24 December 2024

This has been a very different Christmas in some ways. Yet it has been similar to a few Christmases long ago. Please know that ALL of us in The Hermitage are just fine. This year has just been "different" in so many ways. Several of us have talked to others who feel this was a difficult year. They, as well as all of us in The Hermitage, hope that next year will be different. 

Decorator did NOT decorate. There is no tree. There is no nativity. No wreath. No bells. No candles. No garland. No gifts. No stockings. No nothing. There ARE lights out front in the yard. They are pretty and remind us of years past. We have enjoyed them. Decorator is NOT a scrooge. None of us are. Things just didn't happen this year.

Correspondent didn't send out Christmas cards. Yes, THIS is unusual. Perhaps Happy New Year cards are in order? Time will tell. She did get out the Christmas cards, but time slipped by.

Seamstress did no sewing.

Builder didn't make any cute things. 

Crafter and Artist did do anything.

Baker and Chef DID make treats and gave them to others. This is a tradition that goes WAY back to when Queen was a child. The Queen Mum always made treats, and plates of goodies were taken to the neighbors. The tradition of the "fruitcake" however, stopped with The Queen Mum. 

As we look back on this year, we are overlooking the rough spots and have focused on the blessings, joys, triumphs, and things we just got through because ALL of us in The Hermitage persevered. We have decided that we are SO blessed. We know the true meaning of Christmas, and that means more to us than anything else. We get together with family frequently, and that means everything. We have The Hermitage, and enjoy incredible comforts within it, and in the yard. We've had food to eat all year. We've been blessed to enjoy good health. We have incredible neighbors and friends. We have faith, hope and our beliefs. We really want for nothing. The things we have prayed for have been given to us. Disciple has had the opportunity to serve in the Temple for a year now and that has been an incredible blessing. Yes, WE are ALL blessed, and humbled by all of the blessings. 

We are thankful that God loved us SO much, He provided a way back. He gave ALL of US His only begotten son. 

All of us in The Hermitage wish you all a very Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, Season's Greetings, and Happy New Year. May you find how you've been blessed, and overlook the trials and challenges. Most of us are blessed far more than we think of daily. 

 20 December 2022

On November 20th, 2022 the Hermitage took “the” hit. The following week none of us felt like eating or drinking, bringing the “group” even further down a discouraging path of despair that we knew.

This is NOT a plea, or anything else, for anything really. Several people have questioned our disappearance (THANK YOU), and while we are still recuperating, Writer is going to try and convey thoughts, experiences, epiphanies, realizations, blessings, etc. This may be long.

On November 25th we were taken to Urgent Care, by a great friend; multiple tests, liquids, etc., where we were told all tests came out perfect and our diagnosis was—we have “L O N G” covid. Since then many others have enlightened us on their experiences with this post covid disability, which experiences we have welcomed with an open mind, and embraced many of them. We did not experience some of the well-known symptoms; fever, runny nose, aches, pain, headaches, etc. We have basically experienced loss of appetite, shakes, some dizziness, lethargy, and basically debilitating energy. This has taken EVERYTHING out of ALL of us here at the Hermitage.

Employee tried to work; Monday went okay, for the most part, Tuesday and Wednesday, she only made it halfway, Thursday went fairly well and because it went SO well, we ALL thought we were passed this, ONLY to have Friday end up back at square one, and worse. Dignity Health came by the house, did a blood test, and various other evaluations. Everything was fine. They told us we just need to “rest” and lay low. EGADS!!! Employee is out until January of 2023. Frustrated, especially since grades were due on the 16th of December and it turned out that she is the only one who could run the grades report. She continually checked the grades on the 15th and 16th, reporting on the posting process, which was completed a little after 3PM, and we were SO thankful.

Writer has been trying to journal; handwriting is shaky and the shaky hands hit double on the keyboard, making a red squiggly line under everything. She is VERY frustrated by all of this. She looks at her handwriting, which used to bring “A’s” in penmanship, and wonders how or IF Calligrapher will ever be able to do that again? Please excuse anything you may spot.

The following is in no particular order. Writer has jotted notes as they have come to her.

Patient has NO patience for this. She, as well as the rest of us here, are frustrated, weary, yet have found GREAT compassion and love for others who deal with health issues on a daily basis, month after month, year after year. We honor you, and Disciple has included you even more in her prayers. We can’t imagine what you are dealing with. May God bless you. Patient is going to work with the rest of us in helping us get our strength back and getting us all back in working order.

In order to rest, you basically do ABSOLUTELY NOTHING. This has proven quite difficult for most ALL of us in the Hermitage, as most of us are usually quite active. So, Movie Buff took over, for the most part. We don’t always agree with what she picks, but none of us have much fight in us at this time, so…She has had us watching 7 seasons of Good Witch—SEVERAL times over, old/new movies, squirrel obstacle courses 1.0 and 2.0, some new movies, Christmas movies, Christmas devotionals, and of course Music and the Spoken Word programs and specials. We’ve also watched some ancient ruin documentaries, scripture programs, and when on YouTube, whatever comes up next.

Reader read two books one weekend-The Christmas Box Miracle: My Spiritual Journey of Destiny, Healing and Hope. We ALL felt she was inspired to read this at this time. She’s had it for years, but picked NOW to read it. God's timing is incredible. She also read The Letter. Both old books and both written by R. P. Evans. She was challenged to read Jesus the Christ by Talmadge a few weeks ago, and while she started it decades ago, and never got far, she is on chapter 9. This is NOT an easy read, and with the somewhat “foggy” brain from this post-covid, she is struggling, but keeps on truckin’.

As we have been convalescing, we have been abundantly blessed. Queen’s daughters have brought food, company, electrolytes, treatments, etc. They have been consoling and have blessed us all in many ways. They sat in the ER waiting room for hours. Queen’s sons have supplied moral support and inspirational advice. The oldest came over and watered plants for Gardener. We have had well wishes in the form of text messages, emails, phone calls, messages on Facebook and neighbors have come over to bring things, check on us and see if we need anything. Fresh homemade chicken noodle soup was also provided. To say we have been blessed is an understatement. Tears have flowed freely as love has been shown so overwhelmingly. Compassion, concern, love, blessings have come from family (my own and Church family), friends, neighbors, coworkers, and many others. Thankful is not enough to express feelings. Each came at an apropos time…Gods time.

One of the things we were told by two AMAZING nurses at the ER, was to sit in the sun for half an hour every day. So, being the overachievers we are, every morning we sit out front in our fuzzy pj’s and robe for an hour or two, between 9:30 and noon. This has proven beneficial in many ways. We’ve visited with many neighbors on our cul-de-sac, as well as neighbors who walk our street from other streets in the “Estates.” This has been extra special for Board Member. Yes, we have a “new” person in the Hermitage, she is a new HOA Board Member; she has met people who live in other parts of the Estates, who walk their dogs, ride their bikes, drive or just walk by, and she runs some things by them, which the board is considering. One neighbor stopped and prayed for us, and told us about “grounding”, which we have heard of. Probably in one of Movie Buff’s YouTube assorted shows. So, each morning as we sun ourselves outside in the 39º- 45º weather, NOW we remove our slippers and socks and put our feet in the grass, and “ground” ourselves with mother earth. Many of these encounters proved to be God's timing.

As we sat outside last week, one of the many delivery people who bring packages to our homes, dropped one off here. It was from Queen’s brother in Texas. An unexpected bottle of a debated “medicine” he thought we could try. God's timing. We have been intrigued, and have considered, all of the suggested “remedies”, ideas, and thoughts from others. Another neighbor brought a cup of rice atole last week and pineapple atole tonight. We even tried cutting an onion in half and putting it on the nightstand. That was far too close, as our eyes were burning, so we moved it a little further away. Within half an hour it was back in the kitchen. WOW…powerful onion. We have found that our taste and smell has been overly enhanced by all of this. Spices and herbs are stronger as we eat and we can smell even more acutely than before.

We are grateful for all of the remedies, inspiration, prayers, thoughts, treats, blessings, well-wishing, and everything else.

Correspondent has had time to unsubscribe to a LOT of unnecessary emails we were getting on a daily basis.

We gained a greater appreciation for Gardener and Landscaper. As we sit in the yard, the smell of the roses, lavender, jasmine, rosemary, lemon thyme, alyssum, etc. fill the air as the breeze drifts by. Several times Birder has been excited by just how close the birds fly close to her. Hummingbirds have hovered within 18”, a mockingbird hopped almost as close, as did a yellow finch. The cat next door has finally allowed us to pet him and that was thrilling. We have found a new appreciation for a simple life and the simple things. We are thankful for a home, the comforts and conveniences of a home, yard, flowers, life, and health. Among many other things. The list is long and as we sit each morning, the list continues to grow. More of God's timing.

We pondered, and discussed, WHY in our youth we spend so much time working to buy “things”, which in our latter life we no longer want, need or care about? AND what are we going to do with all of it? Come over, there may be something you want. We thought about what is important in life, and what isn’t. What happens to it when everything is said and done? We pondered giving up all we do…and then when we felt better, regrouped. The conversations were varied, long, crazy, and weird.

Decorator, Shopper, Queen, Grandmomma, and the rest of us in the Hermitage are saddened by the lack of decorations, and spirit of NO Christmas in the domicile. This in NO way means we are seeking others to come over here and do things. Please do NOT take it that way. We are fine. Truly we are. There have been times in past years where this has happened for one reason or another, and we have survived. After all, “It came without ribbons: It came without tags! It came without packages, boxes or bags! Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn’t before! “Maybe Christmas,” he thought, doesn’t come from a store. Maybe Christmas…perhaps…means a little bit more!” And it does. Disciple reminds us of this often. Christmas is something we carry all year. Jenny and Angelo brought over a dwarf evergreen the other day, which Gardener and Landscaper already know where they want to plant in the yard.

Chef misses cooking, although two days ago threw some things together and it came out amazing. We ALL hope she will remember how she threw it together. Baker thinks often of baking as this is when she usually does some heavy duty baking, but next year she will hopefully make up for it. Correspondent hasn’t been able to do Christmas cards…her hands are too shaky.

Then there were the daily/nightly “mind games” this illness brings. And it does bring them. The demons came out and messed with us, more often than we would have liked. Sometimes ALL night long, which were devastatingly LONG, and disturbing. Oh the thinking and overthinking. Things we “need” to do and “have” to do, and things we “want” to do. Long lists. Sleepless nights. Chef was over it one night and at 1:30AM was peeling potatoes for potato soup. The rest of us thought it sounded great, so we didn't protest or think it was crazy. Things would have been fine had she not put the crockpot on high. We did not have potato soup. But the demons were strong some nights. The voices would say, “You are dying. Just…and get it over with.” Movie Buff heard several times a line from a movie, “Bring out your dead!” And then the voice, “I’M NOT DEAD…YET!!!” The battles were heavy, but no casualties. With Disciples help, and our inner strength from angels on both sides of the veil, we fought the demons. We are NOT dead. We have a long way to go and while this has been one of our greater battles, we are winning. We will win. We have so many on our side in this battle and we are SO THANKFUL. God sent them. His timing is so specific. So perfect.

We are more than grateful for the testimony Disciple holds within her heart and spirit. She has carried us during this challenge. Her strength is stronger than any of us realized. As we’ve “rested” for the last month, many challenges, trials, and discouraging times, were revisited. We realized her great strength, and faith in God, and the Savior. Off and on we scrolled for a few minutes, our wall on Facebook to see what was going on. We read of others who are dealing with far worse than we are. Our compassion grew for others who are going through their individual trials and challenges. Through this, Disciple changed her thoughts and prayers. She is having more meaningful discussions with the powers above. We are intrigued with how God changes us. We were reminded by Queen's oldest, of many things, which we know to be true of Disciple. We have learned from her that all things happen for a reason, and all things have a purpose. We know all things happen according to God's timing. We know God loves us, and the Savior loves us. We know, and celebrate this time of year, the gift God gave to us…His Only Begotten Son, our Savior Jesus Christ.

We are SO THANKFUL AND SO BLESSED. Thank you for your messages, thoughts, prayers, remedies, and countless blessings. Merry Christmas. Happy Hanukkah. Love to all.

 17 Dec 2017

A short update on my mom.

Yesterday she was finally released from Desert Springs Hospital, where the nurses and CNA’s didn’t want her to go. They wanted to keep her. But after 5 hours and much paperwork, she is settled in her next to final home. Over the last 50+ years she has moved almost every year…and loves to move. I hated it. So, I told her for Christmas she got her wish of moving. She seemed to be happy about it. I was less than happy. For me, it was a very emotional move. It was a move that signaled the beginning of the last chapter she will have here on earth. She’s had many chapters in her life, filled with many people, places and happenings. I was maybe a little selfish, maybe, in not wanting this chapter to come. When I read books, sometimes I read the last page of the last chapter. Yes, call it wrong, but I do it. SO, I know how this chapter ends…and while I know what happens after this chapter, I just didn’t want it to come to this. I wanted her to be able to not go through this part. I wanted her to remember things, be vibrant and social till the end. But that isn’t the case. I wanted “us” to fix the past and have a relationship most mothers and daughters have. But that isn’t the case either. But she is doing okay and this will be okay.

Actually, it was a prayer answered. This is not an easy situation, as those of you who have had the challenge will attest. I’ve had a lot of things to deal with physically and watching what she has been going through has been difficult for me mentally and emotionally. Yet through it all, she has dealt with things smiling and oblivious of what is going on around her, in the world or anywhere else. So, I’ve prayed about what to do. In the last few days, I’ve made and received countless calls from case workers, social workers, friends, family, nurses, CNA’s, hospice advocates, and care workers. Just wanting and trying to do what is right.

Friday morning I prayed for direction. Those of you who aren’t religious may not find any credence to this, but that’s where I go to give thanks, look for direction, answers and anything else. I’ve had a lot of experience with this and I know that prayer works. So, I prayed that I would be guided in finding a place that would be best for her. She was transported to “this place” yesterday. I couldn’t believe it when I got there. She is one of 6 there and I felt so at peace when I got there just before she did. I was doing paperwork and they took her to her room. When I went into the room I was amazed! Her bed is next to the east window…in view of ALL incoming planes! She can look out that window all day and watch the planes land! For those of you who know how she LOVES to do this, you will understand. I KNOW that God knows each of us personally and individually. He knows who we are, He knows our thoughts, our desires, our hearts, and He loves each of us. He has answered my prayers countless times and I’ve been so thankful that this prayer was answered so completely and quickly. At least one of her nurses is LDS and was helpful with questions I had.

As I stood with her in her room, she began talking like she understood and was fine. She said, “You need to clean out my other place and take what is there. It isn’t much, but do what you want with it.” I thought about what was there…her life…all of the places she has lived and been. I thought about all of the places I’ve lived with her and houses we’ve lived in…and all of the moves. Then she said, “Make sure you get my china.” Hmmmm…I would love to. She got this “china” when she got married in the mid 40’s. As a child growing up, I was the one who learned how to hand wash the “special” china. I helped pack the china each time we moved; this china has moved at least three dozen times, twice across the Pacific Ocean. I was the one who set the table with it when we had company. I was the one it was promised to and the one who was supposed to get it at this time in life. So, when she mentioned the china, I thought of where the china is at this time and yes, I’m angry. The people who have it should NEVER have taken it. Family things belong in the family…as these people well know. My aunt asked for a rocking chair that belonged to their father (her brother) when he died. He said she could have it, but wasn’t given the rocking chair. While I know we “can’t take it with us,” I also know that they never ate off that china. My children grew up eating off of the china. They would be the ones who would get it when I leave. This china is really what my mother considers “all” of her earthly possessions. She doesn’t have anything else anymore. With all of her moves, things have been lost, broken or whatever. BUT the china…it was always packed with the greatest care. She treasured this china and I grew up with the same great care for it, knowing that one day I would have it…and then one of my children. So, when she mentioned the china, which not only surprised me, but rattled my nerves, I didn’t know what to say. She made me promise to continue to take care of it and “make sure you wash it by hand!” Okay…would love to have it. Every time we use it, we would think of her. I would think of all of those who ever ate on them. The memories are plentiful and special…sort of like the china itself. The china was something she loved more than anything, and because of that, I have a great love for it.

And just as quickly as she was mostly lucid…she went on to ask if I had seen Otis lately? No, I hadn’t. What about Wendell? No…I haven’t seen him either. Otis was the oldest of the 8 children, and Wendell was two down from her. She had 6 brothers and a sister. All are gone except for my mom and her brother Howard, who is 16 years younger than she.

So, she is doing okay, for the most part. She realizes that she is in that final chapter as well. But she is with others in a small group care home…and can watch the planes all day. I’m so thankful prayers were answered. So thankful she is happy in her own way. I’m glad she isn’t suffering or in pain. I’m glad she is comfortable.

I don't know when or what the next update will be; maybe I will have a special story and more photos. I'll see what I can find.

 16 December 2024

This photo has been on our desktop for over a month. We saw it and it brought back SO many memories and lessons.

Yes, Queen walked with a book on her head MANY times. Head held high. Shoulders back. Stomach in. Feet pointing forward, and one foot in front of the other. You walked gracefully. NO slouching. When walking in heels, the ball of your foot touches the ground first, NOT the heel.

To sit...turn with your back to the seat/chair, and then allow the back of your legs to touch the chair or seat, then gently sit. Legs crossed at the ankles, NEVER the knees. Hands crossed in your lap.

Queen has thought of ALL of the table manners, and all of the certain behaviors one did to be "Ladylike" in life. Do's and Don'ts. The "yes/no ma'am/sir" and please and thank you or no thank you. She was VERY familiar with Emily Post's Book of Etiquette. Children were seen, but not heard. You were polite. You did not talk back. You used proper language. NEVER did you swear. There were certain words you did not use, and they weren't even swear words, BUT highly improper. There were subjects you DID NOT discuss. EVER! What happened behind closed doors, ANYONE'S closed doors, was none of our business. People lived their lives and YOU didn't know about their private lives. It was no one's business. Mind your own business.

Tomboy was NEVER very impressed with all of this, and had very little use for any of it. She was basically out of control. The Queen Mum was NEVER very impressed with the antics of Tom Boy. She was always muddy and dirty from playing in the garden mud puddles or dirt, or greasy from working on cars. The latter infuriated The Queen Mum. Tomboy loves cars. What can she say?!

Model used most of it often. Especially the NO wild nail colors. That was a no-no when doing hand photography.

Now and then some of us in The Hermitage STILL remember, and still do these things. Table manners are ALWAYS used. We wonder IF those who experience hip issues weren't taught to walk a certain way, and that is why they may have these hip problems? Just something we have wondered. We have to work hard and not look at how others do these things, especially when they are NOT in compliance with what The Queen Mum expected. SHE was very critical. Life was not easy, that's for sure. Queen always seemed to be a disappointment to The Queen Mum. The Queen Mum wore hats that matched her outfit, and gloves, with matching shoes and purses. She was always dressed to the nines! She wore "slacks" but they always matched the jacket. Queen STILL remembers when The Queen Mum first wore a pair of jeans! OH MY GOSH! You would have thought the world ended. That was in the early 70's. Right around the time when Scholar was allowed to wear pants to school. Before that, she and the other girls always had to wear dresses or skirts. She would be absolutely horrified to see what Shopper sees when she goes to Walmart. OR anywhere else. Times have changed. Life is different. We are sure there are some places where these things are still the norm. The Hermitage still has "rules" but some are bent. We are over it. IF our Prince arrives, he will have to take us as we are.

 3 Dec 2017

As a woman of age, there are many things on my mind, and have been for some time now. So, I’m going to weigh in on this whole sexual harassment issue. Mind you, these are my opinions and thoughts. I’ve pondered them for some time. I’ve thought about things that happened in high school; no, I’m not going to list any names. I’ve thought of college classes, remarks from other students…and others. I’ve thought of places I’ve been, situations I’ve been in, jobs, work, co-workers, friends, etc. I’ve thought of how we “flirt” when we are young…and old. I’ve thought about foolish things I’ve done which thankfully ended far better than they could have. I’ve thought about guys/men who have whistled at me and I just smiled and waved…like the penguins in Madagascar. I’ve thought about modeling and TV/Movie/commercials and clothes I was asked to wear. Most of the time they were modest and things were fine. A few, I refused to read for and was told I wouldn’t get the part. So be it. Somewhere along the way in these last 62 years I’ve found my “worth” and would never have felt comfortable doing things which are contrary to my spirit.

I must say that I admire the words and courage of Mayim Bialik and Angela Lansbury. They didn’t come out and say what others are saying; they came out with opinions unlike those of many others, opinions much like mine, oddly enough. Here I thought I was the only one. But I am somewhat pleased to be in their company.

So, these are my thoughts as a woman, mother and grandmomma.

Let’s look at ALL the things “geared” towards sex and what drives people…mostly women, to shop for things so they “look sexy.”

First of all there is music. I love music. Most kinds of music. Enter Rock-N-Roll. I took a History of Rock-N-Roll class at CCCC in 1991. Maybe some of you know where the term came from, but on the off chance you don’t, I grabbed one off the net. Just random. If you want to google it, or whatever, feel free to do so. Here’s what wiktionary has to say: “Etymology—From rock (move back and forth) + and + roll; originally a verb phrase common among African Americans, meaning "to have sexual intercourse"; it was a euphemism that appeared in song titles since at least 1914 (Trixie Smith's "My Man Rocks Me With One Steady Roll"). So, if you are listening to RnR all day…as some of us are (me), you are being subjected to a lot of sexual innuendoes. I won’t go in to all of the other music genre’s out there, suffice it to say, it’s pretty much the same more or less.

Next up, billboards. Now I live in Las Vegas, so the billboards here are a far cry from what you may see elsewhere in the world. BUT let me say this. Women are portrayed as objects of pleasure and they are wearing very little. The billboards are more of an invitation than anything else.

A few years ago many of the women I knew were raving about a book—50 Shades of Gray. Why wasn’t I reading it they asked? Well…not my kind of reading material. BUT they all loved it and couldn’t wait for the movie to come out, or the sequel. This is just one book of many. Then there are magazines, newspaper articles, new stories and the like. Have you ever read the way some women advertise themselves in the singles columns of the want ads??? Hmmmm…

I remember when I was growing up and watching TV…and then somewhere that all changed. TV shows changed. Society changed. What you say and couldn’t say changed. And no, I didn’t watch the afternoon soaps, but I know they were and are filled with sex in one way or another. And then there are commercials. Do I dare mention that I don’t eat at one of the fast food restaurants because I just can’t figure out what that girl in a bikini has to do with anything? NOT that this is the only commercial geared towards sex rather than the product. Why is it that companies and advertisers choose sex as a way to sell their products? A burger is NOT a condom! And while we are on the subject of restaurants, what about Hooters? Yes, I’ve heard they have great wings. But they advertise something else. For those of you who have not been to Vegas and waltzed through the casinos, hotels or any other place on the strip, I’m here to tell you that you have gambling…and sex. Yes, there is food and entertainment. But what is the entertainment? I go for the Fountains at the Belliago.

There is a nail salon on the corner advertising “Sexy Nails.” My mom asked how nails could be sexy. I didn’t answer and don’t want to know. Although I have to admit it’s a valid question.

And I’ve gone clothes shopping. How many times have you heard a woman say, “OH! I want this! I will look SO sexy in this!!!” or something very similar. I know there are times when I want to look great in something. I asked Jenny to pick out some glasses for me which would make me look sassy. Not sure that’s the same as sexy. In high school they may have put me in the nerd or geek group. But I like them.

So, it seems that everything is geared towards sex and no one says anything or cares…until someone acts on it. AND it seems that it’s acted upon more than anyone ever thought, or dreamed. Where has everyone been? Hiding with their heads in the sand? This has been going on for centuries. Sadly, some countries have cultures where this is the norm.

It’s funny…sort of, but as I’m writing this I’ve been picturing Dana Carvey as the Church Lady saying, “Satan, Satan, Satan!” While that’s funny and I loved watching the Church Lady, it’s interesting how many things were spot on. The longer I live, the more I have watched these social lines move from one place to the next. NOT that they moved far or fast. For the most part the lines moved a little bit at a time and ever so carefully. But I could see where they were headed and it was more than eminent. Now others are seeing things through different eyes and they don’t like it. But once you move a line, it’s hard to get that back. It’s like the adage, “Give them an inch and they take a mile.” We’ve gone miles from where we were. No one liked where we were and didn’t mind the change…now they do.

Two stories come to mind. The first. There was this guy; a pretty important guy. He was looking out his window and saw a woman bathing. She was beautiful. I don’t think she knew he saw her, but he did. AND he like what he saw. He liked it a LOT. And he sent for her. AND even though she was married and loved her husband a lot, she slept with this guy; as He was important and commanded many. Time goes by and she realizes she is pregnant. So, she goes back to him and tells him. He commands her husband to come home and sleep with her in hopes that things will be okay. BUT the husband is loyal to this guy…this guy who slept with his wife and got her pregnant. Hmmm…the guy doesn’t figure on this. SO, he sends him out to the front lines in the war and he is killed. She ends up marrying this guy…King David. Her name was Bathsheba.

The second story I thought of is about two absolutely decadent cities; so vile, evil and wicked. IF fifty were found to be good, the cities wouldn’t be destroyed; but 50 couldn’t be found, nor could 40, 30 or 20. In the end not even 10 could be found. And so we have the story of the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. Lot and his family, except for his wife we able to leave.

I started working for the CCSD in 1986. I remember hearing a table of 5th graders asking each other who was still a virgin. Was I shocked? YES I WAS! At the time my oldest was a 5th grader. I was horrified. We will fast forward to last week. I’m listening to middle schoolers and how sexually active they are. Random kids having sex with random partners; yes, they are sexually active and see nothing wrong with it. They see sexuality in their video games, movies, TV shows, etc. Some of their parents have never been married and have different partners frequently. Will any of these kids file sexual harassment charges 40 years from now? I doubt it. Having sex means nothing to them. It’s like eating lunch or going to the movies. Their lines have moved so far they never knew there was a line.

Have I heard sexually harassing things at work? You bet; in two school districts, four different Michael’s, 7 catering companies, and many movie, TV, and commercial sets. When I was modeling I heard a lot as well. Some of it’s been directed at me, and some of it has been verbalized to me but directed at others. AND I’ve heard it equally from just as many men as women.

Is there an answer? I have some. I know how I feel about all of this. I know there are weirdos, pervs and freaks. I also know that people will be people. What you allow in your life will be your life. You can be cautious. You can make choices. It’s all up to you. How you act, how you portray yourself, how you speak, how you respect yourself all tells a story. For some their actions, words, dress, etc. is just advertising. I know some of you won’t agree with me. That’s fine. These are just my thoughts and opinions. I know I’m not perfect. I know I’ve expressed my thoughts when I’ve seen a hot guy. Haven’t acted on any of it lately…heck. I don’t know that I ever did. This is the woman who as a teenager never kissed on the first date. Heck. There are guys I went out with who never got a kiss. There was this one guy who did steal one when I didn’t expect it though. I was surprised, and it never happened again.

So, there you have it. I also have my thoughts on where all of this is headed. I’ll hold those thoughts though. Just like I kept all the names quiet.

3 December 2024

Additional thoughts 7 years later.

Yes, this was seven years ago, but thought about for more years than that. Yesterday Organizer found a newspaper clipping from "Dear Abby" that was kept, maybe to be found just at this time. Her answer to the writer about the difference between "having sex" and "making love" was:

"In "having sex," the name of the game is sexual gratification. It's a selfish, physical exercise in which the partner can be a faceless object. (Anyone will do.)

In "making love," one is motivated by a desire to give pleasure, express deep affection and communicate one's feelings of caring. It's the ultimate in sharing. I "making love," the partner must be a special person. (No one else will do.) Love is a metropolis. Sex is a whistle-stop."

The Hermitage is on the outskirts of the "Las Vegas Strip" and the things we SEE when we leave are not unusual to us. BUT might blow the minds of others who live elsewhere. Women's bodies are everywhere. And have very little on. We find it sad. Nevertheless, it is there. To us it is a basic lack of respect. Some women, for whatever reason, have no respect for their bodies, or themselves. THEY make that choice. They consciously choose to exploit themselves. The things they choose to wear OR not wear. They way they walk. The way they talk, etc. THEY put themselves in a position that leads to other consequences. It is a dangerous, and precarious choice.

 16 November 2021

Writer, and everyone else in The Hermitage are SO tired. We have never been fans of the wind, and it seems to take everything out of us.

It has been a very busy week. Gardener is pleased with the roses that are blooming. They smell amazing. This is a highlight at The Hermitage.

Chauffeur drove Grandmomma and Athlete to the last little league game for the season. They have all improved SO much. Great game.

Things are progressing in many areas around The Hermitage. Project Manager is ready to start delegating projects to their specific departments, and Organizer is going to continue with organizing. There has been a small request to "find" something, so they will be on a hunt next week for the items. Oh the things they are finding.

Astronomer was out checking on the last Supermoon for the year. At least that is what we were told. It is beautiful.

Meteorologist is impressed with the weather. It barely made it to 61 degrees this afternoon, and was in the 40's when everyone woke up this morning. It is supposed to get down into the 30's later next week.

And now Writer feels the need to clean off the desktop, make comments as needed, and redistribute some things. It has been a wild week, so she isn't sure what was picked for redistribution.

We are SO thankful for many things:

Faith

Family

Friends

Home and comforts

Health

Life

Laughter

Bless you all this week as you go about doing whatever you are up to.

 6 November 2024

There is much to say, and this is long. Some of you may start reading this, and stop, and some will read to the end. That is your choice, obviously. But this is for ALL of our family, and friends; and we have family and friends of many nationalities, ages…from the early adulthood to well into their senior hood, genders (straight and LGBTQ…), religions (or not), political choices, varied careers, some who have had abortions, some who have experienced rape, some who are wealthy and live that lifestyle, and some who are far from it, and live from paycheck-to-paycheck, some who have overcome drug and alcohol addiction, some who may still be dealing with them, some who are trying to make sense of life and the mysteries, and everything else that can be imagined. So this is for ALL of you.

It seems as though some people have had a life of ease, always having, or getting what they wanted. Others have dealt with disappointment, they deal with it, and go on, for the most part. Either way, life goes on.

Most of us in The Hermitage are closing in on 70 years old. Some are FAR younger, and others are FAR older. All of them have experienced much in their lives. 

Queen went through several divorces/marriages with her mother over her years of living at home. Each of these events brought a different home (14+), and school (12 at least). She hated every…single…move. Hated trying to make friends. Hated life. Hated a lot. Each move brought more depression, and discouragement. But she persevered, for the most part. She learned that life goes on wherever you are, whatever you are doing, like it or not. She still questions the whys of all of it. Life went on.

Queen went through her own divorce. That wasn’t something she ever thought would happen. Movie Buff and Storyteller had always said, “You get married and live happily ever after.” But that didn’t happen. She did NOT want the divorce. She wanted the happily ever after. The years leading up to it brought back memories she suppressed for years. She hated it. Hated trying to deal with it. Not only did it bring depression and discouragement, it brought back all the suicidal thoughts and dispositions she dealt with as a child and teenager. She still questions the whys of this as well. It was one of the hardest things she had to deal with. Life went on.

Athlete played all kinds of sports growing up. Sometimes she, or the team won, sometimes she, or the team lost. There was joy in the winning, and disappointment in the losing. You deal with it. Life went on. 

Voter turned 18 in 1973. She isn’t sure of the first time she voted, BUT she voted. She has ALWAYS voted. Sometimes the people she voted for won, and sometimes they lost. Sometimes she questioned why the people she voted for lost, as she had her opinions about them. But, for 51 years life has gone on, no matter the outcome of any election. 

Through all of these things, and much more, ALL of us in The Hermitage have learned to deal with disappointments. They happen. They will always happen. We’ve learned to live with the successes. They happen as well. They will continue to happen. We have learned that it is not the end of the world. Sometimes it means we adjust one way, sometimes it means we adjust another way. Adjustment is also something that happens frequently. Without experiences in life, discouragements, adjustments, disappointments, winning, losing, AND everything else, we wouldn’t need to be here. Our job is to learn everything we can. To learn how to deal with everything we can. Life goes on. This too shall pass.

Disciple has taught us that timing is EVERYTHING. That everything has its own time. Everyone has their own time. We’ve all pondered this. Queen with her life and disappointments, and joys. We wonder IF things had happened EXACTLY the way WE wanted them to happen, WHAT actually would have happened? Where would we be? What would we be doing? No. Everything has its time. What would have happened IF the election for 2020 would have had a different outcome? Would things have been different? How would they have been different? Would the pandemic have been handled differently? We don’t know. NO ONE knows. ONLY God knows. He has the plan. He is in charge of the timing. Everything in regards to the plan is done according to His timing. There is order. His order. Just as the earth spins and we have seasons. God has order in everything. We are ALL “inspired” in this order. We all have a purpose and reason in this plan. IF we listen, we will hear what is going on. We all make choices. Everything we say, do, react to, etc. is a choice. We can react positively or negatively. If we react positively, and get along, etc., life will be far different than if we react negatively. One thing we have ALL learned in The Hermitage is to get along, work together, try to be positive, and life goes on. Once in a while, one of us is in a funk. It happens. Thankfully, not very often anymore. When it happens, we console, until it passes. We work together. We may not like what’s going on, but fighting and being destructive or discouraging, just makes everyone else not want to play with us in the sandbox. We’ve learned to get along. Life goes on. This too shall pass.

So however you voted, whether your candidates won or lost, keep going. Have a positive outlook. Having a negative outlook isn’t going to make things better. You aren’t going to feel better. Know that things happen for a reason. Whatever it is. Think of what this is preparing you for. Think of what could happen that may be different from what you think will happen. Life WILL go on. This too shall pass. Make the most of life. 

LIFE in The Hermitage…

We have a question. Do any of you wake up and a song is playing in your head? WHAT the heck? Why does THIS happen? On Friday, the 1^st, when we woke up, the hymn, “I Know That My Redeemer Lives,” was playing in our heads! Then, on Sunday the 3^rd, the song, “Don’t Forget About Me,” by Simple Minds was playing. We don’t even remember the last time we heard that! THEN on Monday, the 4^th, we woke up and, the lyrics, “For maybe by being an “A” student baby I can win your love for me,” from “(What a) Wonderful World,” by Sam Cooke was running around in there! And we have no idea the last time we heard THAT song! Someone give us a clue as to WHAT the heck this is all about!

We’ve been staying up FAR too late at night, and EVERY time we do, we ask ourselves WHY? We question this, say we aren’t going to and then do it again. NOT every night, but dang! Everyone has been SO busy and being tired doesn’t help. 

Organizer has been VERY busy. With the help of the kitchen staff, they were able to get things put away that have been on the island and dining table. This was helpful to Chef and Baker. They prepared meatloaf, mashed potatoes, gravy, and corn, tossed salad, and a macaroni salad for the first Sunday Family dinner. Baker prepared a cinnamon pull-apart, which fell apart EVERYWHERE. We all questioned why, then realized, with the help of the oldest daughter, that we didn’t let it sit and cool for 10-15 minutes. Hmmm…Baker is sure this will be brought up in future get-togethers. 

Organizer was out in the garage with Crafter and Seamstress trying to sort, organize, toss, and pile things accordingly. They have decided that a lot of it needs to move on. Putting it somewhere else AND still not doing anything with it, isn’t helping the situation.

Gardener has been checking out the landscaping and plants. Seems that ALL of the “Naked Ladies” and assorted other bulbs she moved a few months ago have decided to grow. No, they are NOT supposed to be doing that, BUT at least she knows that they are getting what they need in the bulbs from the growth. They will bloom at their designated times next year from February to September. She is sure it will be lovely. AND another tomato plant is growing out by the mailbox! These seem to come up randomly from the compost! Chef throws all sorts of stuff in the compost and it grows, much to the surprise and delight of everyone. 

Time Keeper thought she would get “ahead” of the game last Saturday and reset the clocks before Chauffeur took Grandmomma and Athlete to the little league game. So she reset them…Sunday morning EVERYONE woke up at 6:45…OR what they THOUGHT was 6:45! It was NOT!!! It was 4:45!!! AND THERE was NOT one happy camper amongst ALL of us in The Hermitage. There was talk of having Time Keeper walk the plank. OR to take her to the street and flog her! THE one time we get an extra hour and she robs us ALL of 2 hours! Dang and Double Dang!!! What was she thinking!?!?!!? Needless to say, she was put on report and had better get her act together for the next time change! Maybe someone in the government will resolve to fix this so we never have to do it again. Some states don’t do it. This is a great question! The little league game was great! The grandson hit the ball several times, and was able to round the bases! ALL of the team is doing MUCH better. We do not expect them to win every game as they are young children, and learning. The key is that they are learning skills. Yes, sometimes we win, and sometimes we lose. It’s okay. The skills we learn are more important. It will help us later in life. And life goes on.

We have all been making MUCH progress with the “STUFF” from storage. We’ve learned all about the “clipboards!” We learned about all of the “safety glasses.” This week we found at least 9 index card boxes. A couple of them are from the 50’s. They are metal. Most are plastic. They hold 3”x5” and 4”x6” index cards, OF WHICH we have stacks of index cards in three sizes! 3” x5” 4”x6” and 5”x7” IN white, lined and blank. ALSO colors! Pastels and neons! Lined and blank. ALSO all of the dividers…alphabetical, numerical, and some with typed, yes, typed on a typewriter, tabs. Text messages went out to the same four people as the clipboard questions? WHO has an obsession with index cards??? One response was a lot of laughter, and “Looks like we were really trying to get organized.” Another response was, “I love index cards!” Another said, “Hmmm…” And another emoji with a face palm. Apparently some have inherited the same issues several of us in The Hermitage have. No one wants the clipboards, safety glasses OR the plethora of index cards, boxes and dividers. Chef and Baker have also decided to downsize the LARGE library of cookbooks! Seamstress, Crafter, and others in their little group are downsizing their assortment of books, etc. Life goes on. This too shall pass.

Disciple showed Seamstress some items from the “give and take” at the Church. YES, we took bags of things over there. There was a king size, champagne color, satin flat sheet, and some long tulle curtains with tiny roses embroidered on them, that look like they will be a lovely holiday dress. YES, sometimes Seamstress reminds us of Julie Andrews in The Sound of Music when she does these things. Also Gone with the Wind. Making clothing out of the drapes! Insert smiley face. Life goes on. More on this later…with photos.  

We are ALL hopeful. There is progress being made. We are staying positive. We are praying for the greater good. We know who is in charge. We have faith and trust. Life goes on. This too shall pass. 

 4 November 2024

It has taken a L O N G time to get to this day. We can see the light at the end of this tunnel, and we are thankful. SO thankful. No one in The Hermitage likes arguing, contention, discord or fighting of any kind. NOR do we like name calling or belittling. Let this be over peacefully. We don't know the future, but we know God does. This is His earth. We are His people. He knows. He is there.

Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth. Psalm 46:10

Therefore, let your hearts be comforted concerning Zion; for all flesh is in mine hands; be still and know that I am God. D&C 101:16

Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.
In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. Proverbs 3:5-6

To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:
A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;
A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;
A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;
A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace. Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 (He has provided a time, and a reason, for everything in His plan)

Have a GREAT week. Be kind. Be compassionate. Be loving. Be understanding. Accept what you don't know or understand. It will all work out. Have faith. Serve others.

 28 October 2024

There is a LOT going on out in the "world." We are NOT trying to make light of ANY of it. All of it is important in one way or another.

We don't know how old whoever is reading this might be, but think back on your life. Think about things you have struggled through. Think of the hard times.

Those of us in The Hermitage have been tough times; Pregnancy, labor, and childbirth (4 times). Surgeries. Illnesses. The almost death of a child. Heartbreaks. Divorces. Moving. Homelessness. No money. No vehicle. No job. Disappointment. Discouragement. Loneliness. 9/11...no personally, but from the middle of the US. We were horrified to think this could happen on US soil. Then, not 3 miles from The Hermitage, on 10-1-2917, a mass shooting that we still don't know all of the answers to. Some do, but the public doesn't. AND ALL of the ETC's not mentioned. But you keep going. You still have the same family and friends. Life keeps going. Time moves on. None of it waits for anyone. The scriptures remind us that "This too shall pass." And...it does. The memory becomes a war wound. The memory may not fade, but passes, and you deal with other things. If you pay attention, you SEE the miracles! AND they are there. We've been told to "Expect them." Here in The Hermitage we do.

There are horrible things happening to others. Hurricane disasters! WAR. Famine. AND things most people don't think of, because it won't happen to them. BUT it is happening to others. Life in other parts of the world is FAR worse than whatever you are going through. We are SO blessed.

However, it seems as though some people think this election will bring the end of the world. The end of friendships. The end of their faith. And maybe it will, IF you LET it or allow it. But why? We've been through elections before. The people we voted for won or lost. It wasn't the end of anything. We moved on with life. There are SO many checks and balances.

We've read headlines. We've seen, but muted commercials. We've received text messages, email, and a TON of junk mail. We've seen posts. And that is just for the election.

We all have our beliefs. We all have our likes and dislikes. We all have things we are passionate about. We can all make choices. We all have opportunities. But in the end, it is all God. And some of you will stop reading. BUT Disciple knows. Because of ALL we have gone through in The Hermitage, Disciple has kept us going. SHE has remained on the path. She has carried us. We know, because of her, that EVERYTHING goes according to God's will and plan. We can make choices, we can take action. But it is His will and plan that will take place and we need to know that. AND IF you think that means you just sit and do nothing, it does NOT. We should NOT be complacent. We must always be active. This does NOT mean we can't be friends. We can ALL have our own opinions, beliefs, wants, needs, desires, and STILL get along.

We are 8 days away from whatever happens. Whatever that may be. If you are in a panic. Calm down. If you think the world is going to end, it doesn't matter the outcome. If you are changing your life, beliefs, friends, etc., because of what "might" happen...well, we wish you well.

We love all of you. We love people we don't even know. We pray for God's will. We pray to do His will. We KNOW He is in charge. We know He knows the beginning to the end...whenever that is, and whatever it will bring. This is His earth. We are His. He will bring peace. Trust. Have faith. Doubt not, fear not. Be still. Stay calm. He has this.

 21 October 2024-long. Much is going on.

Wow. It’s been almost a month since Writer sat down to put something on paper. Journalist writes every night, AND that’s a darn good thing. Yesterday we gained a “new” person. She has probably always been in The Hermitage, BUT Queen’s oldest son called her out yesterday as he addressed her as Archivist! Hmmm…She is more than likely bosom buddies with Family Historian, Journalist and Writer, as well as others, and there she was.

The Hermitage is NOT by any means back to order, NOR is it the way ANY of us want it to be, but we are dealing with it the best we can. The paths through most of The Hermitage are wider. The stacks of boxes lower. The counters and island are basically cleaned off in the kitchen, and THAT is a bonus for ALL of those who work in there. They were getting annoyed with nowhere to work.

Meteorologist and Weather Girl told us all that it would cool down. Always promising this, and it did for a few days, but then it was back up over 105º for several days. Most of the time we ALL just roll our eyes. However, it was 53º the other morning. The highs have been in the 80’s and the lows in the 50’s. We LOVE it. Chauffeur and Shopper had a laugh Friday morning. It was 73º and quite nice. They went over to the local Multi Shopping Guild and as they drove through the parking lot, people were wearing heavy coats!!! WHAT THE HECK?!?!? They thought the weather was lovely, but some of these people were all bundled up waiting for snow. At least that’s what they presumed. They laughed out loud until they disembarked from the carriage. Then they snickered to each other and laughed silently inside. How funny. When they arrived back at The Hermitage, and told their tale, WE all laughed out loud!

We ALL saw the October SUPERmoon, but never saw the comet. We tried, but it just didn’t work for us.

Organizer has made daily lists for everyone every day. Some days they are L O N G, others it isn’t too bad. She has had to add many events on the calendar. Everyone is busy in one way or another.

Grandmomma and Athlete have gone to little league games. Thankfully it is getting cooler. The kids seem so tired out there on the field in the heat.

Disciple has been busy with Church, choir, working in the Temple, and helping with the service projects. She was able to help three Spanish speaking sisters in one of the sessions and they were so thankful and gave her hugs and kisses. Also, 70 missionaries went through the session before that! WOW!!! In our prayer meeting two things were mentioned by two different people. 1) Our job is to lift up, not size up. 2) Blessed are the flexible for they shall not get bent out of shape. Seamstress helped Disciple stitch 6 teddy bears for the First Responders, and as many burp cloths for the NICU. Seamstress donated two sewing machines to the cause. Hopefully they will be of some use. She helped several others with quilts, baby blankets, pocket hearts, and cards. It was enjoyable to work with all of the other women providing things for others in need. Disciple is also working with another sister and the young girls 8-11. The first meeting we did bracelets with memory wire. The second meeting we did “Home Sweet Home” pages and framed them. We have decided that girls that age are NOT the way we were at that age. There is a HUGE difference. But hopefully they will think what we are doing is fun. Disciple also watched all of the General Conference sessions. WOW! The things going on are amazing! Talks were wonderful, and the choirs were fabulous! AND 17 new temples were announced!

Social Bug, who really ISN’T that social, made a few appearances in the last few weeks. She went with Disciple to a FHE, and went to two memorial services.

A friend, Adela Salazar, from 5th grade was in town for several days. Her father was also Queen’s math teacher. He would bring snakes to school in burlap bags for “show and tell.” THIS is why no one in The Hermitage is afraid of snakes. Thank you David Salazar. Queen’s family returned to Albuquerque in 1970, when she was a sophomore, Adela was in several of her classes. Correspondent has kept in touch with her over the years, and back in the 80’s went to her wedding. It was wonderful to see her and visit. We took a drive out to Hemenway Park in BC and saw the Big Horn. She was pretty shocked to see them and how close they were. Adela is Spanish/Navajo, having ancestors on her mother’s side here in America since the 1500’s, and her dad is Navajo and Spanish. Genealogist and Family Historian has been helping her with her family tree, and actually found that she and Queen are related on their paternal sides from the 1700’s making them 10th cousins. That was interesting. She wanted to cook for us, and made “New Mexican” food for us with Hatch chiles she brought with her.

Board Member has been inventorying trees in the community with the landscaping company. The trees are over 50 years old and the last few summers have taken a toll on them. She walked several miles with the arborist assessing the trees, deciding which ones needed to be removed and which needed to be trimmed. Steps were achieved that day! She also worked with the guy fixing the locks on the gates, and helping another board member with cameras, sprinklers, etc. Late one night Board Member was alerted to police activity two streets over. The police were chasing a couple who broke into a home for sale and were “living” in it. They were arrested, the car they had (it was stolen) was towed the next morning. Board Member, with the Board Member from across the street, spent part of a morning painting over the graffiti on a wall. So annoying!

Queen had her hair done! It was SO nice to just sit and relax. So much is going on and just sitting and visiting with our favorite hairdresser was incredible. AND she always makes us look SO nice.

Correspondent had an issue. She was mailing something, and was told to take it to the UPS Store as USPS didn’t recognize the address, and it “probably” wouldn’t get where we were sending it. Chauffeur took Correspondent to the UPS Store. She explained the conundrum to the girl at the counter. She didn’t seem to care, and charged Correspondent $2.00 for stamps and said that USPS would pick it up around 3:30 that afternoon. NO!!! She explained AGAIN in firmer tones, the SAME story about the address, USPS not recognizing it, ETC! The girl said, in quiet little tones, “Well, it shows that we deliver to that address, so I’m sure the USPS does as well.” AGAIN, in more aggressive tones, SHE EXPLAINED they don’t!!! OH MY GOSH! Never mind! So, rather than be arrested for unbelievable behavior in a UPS Store, she took her item and had Chauffeur take her to the USPS on Sunset! JEEZ!!!

Now that it is cooler, Gardner has been mowing, dead-heading roses, and doing the general maintenance with Landscaper. They REALLY want to do more, but have been engaged with helping INSIDE The Hermitage. They are bored, and sometimes cause petty problems because of it, but they are kept in line by the Enforcer.

The youngest and his lovely wife have been close to the hurricane areas, so we have been checking on them. They received a LOT of rain, and the river near them went from one you could walk from one side to the other, to one you wouldn’t be able to traverse. They have seen a lot of animals; Eagles, otters, weasels, and black bears. The youngest is mainly interested in the bears and spent most of one day just watching them while working outside. He was excited to see so many. They had to put down their oldest dog a few months ago and have been saddened by that, only to have to put another one down last week. ALL of us in The Hermitage are broken hearted for them, and the loss of these two granddogs. We loved them too.

Chef has been busy making things for quick meals. One was deviled eggs. Shopper bought a bag of eggs, supposed to contain 6, HOWEVER Chef was pleasantly surprised to find a “baker’s half dozen!”

Several of us in The Hermitage have been moody, emotional, frustrated and melancholy. Others have been joyful at the progress we are making, and finding humor with some of the things we are discovering in boxes! We found the Hot Diggity Dogger. It makes AMAZING hot dogs! We found a rather large leather horse. Correspondent only had to make one call to find out who that belonged to. He didn’t remember where it came from, BUT did remember it well. We’ve found AT LEAST a dozen, IF not more, clipboards. The brown ones with the silver clip part. After making three calls, we have found that ALL of the children of The Hermitage have clipboard issues. They admitted that yes, they love clipboards. Hmmm…no one claimed the legal sized one though. We are not sure we understand this desire for clipboards, and what we shall do with all of them. We’ve also found MANY pairs of safety glasses. Said child made the remark that, “at least you know I went to school.” Hmmm…the reasoning behind some of this is interesting. Curling irons. OH MY GOSH!!! Queen has two girls. WHY have we found over a dozen curling irons? ALL sizes, styles, etc. Absolutely incredible!!! AND scrunchies! Not to mention all sizes and styles of bobby pins, hair clips, banana clips, and every other kind of hair paraphernalia.

Chief Head Mechanic replaced the front brakes on the carriage this evening. He is incredibly busy and we hated even mentioning it. He seemed happy to do it, BUT we feel bad that it falls on him.

We are SO grateful for those we have been able to help and provide service to, as well as things they need.

We are SO grateful for those who have helped us. Who care for us and love us. We know everyone is busy and feel blessed they take time for us.