Is it really Valentine's Day . . . Looks more like Christmas!

January 9-15

SUNDAY  Regular Church meetings then had to hurry as several visitors who were to Church said they were coming right up to the Memorial. Well we waited, ate our lunch and a little more waiting before anyone arrived.  After that  we had quite a steady stream of visitors for quite a while.  It was nice again to have people to see the monument and to give tours too.  When our shift finished we took a drive and looked over the apartment where Osborn’s had been living.  After that we went home and mainly watched the Olympics on TV.

MONDAY  -- We had the early shift again today.  Things were not really hopping today as far as visitors.  We came home and Rhonda started cooking for the Family Home evening that starts at 5:00pm.  With the FM missionaries gone home and the new ones not having arrived yet, we ended up doing a main dish, a salad and a dessert.  Just before FHE, Roni Johnson called and wanted to talk to us about maybe renting or buying John Lefgren’s house where the Osborn’s had stayed.  We had looked at it previously and had about decided to do nothing but we decided to listen anyway.  When he left, we both said we would stay where we were.  

Sisters:  Tarawhiti & Houston

TUESDAY  -  Roni Johnson called early this morning and said he had an offer that even he couldn’t believe.  He had emailed papers in hand waiting for us to sign to buy for $280,000.00!  I said I would think about it and talk to Rhonda and call him back.  Well, we went for a walk and then Rhonda was back to the stove making some dinner for Joseph since he had been hit by his wife  (in car... not living together) and broke some of his ribs.  He didn’t show either.  Tried to call Roni Johnson but NA so left a voice mail asking for the amount of the utilities and property taxes.  He didn’t respond. At the Memorial the Sister missionaries did the training and they showed us how they did “chat” on the computers.  It was pretty interesting.  I missed part of the presentation as I went to the Visitor Center to talk to Drew (fairly regular investigator/visitor).  I was pretty forceful with him and challenged him to be baptized.  Not much excitement the rest of the day until it was time to go to Institute.  We went through Randolph Town and gave a ride to a girl named Kelsey Preston who doesn’t drive.  Institute went pretty good, we doubled our percentage of attendance from 1 to 2.  We were tired by the time we finally got back to the apartment. 

WEDNESDAY  It was a pretty chilly morning, the car showed -9degrees when we left home.

We spent the full day at the Memorial so Osborn’s could have a day off.  We worked on several projects to help pass the time away as we didn’t have any visitors.  I even de-barked a couple of
sticks that were pretty small to help pass the time away.   After a quick dinner, we went back to the Church as Rhonda is accompanying the Young Women for their Young Women  in Excellence coming up soon.  
THURSDAY    We took an early morning walk before the weather turned cold and snowy.  Soon, the weather was not conducive to doing much traveling (or anything else) so we just stayed at the apartment..  Another Nor-eastern snow storm is predicted so we decided to stay home and clean the apartment, did washing, etc.  The Harman’s (new FM missionaries were expecting to arrive this evening so Rhonda fixed dinner and we invited Osborn’s as well for dinner.  Just before time to eat, Harman’s called and said the Spirit was telling them to stop traveling for the night as it was too dangerous.  Osborn’s still came and we had a nice visit after a delicious dinner of corn-chowder, salad, croissant rolls and Valentine Cookies.

FRIDAY  Pretty much snowed in for a while.  I shoveled to the car and then began cleaning the snow off.  There was about 14 inches on top of the car and it seemed deeper on the ground as the wind was blowing and it all didn’t stay on the car top. I guess we finally got to experience the Nor-Easter that all the TV stations were forecasting.  It was kinda fun and interesting and there really was a lot of snow.  Spent a while shoveling around the door and making a path to the car.  This is a new thing for the car as it is usually parked in a garage.    Rhonda spent more of the morning over to Shefchiks apartment cleaning so it would be ready for the Harman’s.    We had the afternoon shift at the Memorial.  I didn’t expect any visitors and sure enough, it turned out to be right, no one came.  We hurried home and made some candy popcorn, picked up the new FM missionaries, Kent and Tammy Harman, drove to the Village Pizza place (supposed to be the best pizza around) for a pickup order and headed to the Memorial again for a “Valentine Party” with the Osborn’s.  It was an enjoyable evening.  We had planned to play some games but got too busy just visiting.   SATURDAY   We were scheduled to go to the Boston Temple today but with the storm we changed our mind so told Osborn’s we would come put in a shift rather than do nothing. I cleaned a few paths and just watched it lightly snow out the window.  Harman‘s borrowed the steam cleaner while we were gone to give their apartment a better going over.

Freezing February

February 2-8

We had a nice snow storm this week

SUNDAY    -    I got up and ready for Church with not a lot of extra time.  We had the usual meetings and came back home.  Not much that interested me on TV until the superbowl and it didn’t go very good so I ended doing a little reading and studying for  missionary training and Institute on Tuesday.  Actually, it seemed like a pretty boring evening and I started to get “cabin fever”.  

People kept coming to tell Dyches "Good-bye"

MONDAY   We traded schedules, morning for afternoon, that way we didn’t have to make an additional trip to run the place while Osborn’s went to Sister Martha Miller’s funeral.  There was not a lot of visitor activity so I puttered with a couple of sticks for a while.  There were workmen in the visitor center replacing the ceiling tile and the place was really a mess.  I was kinda glad we didn’t have many visitors come as things looked so bad and messy.  After our supper, Rhonda took her steamer to the Dyches to help them clean as they are leaving the mission tomorrow. 

They are loved a lot!

After a while, I ended up walking over, visited a while and then rode back with Rhonda.  I tried to watch a basketball game on TV when we got home but kept falling asleep.  Maybe that is telling me something.

Brent & Sally Dyches waving 'Good-Bye'

TUESDAY    I walked back to the Dyches apt. and told them to get on the road and that I would come finish cleaning on Thursday.  On way to Memorial in afternoon, I went by Dyches apt. again to get some garbage and they were still there, having more company.  They finally dropped in at the Memorial about 3:00 to say good-bye on their way out of town. 

Dyches - Driving Away

I was asked to teach the missionary lesson at our training today.  I used “The Iron Rod” as the basis of my text and tried to apply it to the Missionary Purpose.  There were not a lot of visitors and that was good.  Besides the ceiling tile people, there were guys installing more security cameras in the memorial so things were really in a mess.  You couldn’t use either of the rooms.  In the evening we drove to Norwich Univ. to teach Institute.  After quite a long wait, there was one of the four students that finally showed up.  We did have a good discussion with her.  We finally got home about 10:30pm.

WEDNESDAY   I woke up to fresh snow falling and about 6 inches of new snow on the ground, it is the light and fluffy kind.  Not all the roads to the Memorial were plowed but we didn’t have any problems.  
 Since all the FM missionaries have now gone home, there were no paths cleared so I made a swath with a snow shovel hoping that someone with the snow blower would soon come.  It continued to snow all day and Paul finally came with the snow blower a couple of times so I didn’t have to do any more shoveling.  That is good for my sore back.  The ceiling tile people are still working at the Memorial and it is still a mess.  A couple came to look at the Monument but didn’t want to go inside (just as well, too messy).  With continual snow, Osborn’s sent us home a half hour early.  It didn’t make much difference as we didn’t leave the apartment anyway.   
THURSDAY   I went for a couple of walks today while Rhonda was cleaning apartments for the FM missionaries who have gone home.  Even with snow all around, I couldn’t stand to have the car so dirty so I had to take the bucket and rag and give it a quick washing.  It sure looks better even though I know it won’t last longer that the time it is parked.   For my evening activities, I mainly watched the Olympic games from Sochi, Russia.  BYU played a game starting at 11:00pm.  I watched the first half and it looked like they were going to win so I recorded the rest of the game to view later.   
FRIDAY   I got up earlier than Rhonda so I finished watching the BYU game then we went for a walk before going to the Memorial for the afternoon.  Things are still pretty quiet, having only 1 group visit today.  The Opening Ceremony from the Olympics was on TV so I spent most of the night watching that as well as a little BYU gymnastics.

The Last Days.....of January

January 26-31

SUNDAY   We went to Church a little early as Rhonda had been asked to play preliminary music but when we got there she wasn’t needed.  The Church was very cold, both Rhonda and I ended up going to get our overcoats.  From there we moved on to our shift for the afternoon at the Memorial.  We had a visitor from AF but we couldn’t place her.

Josh is a boy from Idaho - working on a dairy farm here

Sunday evening all the missionaries gathered at the Memorial for a nice dinner.  We were eating Johnson’s pork loin plus everyone else contributed an item or two.  I ended up eating too much but it surely was good.  My waist-line is starting to show the effects of too much food and too little exercise.  

Sister Houston replaced Sis. Sumsion last transfer

Sister Tarawhiti is always bright and happy

MONDAY  When I went to warm up the car this morning, I figured it was too good to be true as the temperature was up to 28 degrees.  Sure enough, it soon started to snow and blow and was colder within a few hours.  Several new inches of snow had accumulated by the time we headed back to the apartment.  Going down Dairy Hill Rd. I applied the brakes and started to slide.  We managed to get home OK but it was a little scary.  Home and I relaxed while Rhonda cooked for FHE.  Most of the regulars made it to FHE.  Dyches gave a good lesson and there was plenty of good food so, of course, I couldn’t pass it up again.  
TUESDAY   This is the day we go to the Memorial a half-hour earlier now that the Osborns are the directors.  We have a weekly meeting!  After the meeting, it was our regular shift.  Visitors are still sparse but there is usually someone. 

WEDNESDAY     Today seemed like a very  L O N G  day.  Osborn’s day off so we were at the Memorial all day and with only one visitor to break up the day.   When the day was finally finished, we hurried to change our clothes and loaded up Shefchiks and drove to W.Lebanon where we met the other Senior missionaries at Lui Lui’s for a going away dinner.   

Both the Shefchiks and Dyches leave within the next week so Osborns and Ogdens treated. 

 THURSDAY   -   Today was our day off.  Before we were even up and going Judy Shefchik was knocking on our door to have Rhonda check something out and to show her what they left for her to clean in their apt.  Their car was so loaded that it bottomed out as they went over a bump leaving the driveway. 

Saying 'Good-bye' to Shefchicks

 After seeing Shefchicks off, we decided to take a little road trip to Northfield, VT.  That is where we will teach Institute starting next Tuesday. 

We meet in a room at Norwich University which is the first private military university in America.   After finding our building, we saw several covered bridges within a short distance of each other all going over the same water way.  It was quite a fall but we couldn’t see the falls very good as they were frozen.  Something for another trip.  From there we went to the outskirts of Montpelier  and did a little shopping.  Had lunch at Subway and headed for home via Randolph which we hadn’t seen either.  BYU basketball was on late but I managed to stay awake till the end. 

 

FRIDAY    --We had the afternoon shift today so we took a walk to start the day.  I am gaining too many pounds so need to get a little exercise.  On our walk we went past the recycling station and collected  $3.55 from our empty pop bottles so guess it is worth it.  The weather warmed up a little so I did the bucket wash on a very dirty car.  I still had time before going to the Memorial so I worked on de-barking a couple of my future walking sticks outside.  The clean-up was easier than on the carpet inside the apt.  On our way to the Memorial, I saw that they had trimmed some more Maple trees so I went looking for more sticks.   We had several visitors but still time to mess with sticks.  After getting home and had a bite to eat, I went back to work de-barking the sticks on the kitchen (non-carpet) floor.  I did the three I had and by then my hands and back ached so it was past time to quit, I have been having some trouble with the back lately anyway.  I was glad I had the sticks to work on since Friday’s there is usually not much sporting on TV that is worth watching.

SATURDAY    Fixed lunch for our day at the Memorial as Osborns went with Dyches to the Boston Temple so we were at the Memorial all day.  Things were pretty quiet for most of the day.  Once home, we made a fast trip to Lebanon for some groceries.  We also hit a couple of other stores and found some things on their “close-out” sales so I picked up a couple of sweaters.  They ended up being about $ 10.00/each.   Rhonda also found a few sale items.  We decided they would count for our “Valentine” as candy would not help with the weight problem.  There was a light snow as we drove back to the apartment which dirtied up the car again.  It is a real pain to try to keep the car looking respectful.  I keep trying so it doesn’t look like all the other cars from Vermont all the time.  I stayed up later as BYU basketball started at 11:00pm Vermont time.  It proved to be a pretty good game so I had to see it to the end.

Back to our Apartment, Again

January 19-25

Simon-Pearce Glass Blowing Factory

SUNDAY   -  We had the day off from the monument so about all we accomplished was to attend Church.  I did watch them clean up a wreck on the highway just in front of our apartment. I heard the crash while lying on the bed before I was ready to get up.  We had a nice dinner (pork chops) and then just relaxed the rest of the day.

I knitted this scarf for one of the FHE ladies

MONDAY    While I was putting the flag out this morning the first visitor came.  The guy was a history/religion professor at a Jr. College on Long Island, NY.  I thought it was a good tour.  The guy asked lots of questions and was happy to take a Book of Mormon.  They said they would read it.  As he left he said he would tell his member friend about his visit and I said that he was going to read the Book of Mormon.  He said, not just The Book of Mormon, but a copy from Joseph Smith’s birthplace!  We had a small change in the schedule so after the morning, we went back to the apartment for a while and then had to go back to the Memorial for Family Home Evening. I think this is the first FHE I haven’t been in a suit.  After we did the dishes, we returned back to the apartment.  I watched some good tennis matches while Rhonda cleaned a chair and mattress for the Shefchiks with her steamer. 

TUESDAY      It is getting quite cold outside now, snow, etc predicted along with colder temps.  We had to go to the Memorial ½ hour early on Tuesday (every Tuesday from now on) as Elder Osborn is starting a weekly training meeting with all the missionaries.  After the meeting, we spent most of the afternoon researching/talking about different dates and scenarios concerning the visitor center booklet and the visitor center diorama.  It turned out to be an interesting and beneficial afternoon.  

WEDNESDAY   Today was our  l o n g  day for the week.  We opened and closed so the Osborns could have a day off.  Since we are now a couple short, we will do this procedure for a couple months until we can get back to a full complement of missionary couples.  We even had a few visitors making the day more interesting and making the time pass a little quicker.  

Looking out from the Simon-Pearce Factory window

THURSDAY  Today was pay back, our day off.  We didn’t get a lot accomplished early in the day but finally got the apartment cleaned up a little, Rhonda did some washing, etc.  In the afternoon we drove to Quechee and visited the Simon-Pierce glass blowing factory.  It was really an interesting thing to watch them do their trade and to try to make them as identical as possible.  You could see a covered bridge out the window of their factory as well as it being right on the River.  There was a waterfall right outside the factory and with the weather being so cold, there were a lot of neat looking ice formations where the water mist would freeze creating various designs.  I could have spent more time looking around but time dictated we move on.  From there, we drove on to W. Lebanon to do some grocery shopping, etc.  It seems like we can always use more food even though I am gaining too much weight.   
FRIDAY   We worked the afternoon shift today.  We didn’t have any visitors as I assume it is too COLD for people to be out and about..  High temperatures now are between 12 -15 degrees.  With no visitors, I worked more on taxes.   At  the end of the shift we hurried to lock up so we could meet the Osborns in Lebanon to go out to dinner to  a new Mexican Restaurant.   (Margarita’s)  It was a nice place and the food was OK but I guess I am still partial to Mi Ranchito in AF.  Had to pick up a few more groceries and then home.  Work on more tax stuff for a while before giving in to the sports on TV.  
SATURDAY    Early shift today and we even had a couple of visitors for a change.  Not being really rushed, I worked on more tax stuff.  I find it harder to do with some of my records, etc. in Utah and me in VT.  Sister Dyches brought me a Maple walking stick from the trees lining the road to the Memorial.  I spent an hour trying to get the bark off the last part of the shift.  Once we were home and had some lunch, I went back to working on the stick.  I finally gave up trying to confine the shavings and soon had them all over the floor.  After a few more hours, several cuts and band-aids to help control the bleeding from the knife slips, I finally had it about done.  Then it proved no small task to get the floor cleaned up as well.  In between times of working on the stick, I watched BYU women’s basketball and men’s volleyball and basketball (late, late at night.  Rhonda made some delicious rice pudding and I surely over-did a good thing but it sure was good!
 

Washing the car at 10 degrees..... (yes a little crazy)

I was worried that his feet would totally freeze!