13 April 2024

So much going on. Those of us in The Hermitage are celebrating Holy Week. Today, Palm Sunday. We are ALL emotional. NOT just Disciple. We are emotional for many reasons. Easter coming is part of it. Love is part of it. Sacrifice is part of it. Faith. Beliefs. Miracles. ALL of this and SO much more.

This is the 21st anniversary of a call NO mother ever wants to receive. It was a Sunday morning. LONG story. LONG days followed. MUCH came from it. We were all strengthened in our faith, beliefs, power of priesthood blessings, power for prayers, and seeing God's hand in our lives. Then miracles and blessings. When one is told that their child's (he was almost 27) lifeless body was found on a major freeway, and the EMT's called the coroner, one freaks out and NOTHING is ever the same. And here we are 21 years later, knowing that each of us is known to God personally.

There has been a geese couple at the pool all week. They are gone now. But they have been fun for Ornithologist to watch.

Gardner AND the rest of us have been overwhelmed by ALL of the roses. She even picked some and brought them in. There are strawberries too!

Disciple had a wonderful day at the Temple, then participated in Sisters in Service. There are several projects going, and now a new one. She decided to do the new one. Flannel hearts for new mothers of NICU babies. They get two hearts. They put one close to their heart, on their skin. Then it is put in with the baby in the isolette. That way the baby knows the mothers own smell. The heart is exchanged back and forth to comfort the baby. Disciple LOVES hearts, so this was something she was excited to do.

We had a visitor at The Hermitage for the weekend. Thankful for that.

We are ready for Redistribution time. Have a blessed Holy Week. Easter, THE most important day ever. We are SO blessed.

25 April 2025

What a week.

Board Member helped with a LOT of projects going on in the Community; new sidewalks, new grass, possible new benches, getting out the pool chairs (ETC) for the May 1st opening, securing a space a homeless person was living in, pulling up dead trees for the "Free Tree" program, checking on various bids/estimates for other projects, and SO much more. Getting those steps in. The concrete guys worked behind The Hermitage, in the alley, ALL week, starting about 6:30 every morning. They were breaking up and removing the walk, forming, making a LOT of noise, etc. This morning they are finishing the forms right on the other side of The Hermitage wall, and getting ready to pour the cement. We will be SO glad when all of that is done. Little Chris not so much. ALL of the HUGE "JUMPS" in the concrete walks will be gone. He loves going over them on the bike when we ride our bikes on his visits. Maybe we will make some like Builder did when his dad was small. And the geese at the pool "seem" to be gone, however there is evidence that they may pop in from time to time.

Disciple had an AMAZING Easter Sunday and the icing on the cake was having two of Queen's children and significant other's attend Church with her! She sang in the choir, and with family there, the songs, AND the spirit, SHE was overwhelmed and the spirit leaked out of her eyes. A friend told her she looked beautiful, and she was SO thankful for the compliment.

Queen's oldest had a small Easter dinner at his house. He made Tri-Tips. Jenny made the potatoe's, deviled eggs, and awesome skillet cookie and ice cream dessert. Chef made a broccoli/cauliflower casserole, crab dip, corn salsa, onion dip and macaroni salad. She also played rummy with the oldest....we didn't get to finish.

Organizer has been "trying" to get EVERYONE's act together for the garage sale THIS WEEKEND! There is MUCH to get out there, but things have been slow due to other things happening in The Hermitage. Time will tell. She DID get the closet in the master chamber somewhat organized. However, Employee pointed out something. NONE of us wear most of the clothes/shoes in the closet, dressers, OR the armoire. SHE was the one who wore most of them, and since she retired, very few of us get dressed...well, like that. YES, there are days we all roam around The Hermitage, taking care of our duties, IN OUR PJ'S! Only when we decide to go somewhere, does Chauffeur insist on normal clothing. Disciple dresses on Sunday and Thursdays, BUT the rest of us just throw things on. SO why do we "need" over 100 pairs of shoes? WHY do we need ALL of these pants, tops, ETC?!?!?! A pair of overalls, a few t-shirts and some flip flops and we are good to go. EXCEPT when Chauffeur is taking us somewhere. So, Organizer has been trying to be rational about things, NO matter who screams about the shoes! The patio DID get organized and cleaned up. Things are positioned for the "sale" tomorrow.

The HOA only has two garage sales a year, April and October, and we missed the one in October. Organizer is saving some of the stuff for the fall, as it will sell better then.

EVERYONE in The Hermitage is impressed with Gardener!!! The jasmine smells amazing! Flowers of all kinds are everywhere. It is our own little heaven! Several of the neighbors have commented. She also crossed off another thing on the "Things to do in 2025" list! Not to mention she has picked strawberries twice, and did NOT share.

Anyway, we are trying to press on, and so we come to the Redistribution of "whatever" has been collected lately. Along with some of Photographers own photos.

We hope you are enjoying spring and that life is well. We are SO blessed and thankful!

6 April 2025

A VERY important date!!! 6 April 1830! 

Writer is FAR too exhausted to write. BUT we are going to Redistribute things gathered, as well as a few of Photographers photos.

OH what the heck. We are ALL up, let's do this.

Earlier this week Organizer decided to work on the closet in the master chambers. WHAT A CHORE!!! We realize there are a LOT of feet in The Hermitage, BUT there are at least six to seven dozen pairs of shoes! AND That doesn't even count the dozen or so that are bagged by the front entrance! WHAT THE HECK?!?!?! At least two dozen of them have been in boxes for over a decade...or two...and have NEVER been worn!!! These better get worn in the next year or else! AND the clothes need to be gone through. JEEZ! When Employee worked, ALL of these clothes made sense. BUT when most of us lollygag around The Hermitage in pj's or sweats most days, WHY do we need all of these clothes?!?!?!

Board Member walked with the Landscapers from one end of the community to the other, discussing things that need to happen in the future, etc. That took some time, BUT She got her steps in, and that's a bonus. She also helped another board member put up blinds and wall plate covers in the clubhouse.

Gardner FINALLY got the mower started. Not sure how many times she pulled that cord, and sprayed starter fluid...YES, there was gas in it...but it started. Sounds funny though and may need something tuned up. She will have Mechanic check the air filter and maybe the spark plug. The roses are starting to bloom and not only are they gorgeous, BUT smell amazing!

Laundress was busy this week. NOT like anyone is running out of clothes, but the bin was full. Scullery Maid was busy in the kitchen.

Disciple worked on a handout about Holy Week for the Wednesday Activity Girls. On Thursday, she took a different way to the Temple and reflected on life. Life in The Hermitage. Growing older. ETC. One of the Temple Matrons said she felt that "someone" needed to hear something she received while reading her scriptures. "HE knows YOU! HE sees YOU! HE know what you are going through and what you are concerned about. HE loves you! Leave it ALL with Him." WHOA!!! Disciple had tears streaming down her face. While she is "normally" weepy, she was even more so. This message was for her!

Photographer was busy! She is trying to get ALL of her photos downloaded to Shutterfly. That way Scrapbooker can have them printed and into books. She had left off with 2017,and has downloaded literally thousands (at least 6000) so far. She is close to being done, but not quite...BUT close.

Grandmomma had a movie night with the youngest grandson. Chef made "octopus," mac and cheese and BBQ beans. He had two "octopi." Chauffeur dashed them over to the local superguild to get ice cream. They couldn't decide on one, so he got cookies and cream and neapolitan, but she had already gotten vanilla bean and neapolitan! Something was not quite right with this picture! HEY! Put one of those neapolitan's back! Then there was Reese's magic shell! WOW! A scoop of each, plus the magic shell, whipped cream, chocolate sprinkles and three cherries! Then it was movie time. We tried to find a good short before the movie, BUT it seems it isn't available. Rikki Tiki Tavi! We have it on VHS, but couldn't find the movie anywhere on the TV. Hmmm. We watched The Apple Dumpling Gang, then The Love Bug.

Saturday was rough in many ways. Disciple started watching General Conference. But Momma was thinking about the invitation last night from the oldest son. She rarely gets to spend time with family. She nicely explained to Disciple that they could watch the missed sessions of General Conference Sunday and Monday. So Chauffeur took Momma out to Nellis AFB for the Air Show. She hadn't been in years, and wasn't sure she was emotionally prepared. She was NOT. They spend hours and hours out on the flight line looking at EVERYTHING and checking it all out. She kept it together for the most part. BUT when the Thunderbirds were flying...and then...over the PA system the song God Bless America played...she was weeping. Almost sobbing. TOO many memories flooded her heart. Too much. BUT it was incredible and she loved it!

Disciple did watch both sessions of General Conference today and one from yesterday. We didn't have our family dinner though. The Utah family members have been sick, so didn't come down. Two from here went out of town. So we had dinner with the oldest, and his family. It was very nice.

Chef will be making potato soup tomorrow, and chicken noodle. Maybe some other things. Most of us reminded her that the weather is supposed to be in the upper 90's this week and soup MAY not be what should happen, BUT she is determined to move ahead with her plans. EGADS! Heaven help us.

NOW we will proceed with the Redistribution of our gathered treasures. Writer is fairly sure that these writings will be reflected in the gathered treasures. What can we say?!