13 December 2025 

12+13=25 

OH! Math Nerd needs to find something to do. Writer is busy.

A week ago, or so, a statement was made. The statement doesn’t really matter, and those of us in The Hermitage who heard it processed it FAR differently than what was said, for a completely different reason. This was not an intentional oversight, or to disagree with or disregard what was said, BUT as we have aged, it meant something different to us. WE processed it differently and wondered why. So, ALL of us in The Hermitage have been mulling this phrase over in our mind for the last week or so. Each of us has come up with many thoughts. It has been like an out-of-control fire of sorts. Correspondent even called to discuss it with Queen’s brother. He remembers and feels the same way as MANY of us in The Hermitage.

The phrase used was “special event.” At 70 we are all pondering just WHAT a “special event” IS? We thought about memories from the last 70 years, where we’ve lived, what we’ve done/not done, etc. Historian has been called upon, as well as Queen, Party Planner, Chef, Baker, Activities Chairwoman, Shopper, Graduate, ETC! 

Growing up, we were far from most all of the relatives. Who are we kidding? We didn’t even live near any relatives until we were in our mid-teens, and even then it was a 20 minute drive. Yes, that’s close, but when you don’t drive, it isn’t, and Chauffeur wasn’t driving quite yet. IF there were any special events, over the years, we were not a part of them. 

So, just what might be a special event? Birth of a child? Birthdays? Baptisms? Graduations? Weddings? Anniversaries? Funerals? Holidays? New Years? Y2K? Getting out of a hospital? Buying a house? Buying a car? Going on a date? Going to a sporting event? Going to a concert? Going to a recital? Getting engaged? When you get together with family? When family comes from out of town? ALL of these “could” be a “special event.”

Then Chef, Baker, Shopper, Decorator, Photographer, and others pondered WHAT goes with all of these “special events?” The list is FAR TOO long to even go there, suffice to say food, drinks, games, and decorations. If not more. THIS is where Correspondent called Queen’s brother. 

“Cary, what do you remember about any of these special events from our childhood?” His reply was the same as Queen’s when she was asked. “Nothing. We did nothing.” Queen and her brother remember “celebrating” their birthdays, maybe, three to four times each over the years. Maybe less. IF anything was done, cake was part of it. Rarely was a photo taken. By rarely, Historian has seen maybe one. We could remember two weddings we went to that weren't for a parent. We can’t remember going to any friends’ birthdays. We may have gone to a funeral or two. Each of us were baptized; no big deal was made, and no photos taken. Queen and her brother both graduated. There was no party and no photos taken. THIS IS NOT for anyone to throw a pity party for us. THIS IS NOT why Writer is writing, OR why we are even discussing this, or pondering it in The Hermitage. We did not grow up around “special events” of any kind really. We both vaguely remember where we were for any of the holidays. We went trick-or-treating maybe three or four times. We never carved any pumpkins. So, when the term “special events” came up a few weeks ago, it sent our minds on a trip down that memory lane. Who we were with, what we ate/drank, where we were, etc. Photographer was rarely, if ever there. The photos are all in our minds. That’s it. That’s all. 

THEN we got to thinking about WHAT was in our fridge. “Cary, do you remember soda ever being in our house?” He said exactly what Queen remembered. THIS is why Historian and Correspondent phoned him. They weren’t quite sure about Queen’s answers. Cary replied, “No. There was never soda in the house.” He also said that there were cookies once in a while, like Christmas, but rarely any other times. Baker started baking at age 10, so when allowed, she did make some. There were never any desserts, popsicles, or anything else like that. Candy was only present at Christmastime. It was usually fudge. There were rarely any snacks for us. BUT there were “other” things. In the “early” years, before Queen was 6, the parents would have poker parties on Friday nights, or entertain guests from the “mainland.” There were “Hors d'oeuvres” of all kinds, dips and chips, and drinks of all kinds. By drinks, there was whiskey, bourbon, scotch, rum, gin, brandy, beer, etc. Cary and Queen BOTH remember asking to try what we thought was “soda” one of those nights, and dad gave us both a small glass of clear liquid. OH MY GOSH!!! IT was horrible. Tonic water. Nasty. They also remember Bing Crosby buying them both an orange Nehi at the Pro-Am Golf Tournament in Kauai when they were children. But in their years at home there was no sodas, no chips, no snacks, etc. We ate breakfast, lunch and dinner. That was it. Once in a while there was ice cream, but that wasn’t frequent either. When we went out to dinner, which was rare, we DID get to have a Shirley Temple. 

Growing up, Queen’s children had a somewhat different life. Shopper would buy sodas when we would go to spend the day at the lake. But having them in the house all the time wasn’t a thing. They had ice cream, cookies, etc. now and then, but not every night. Snacks and such were infrequent as well. They were always outside playing, so they rarely ate between meals. They did have birthday parties, graduations, baptisms, etc. all with a LOT of party food and photos. We also had HUGE super bowl parties. At least for a few years. 

Now at 70, recalling all of this we have a few thoughts. Our first thought is this, and it comes from the accident in September, as well as our birthday in June. Those of us in The Hermitage have a quiet life. Just waking up in the morning is now a “special event,” and we are thankful. No, we don’t throw a party, but we do constantly give thanks. Especially when we DO go somewhere, and return to The Hermitage safely. And we rarely go anywhere… Church, The Temple, and the marketplace. SO anytime we see others, especially family and those from out of town, or go somewhere, or do something, IT IS a “special event.” It is SO special to us. We delight in it. We are thankful and blessed. We celebrate it. Another thought comes from a talk by Elder Uchtdorf titled Your Potential, Your Privilege. Don’t delay. Don’t wait to celebrate. Every day is a blessing and gift. Don’t wait to use the good china. Don’t wait to wear that special outfit. Don’t wait to do anything. Enjoy life and live each day. Each day can be a “special event.” This is NOT to say you should over-do it, or indulge too much. Remember moderation in all things. Also, not all of us see things the same way. Our experiences, thoughts, understandings, and reactions can differ greatly.  

10 December 2025

Writer has decided that short updates are in order, for several reasons.

Weather Girl has noticed that the weather service keeps posting warning updates to a “heat wave” here in Vegas. WHY do we need to brace for a “heat wave” of temperatures in the low 70’s here in Vegas? To her, this seems absolutely ridiculous! Everyone in The Hermitage thinks the weather has been incredibly wonderful! Low 70’s during the day and mid 40’s at night. What more could we ask for? It isn’t like the summer when we need to brace for temps in the 115º area. So, again, we ask, just what are we bracing for? Nice weather?

Board Member has done a LOT of HOA activity this last week. Dead trees have been cut down. The areas where you drive into the “Estates” are being updated and should help keep property values up. Street lights were updated in August, then they all went out back in September. The problem has been searched for months. They thought they found it, BUT still no lights. Hmm… Concrete work is being done, pool drain is being fixed, and several other things are taking place, so she has been on a couple of walks throughout the community with another board member, checking it all out. 

Animal Lover took a trunk load of blankets, towels, sheets, leashes, harnesses, dishes, rugs, etc., to the animal foundation. She found out they love to have volunteers! This could be dangerous.

Seamstress and Quilter used their skills to sew up three quilt tops for JustServe. We’ve been told no more until the New Year. A little break will be nice, and it will give them a chance to work on things here. 

Disciple loves working at the Temple AND everyone she works with there. It is always a blessing to leave the outside world and be in a celestial environment. She also had a leadership dinner and enjoyed that and being with other disciples. 

Organizer, Scullery Maid, Chamber Maid, and Laundress were busy taking care of the last of the things in the kitchen and chambers. Everyone thinks it is just amazing. 

Grandmomma had a grandson for a bit. Chef made the usual pancakes and sausage, then They went to the Giving Machine. He chose to give pet food to homebound pet owners in need, and chickens and business training to lift people out of poverty. Grandmomma and Disciple chose to give meals to seniors and money towards adoption fees so a child can have a forever home. They went to Hemenway Park in Boulder City to check out the BigHorn Sheep. There were about two dozen, and some people were getting into the personal space of the Bighorn. They were hoping for some wild entertainment, but it didn’t happen this time. Then they went to Lake Mead and checked out the carp and striper. They also fed popcorn to the ducks, geese and coots at Sunset Park. Crafter and Chris made four snowflakes out of white hangers, two large and two small. After dinner, they watched a couple of movies with Movie Buff, who is off report since she has regrouped, and found some hilarious videos with animals. They watched one video several times of three cats in a house watching a bird. A poodle comes up quietly behind them, sees the bird and starts barking, scaring the cats who all jump about 4 to 5 feet. They couldn’t stop laughing and almost couldn’t breathe. 

Gardener helped Crafter and Decorator hang the snowflakes in the tree out front. They look nice out there. Gardener also deadheaded the roses and dug up and moved a lot of iris. IF anyone wants some iris, let her know. And she prepared the area for the sinkhole conundrum. 

Chef and Baker were busy preparing things for a potluck Disciple went to with the Temple sisters. There were 25 there. Chef made a favorite curry, chicken, broccoli, and rice casserole. Baker made Key Lime pies. It was a wonderful luncheon, and she probably won’t eat for a while.

Correspondent “may” be having issues. There was a time, DECADES ago, that she would send out a minimum of 350 Christmas cards. Over the last fifty years, a lot of the receivers have passed on, lost touch, don’t send, etc. Correspondent “may” have sent out two dozen last year. Maybe. This year she is pondering what to do. We’ve explained she had two weeks. She has explained that it has been a few months of trials, and things just aren’t the way they normally are. And is “normal” a thing anymore. She says no. Disciple says no. Gardener says no. Things are definitely NOT as they were. Not even close. Baker knows she needs to get with it if she is going to plate goodies to take to others. She may be the only “normal” person in The Hermitage at the moment. She is also supposed to be baking and decorating four cakes for Disciple to take to the Ward Christmas Party on Saturday night. Bonus points for her for saying she would do that! 

Momma, Ma, and Mother have seen most of the kids several times this last week or two, had dinner with them at two different places, and watched a Christmas program. It has been absolutely wonderful! Each has been a special event for them!

What is considered a “special event” to you? Writer is going to address this subject soon, and she has received commentary and advice from several in The Hermitage. 

Have a good one!

 2 December 2025

Writer had intended to wrap up November a few days ago, however, life has a way of becoming a team of runaway horses and we all just went with it. Writer will randomly give a play-by-play of sorts and go from there. Suffice to say everyone has been MORE than busy.

First off, let it be known that as of 2PM Movie Buff is on report! We aren’t sure what she was thinking, OR IF she even was thinking! She knows we all enjoy having something in the background as we go about our various tasks. At 1PM she put on The Sound of Music. IF you haven’t seen it, which we are fairly sure everyone and their brother has, it is an amazing movie. Queen first saw it when it came out in 1965 when she was 10. We have watched it at least twice a year or more since then, and know all of the parts and songs. Nevertheless, we were unprepared for what happened after the intermission. Yes, movies had intermissions. We were having a scanty, late lunch and it was at the part where the children are distressed over Maria going back to the abbey without saying good-bye. They were singing “My Favorite Things” to cheer themselves up. When they heard her singing they were ALL EXCITED! Those of us in The Hermitage had water works and began weeping! DANG…IT…ALL!!! Some of us have been overly emotional for several months, and the dam broke, and that was it. Movie Buff is on report.

Our morning was a leftover from the past few days. A few weeks ago Employee received a form from social security about “Windfall Elimination Provision.” Most of us hate communicating the “new” way, and finally Correspondent decided to call. That was yesterday. She never got to talk to a real person, and after about 10 minutes heard, “Your wait time is 120 minutes. Thank you for calling,” and the line went dead. Frustration doesn’t even go far enough to cover her thoughts. We decided to call and make an appointment at the local social security office. Nope, that didn’t work either. SO this morning, Chauffeur took several of us to the office in the southern area of town about 7 miles from The Hermitage. Low and behold there were already about 20 others in a line waiting when we arrived at 8:30. Those in line around us obviously had similar experiences with the phone and online. This was confirmed as we stood there. At 9:45 security came out and said, “All of you without appointments move over here to the left.” THE WHOLE LINE moved over! HAHAHAHA!!! Comic relief. Eventually we all went our way. Employee and Financier worked on the issue with our form online. At the bottom was an area to write comments and additional information, up to 1000 characters. When we hit the enter button, an error message came up that we used characters we weren’t supposed to. Little do they know we filtered out a LOT of things. Nevertheless, we regrouped. AND the form was finally accepted.

Timekeeper was on the ball this time. She set the clocks the correct way, but several of us still woke up at the “usual” time, so we didn’t get to sleep in. Maybe next time, unless those higher up do away with this silliness. 

Athelete decided to participate in water aerobics with a couple of friends. HOLY COW! She was told it would just be an hour, but we were in the pool for at least two hours and later that night could FEEL exactly where those aerobics worked. Sitting turned into a gentle activity.

Secretary tried to make yet another medical appointment for a CT scan. She abhors these robot calls. Twenty-five minutes later she finally had an appointment at a place we’ve gone to six times in the last four months! WHY do they not keep the information from all of the other appointments??? She just doesn’t understand these things AT ALL! It sure doesn’t seem efficient. 

Grandmomma went downtown and watched the Veterans parade. Then to a Harvest Festival. Both were fun.

There was a BYU game here the first part of November that brought a LOT of extra visitors to Church. Disciple always finds this fun. She is also thankful the Temple opened back up after the cleaning and minor remodeling; new couches, chairs, rugs, flower arrangements, etc. It is absolutely beautiful! She loves being out of the world and into a celestial setting. It is SO peaceful and full of love. She sees old friends frequently, like Nita and Ruth, and one week saw a young man she hadn’t seen in about 17 years. He is now 24 and doing well.

As we sit out in The Doors in the morning, Weather Girl and Ornithologist are always excited by the activity. The weather out there in the mornings has dropped from upper 50’s to upper 40’s. It IS getting a little nippy. Several times it rained as we all sat out there, and a couple of times there were major thunderstorms! It is wonderful to sit out there and watch it rain, and the bird activity continues on in the rain. One morning two robin’s showed up on the birdbath! Photographer actually got a picture of them. AND the dove another morning. The hummingbirds are a little more difficult to get, but she succeeded. Gardener thinks of things she wants to do as she sits out there. First to get rid of ALL of the rocks back there. Then she thinks she wants to plant a huge garden. Well, huge for the backyard. Time will tell. Everyone is thrilled with the smells in the front yard. Many people have stopped to smell the roses, etc. The paper whites and alyssum are blooming too. She did mow the lawn for the last time this year last week. Then Decorator got out the Christmas lights and put them up. More aerobics…more pain. But the lights are lovely.

Inside The Hermitage and Carriage House there has been a lot of activity. Organizer brought in dozens of boxes of fabric and yarn. Seamstress, Quilter, Crocheter, Knitter and Crafter were VERY LEERY as to what might happen. To say they were ALL frustrated, overwhelmed, and heartbroken are understatements. They have had some of this fabric and yarn for over 50 years! Organizers voiced thoughts were, “IF YOU HAVEN’T USED IT IN 50 YEARS, WHEN ARE YOU GOING TO USE IT!” Then she said, “Pick ONLY what you really know you are going to do something with, and the rest goes. IF you don’t use it in a year, then what is left goes.” YIKES! She is one tough cookie. They ALL have been learning patience, sacrifice and the law of consecration. It is rough. Nevertheless, they pressed on and are almost done. One can actually get around in the Carriage House and almost all of the boxes are gone in the Scullery area. Focus has been a difficult thing for many of us. Chef went to make lunch one day and Scullery Maid decided to clean out the icebox, and lunch was forgotten. We go from room to room with projects, ideas and thoughts, only to forget everything we are doing. Then a walk is suggested to regroup and we are gone. Scullery Maid DID get the island cleaned off, AND ALL of the counters. It is impressive. AND she tells everyone, “Don’t dare put anything on them!!!” So far it is holding. Seamstress was able to stitch up 25 burp cloths and a Halloween quilt top for the Sisters in Service projects. 

Queen visited her oldest daughter and got her hair done! Apparently she looked like some sort of Fraggle. Everything is under control now and her hair is lovely. This is always an enjoyable thing for her, being with one of her children and visiting. Also, being pampered is wonderful.

Shopper made several trips to the marketplace. One day she made three trips! She was getting everything requested by Chef and Baker for a potluck BBQ at the Church, a Linger Longer, also at the Church, AND the BIG day! AND it was a BIG day! ALL of Queen’s children were there and THAT is the absolute MOST incredible thing. Chef made many things for the BIG day, and several trips back and forth to where the BIG dinner was to be. ALL of the fixings everyone made were wonderful. Queens youngest accepted an Oreo Pie at the door from Baker and he said, “I’ll just put that in my room.” HAHAHA!!! We think most of the 30+ guests were gone when he brought it out! 

One of the biggest deals going on was with Building Maintenance! With the work Organizer has done, the fireplace is now accessible and ready to be used. So far there have been three fires in it last week. Wonderful, peaceful, crackling, lovely fires. We just sit here in the dark watching the wood burn thinking and enjoying the warmth. There is something about a crackling fire that we love. AND no, there is no pyromaniac in The Hermitage. But we do love a fire in the fireplace and campfire. The heat hadn’t been turned on either. Building Maintenance thought she would see how long we could go without turning it on. Sunday, November 30^th, when we went to go to bed it was 58 degrees in the house. She tried to wait until December 1^st but it didn’t happen. Such is life in The Hermitage. Her next focus is the sinkhole out front. She phoned the Clark County Sewer, and they came out in 15 minutes. He determined it was not the sewer or water, but there is definitely a sinkhole under the sidewalk. He said to call Public Works. She did. They can’t do anything…HOA has to. Hmmm…Board Member is on this and we are all anxiously waiting to see what happens.

As we near the end of this year we have had a LOT of time to reflect on many things. We have thought of how incredibly blessed we are and the things we are thankful for, and not in any order they are: time, health, family, friends, home and the comforts within and without, multiple talents and gifts, knowledge, direction, love, abundance, joy, challenges, trials, patience, sacrifice, and so much more. And as we have crept into this next season, we are always SO thankful for the Savior. For His creations that we enjoy so much, for His incredible love, and for His ultimate sacrifice for us. Live and enjoy each day fully. Don’t wish them away. Don’t wait to use the good china. Don’t save things for another day. Be kind. Smile. Love and give hugs!