the greatest miracle. -DHO

Cotswold culture

Scotland:

Happy Birthday Suzy!

Tom loves Brian

Friday, June 21, 2024: Temple w/ Barbara Tignor & lunch @ Eva's w/ RS sisters, old camp reopened - Surprise ward, sliders for dinner. face starting to swell

 

Tucson, Arizona

157th operating temple

Dedicated: 13 Aug 2017

By: Dieter F. Uchtdorf

Book of Mormon

Alma 12: 1-18

Come Follow Me

Alma 12:8-18

If I do not harden my heart, I can receive more of the word of God.

April General Conference

"Trust in the Lord" Elder Paul B. Pieper

D&C 109:35

Let the anointing of thy ministers be sealed upon them with power from on high.

Today is our ward monthly Relief Society day at the temple. I picked up Barbara Tignor at 8 a.m. and we drove to Snowflake together. We attended the 9:30 endowment session with two other sisters from our ward, Natalie Robles and Joyce, don't know her last name because she's new. I found a family name on FamilySearch, Trineke Schemmanns who was born in Prussia, Germany. 

After our session we met Natalie and Joyce at Eva's. To my surprise, these sisters were also at Eva's: Cheryl Sedig, Rosie Lauritzen, Teresa Smith, and Theresa Hine. They all did initiatories.

 I ordered a chili relleno and it was delicious! I really enjoyed our time together with these sisters. We talked about the fundraiser for the Johnson family and Cheryl, who is the RS president, mentioned that James said I would be willing to donate a quilt for the silent auction. I said I wasn't sure about giving a quilt that my mother-in-law made for me but I would consider the quilt we bought from the Amish years ago.

I took Barbara home and she thanked me and gave me a hug. When I drove away I saw T-Bo wave at me. I love these two!

As I was driving home I noticed some activity at the old youth camp near our house. Someone has re-opened the camp and this weekend the Surprise, Arizona ward is using it. Last week it was a Savannah ward from Mesa. I would really like to see what they have done to it, but I guess now that someone has re-opened it, I would be trespassing.

I took a nap and then did some walking and listening to my book. We had sliders for dinner. Lots of them left from last night because we had a double dose.

Something disturbing started happening to my face this evening. My right cheek and my upper lip began to swell. I was working on my lesson when I noticed the swelling. This isn't good since my lesson is on Sunday.

Sliders

James washed my car before I went to the temple.

Word cloud

Scottsdale:

Trina's grapes

Thursday, June 20, 2024: Smoky outside, James & Greg @ Hipps', Barbara Ellsworth's funeral, James goes to town, I get make sliders, bag gift & go to Bunco @ Lynn Wallace's

 

Paris, France

156th operating temple

Dedicated: 21 May 2017

By: Henry B. Eyring

Book of Mormon

Alma 11:21-46

Come Follow Me

Alma 11-12

God's Plan is a Plan of Redemption (cont.)

April General Conference

"The Powerful, Virtuous Cycle of the Doctrine of Christ" Elder Dale G. Renlund

Inklings

"Pillars and Rays" by Elder Alexander Dushku

It was pretty smokey outside this morning from all of the fires nearby. Again James and Greg are working are Hipps'. 

Today was Barbara Ellsworth's funeral. They even have it posted on YouTube. 

A slow morning for me. When James got home he wanted me to go to town with him. I told him I couldn't because I needed to get ready for Bunco this evening. While he was gone I made 24 sliders and got my gift ready to go. James got home just before I left so I could say goodbye.

I drove over to Hunsaker's to ride with Alicia and Stefani. They had company, Brielle, Alicia's daughter, and Stefani's daughter, Camrie were there. They came with us. I sat in the back with Brielle and Camrie.

Bunco is at Lynn Wallace's. Janna Grombach brought the same kind of sliders as I did. Oops. Lots of food, including chicken enchiladas. 

I got the first Bunco so I got one of the first gifts. Here is what I picked:

There is a picture out there somewhere of me wearing these but

I'm not looking for it.

Giving these to Lola for her birthday. 

Becky Skousen was the big time winner. Go Becky! She is so fun!

We got some rain on the way home. Not much, just enough to settle the dust and make everything smell good. 

"If you feel guilty for being happy, you shall never truly be happy." 

Robert Alexander, "Home to Bellingham"

The dish towels I gave as my Bunco gift.

Cheryl Sedig got them.

Ruby Jane

Wednesday, June 19, 2024: James works @ Hipps's, Wlmrt by 8 am, finished "Unshaken Saints", Tom a house cat today, Barbershop woes, Hair trap order

 

Hartford, Connecticut

155th operating temple

Dedicated: 20 Nov 2016

By: Henry B. Eyring

Book of Mormon

Alma 11:1-20

Come Follow Me

Alma 11-12

God's Plan is a plan of redemption

April General Conference

"Pray, He Is There: by Sister Susan Porter

D&C 109:34

O Jehovah, have mercy upon this people, and as all men sin, forgive the transgressions of thy people, and let them be blotted out forever.

James left around 5 a.m. to work at the Hipps' with Greg Anderson. I got up a little later and left to go grocery shopping arriving at Walmart at 8 a.m. Someday I'm going to make it by 7. At 8 there are too many workers doing customer shopping with those big carts with the blue baskets. 

I went over budget but James gave me an extra $200 to replace the $200 Visa I missed getting at the resort. I bought a stick vacuum which cost a little over $100. I put the rest into my grocery/discretionary budget. I had to buy a new mouse for my computer, a gift for Bunco, and ingredients to make sliders for Bunco. I'm also making a meatloaf so I bought 2 pounds of ground beef which cost over $15. Prices are out of control since Covid.

I had a delicious glazed donut on the way home. I'm calling it lunch donut number one. I also finished "Unshaken Saints." After putting the groceries away I had my second lunch donut and took a nap. 

There is something strange still going on with Tom. He stayed in all day and then slept with us tonight. For some reason he doesn't want to go outside, which is quite odd. Did he see a coyote, not like the weather, or maybe the smoke from the fires is bothering him, although it has been minimal.

I helped James order 16 hair traps for the barbershop. That job is going on forever and Daryl Johnson is getting a little impatient. He and James are getting a little frustrated with Armando because he keeps missing his deadlines.

James had a meeting this evening with the elders quorum president and the Relief Society presidency. They are discussing a fundraiser for the Johnson family which cannot be put on by the Church. It will probably be at the Vernon Park. James said I might give away one of the quilts that Lois made me or the Amish quilt we bought in Pennsylvania years ago. This puts me on the spot. I consider the quilts that Lois made as family heirlooms. I'm not sure what kind of shape the Amish quilt is in. I will have to get it out and look at it.

I made tacos for dinner. Afterwards I walked and listened to a book I have read before, "Coming Home to Bellingham."

I received card making kits from both Carmen and Connie today.

Sheri in Scotland:

Cotswold