A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words...

Recently my mother commented that I have long blogs... It is true.

(courtesy of ksl.com classifieds)

http://www.ksl.com/index.php?nid=218&ad=5423613&cat=61&lpid

PLUS

http://www.providentliving.org/channel/0,11677,1706-1,00.html

EQUALS

D&C 38:30

http://scriptures.lds.org/en/dc/38

We have SOUND!

Remember this post... http://mikesidney.blogspot.com/2009/01/new-rule.html

We've had no sound since this reinstall and FINALLY, after many hours of searching the web, I FINALLY found the answer.

We now have SOUND!!!

Also, we've added a NEW RULE...

Scenario...

Mike sheepishly asks me one evening about a week ago, "Do you think I could watch movies that are from Netflicks?"

I giggle and giggle! (He was so hesitant to ask because of all the computer related problems we'd had.)

Approval given - Netflicks is an officially approved Christensen movie viewing site.

Mike was happy...

And is now happier, because we have SOUND!

Am I Boring???

Sometimes I wonder if my life is too boring... I don't seem to have anything to blog about. Then, I get posts such as these...

http://navylangs.blogspot.com/2009/01/so.html

OR

http://thegreatscotts2.blogspot.com/2009/01/when-tyson-is-not-on-call.html

and wonder if I should be living by the ocean! I love the BEACH!

It doesn't seem right to blog about Relief Society, which seems to consume my life some days. I mean, is figuring out visiting teaching assignments for the 27th month in a row anything to blog about? (Yes, we have a lot of turnover, plus I just completed VT interviews early this month.)

Or, writing about the latest funeral in our ward which Pres. Monsen and Elder Holland were in attendance and spoke (talk about a nervous Bishop, but he did great conducting!) I mean, these things are not that exciting - plus I didn't want to brag about being feet away from the prophet!!!

Even having to drive to Ogden 2-3 times a month to visit rental properties. If only people were honest and honored their legal contracts. I wouldn't have to drive up there so much!

Or, maybe it is just the January weather... I'm not too fond of winter and cold - but I do love it when it snows!

Who knows, but just know life is just moving on, the "same-old, same-old".

Sunday School Lesson Relearned...

It all started Sunday afternoon when I casually checked my email and found that someone had purchased another of my items from etsy. I was so excited! Then the dreaded fear and I thought, "Of all the items out there, I bet it's the American Flag". When I dug deeper, it was!

Sample Flag

Of course, the American Flag was still at Brenda's, waiting to be quilted...

Knowing better... I called Brenda and asked if I could come down later that evening, yes it is SUNDAY EVENING, and quilt the flag. I mean, someone had already sent me money for this flag and I didn't even have it finished yet! Great justification... but not really.

Now the Sunday School Lesson... I started to quilt the flag and wouldn't you know it, I had problems from the start. I ended up unpicking things THREE times and it took almost two hours to quilt. (It should have taken 30 minutes.) In the middle of my unpicking, I asked myself, "Why is this happening?" It then hit me that I was 'working' on Sunday, so to speak.

Resolution:

With the flag finished and in the mail, I've committed to do no more 'quilting work' on the Sabbath.

Comfort, Tradition, and Knowing that Some Things Never Change

Every time I post something on the blog, I wonder, "Will anyone respond?" One never knows just what he/she might say that will garner comments, even just one comment. Okay, that's not really what I wanted to blog about, but I thought I'd just get it 'off my chest'.

The real reason for this entry is that it is 1:00am and for some reason, I'm not going to sleep - who would have thought since I fell asleep watching 'Perry' only a few hours ago... but once I found comfort my the bed, sleep has eluded me.

My mind started thinking about our upcoming journey to Blanding. Our regular journeys to Blanding have become somewhat comforting. There are just certain things - many of them - that one can count on, and thus I find comforting!

Since these items have been popping up in my mind, I decided I would list them for future posterity... Our trip never changes. It is always the same. In a way, it has become tradition. These things NEVER change. We do it time and time again. It has been something that we look forward too.

On the drive down to Blanding we...

• Need a supply of caffeine - yes it is true - for 'medicinal purposes' only (Thank the Canadians for that line!)


• Need a bathroom stop at the famous truck stop in Wellington.


• Slow down the car at Woodside to see if the Geyser is erupting - lately we've been disappointed - no geyser.


• Once on the fabulous stretch of 25 miles of I-70, we call Mike's parents and let them know we are half way.


• Stop at the local Maverick in Moab to fill our gas tank as Blanding's gas prices are about 30 cents per gallon higher/ (There are two, but we stop at the first one on the way in and the second one on the way home. (Too much caffeine has finally kicked in)


• Reminisce about where Grand Dad Butch and Mike's dad lived while growing up in Moab.


• Drive straight through Monticello, knowing we only have 20 miles left.


• Reminisce about the old road at Devil's Canyon and miss seeing the old car on the side of the ravine. (Now the road is not as steep and the 'fun' is gone)

Once in Blanding, Mike and I have established our own traditions. We like to do the following when in Blanding:

• After our greetings with Mike's parents, Sidney immediately goes for local paper to find out what has been happening in town!


• Mike sets up the card table in the front room and Sidney proceeds to bring out her scraps of fabric - saved up since the last trip - and cut them down to manageable pieces to be used in scrap quilts. Sidney even sews a bit while down there.


• Visit our favorite, original, Dollar Store - we are LOYAL customers!


• Have lunch at R&R Pizza Buffet - it really is the best.


• Visit the Blanding Tourist Stop Place - I don't know the real name - and receive our free goodies! (Plus they have nice little museum and we learn new things every time we visit.)


• Spend several evenings over at Scot and Julene's home visiting (Sidney also has to check her email)


• Periodically visit the library to check email


• In the summer - SWIM!


• Take several naps, several times a day.

See, we really do keep busy!

Then, there are some things that are just guaranteed:

• The television comes on at 3:00pm for a host of political programs. (This is one of the reasons Sidney is cutting fabric and sewing! I'm not a big fan of these programs)


• Doug will always say, "You are on vacation."


• Mike's parents home will be 80 degrees the entire trip


• Our bedroom window will be opened the entire trip (summer AND winter)


• Trips to Clark's Market, Alco, and the drugstore to purchase the needed items for Mike's parents.


• Comments on the daily Senior Citizen lunches - not for Mike and I, we aren't that old!


• Visiting... isn't that what the trips all about?!?

The drive home includes the following:

• Mike's dad holding on the porch post, leaning out and waving to us as we drive around the corner, causing Mike to express the lingering question in his mind, "Will this be the last time that I see my parents alive?"


• After leaving Monticello and heading down into the valley, Sidney will comment, "This is my favorite part of our drive."


• A stop at the 2nd Maverick in Moab to gas up and by treat.


• Reminiscing about the time we stopped in Moab at Arby's only to find out that the Arby's had been closed down, but we didn't know it!


• Asking if we need to stop in Green River - usually we don't, but we always need to ask the question!
• Slowing down at Woodside to see if the Geyser is erupting.
• Stopping in Wellington at our favorite truck stop.
• Entering into Spanish Fork and calling Sidney's parents to let them know we are an hour from home.
• Sidney wishing that we didn't have to go back to all the people and we could just live in Blanding where it was quiet - and Mike stating that he didn't think I'd be happy in Blanding - to which Sidney will reply, but they have a new quilt store in Moab and I would join the Grayson Country Quilter Guild.
• Anticipating our arrival home to find that things are just as we left them.
• Mike unpacking quickly and Sidney taking 2-3 days before the suitcase is emptied and returned to his resting spot, in anticipation of its next trip.

Yep, this is pretty much how our journeys to Blanding go. Very little change, but much comfort in knowing that things will be the same! It's 1:30am. I think I'll try going to bed... again!

P.S. Just think of how long of a post this would be if I had pictures for every one of these activities. I guess you are spared!

A New Rule...

The Christensen household has very few rules, and usually they are self imposed, such as Mike's rule about his wedding ring - "It can only be in one of three places, on my hand, in the white basket or in the left pocket of my pants." In any other place the ring becomes 'lost'. Or Sidney's rule about not playing computer games... which is often broken and has to be renewed. (Thank heavens for repentance!)

But today, there is a new RULE in our household, imposed by Sidney on Mike... Ahhhhh... a first!

NEW RULE: No downloading of movies off of internet sites, period.

Why the NEW RULE???

For the third time in just over a year, Mike's love for creature features has led him to foreign websites that contain viruses and then those viruses infect our computer!!! It then becomes Sidney's responsibility to 'save the day' or rather data. Backing up the data and reinstalling the software takes up very valuable time and also causing a high level of frustration for 'yours truly'. Thus the creation of the NEW RULE.

Now, in all fairness to both Sidney and Mike, there were three options available before this NEW RULE was put into place.

1. We could purchase a second computer and Mike could download any movies he wanted, but then come virus time, Mike's responsible for taking care of the clean up. (This rule was immediately nixed by Mike.)
2. Mike could continue to watch movies on the laptop, but when a virus comes up, he gets to back everything up and reinstall all the software, etc. (Again, this rule was immediately nixed by Mike.)
3. The rule stated above - which requires no work on either Sidney or Mike's part.

I'm not sure who's the winner - or if there even needs to be a winner - but there is a NEW RULE!