Organizing the Paint Shop

Almost since I began working in the paint shop, Jared has talked about reorganizing his paint.  We were so busy last winter and right through the summer and fall that there was no way that was going to happen.  

The day before Thanksgiving was the day I began.  I pulled the top two shelves of paint down and put them on tables in alphabetic order.  The same way they were on the shelves.  Each can needed to be shaken and opened to see if it was any good.

Prior to doing that job, we had to make sure that each color on the shelf had a matching color stick.  These are kept on the shelf with the paint so that if you're trying to match a color, you can take the stick to the place needing paint to see if you have the correct color.

There is a paint sample with the name of the paint on it attached to the shelf below the can(s) of paint.  Since they all had to come off as some colors were being added and others deleted, we decided to make new ones.  

They look like a xylophone.  It surely is a lot of colors.  

When opening up the cans, we found a plastic cup as well as a mini roller and roller grate.  One of the final cans I opened had a roller grate inside that was stuck in the mostly dried up paint.  I was able to pull the paint out of the bottom of the can.  It looks like some unknown monster.

Here's a  view of the wall of paint.  There are hundreds of cans on these shelves.  I opened them and shook them all.  Only about a half dozen actually leaked when I put them on the shaker.  Jared and Sister Chestnut did all the painting while I did all the moving of the cans off and back on the shelves as well as the shaking and opening.  We got rid of several colors and I think I threw away about 50 cans.  Some of them were dried up while others were combined since there was so little in one can.  It only took 6 1/2 days to complete the task.  No wonder it didn't get done earlier!

Bob and Linda Bailie

On June 10, 2019, we first met Bob and Linda Bailie in the MTC.  It was nice to know that there was someone else coming to the Illinois Nauvoo mission and would be serving as FM missionaries along side us.  We have come to know and love these two.  

Elder Bailie has an infectious laugh.  He tells these great stories and then leans back and laughs out loud.  It's so much fun.  He has the greatest sense of humor.

Elder Bailie and my husband spent a lot of times moving furniture together in the first several months of our missions.  They were known as P&B Moving.  They moved a lot of mattresses in and out of apartments.  I'm sure many more than either one ever thought they would move.

On New Year's Eve we had a talent show.  A lot of the seniors have these amazing musical and poetic talents.  I asked the Bailies if they would join us in a skit.  We decided on the chickens singing "In the Mood."  We had a good time practicing together and even a better time performing.  They were such good sports to do this with us.

In the Spring when COVID-19 hit, we were given assignments with our companions.  Bob was finally able to serve side by side with Linda.  He was so thrilled not to be working alone in the appliance shop but rather with his eternal companion!

Last Friday we were able to work together for an hour or so.  We were able to get the Christmas trees in place for the town.  The trees were placed near businesses along Mulholland.

When we got here, Linda and I were assigned to work together on the grounds.  There were four other sisters that we worked with.  I wasn't all that thrilled to be doing something I really didn't enjoy but I came to love these sisters so much.  When I talked with Linda later about how difficult it was for me for the first few weeks, she agreed.  I was happy to know that she felt the same way I did.

On Thursday, they finished cleaning their condo and packing up their car and headed out for Springville, UT.  It felt odd to know that they would not be here anymore.  That leaves us as lone longest serving couple in the Nauvoo Historic Sites.  

I think next time we visit Utah we will have to stay for an extended time so we can visit with all of the people we met here and came to love.  

So long for now Elder and Sister Bailie!

 

Moonset

Pictures of sunsets and even sunrises are pretty common around here.  On Monday morning we noticed the full moon that was not quite below the horizon yet.

We stopped by the tin shop to get a better view.

The best view of the moonset was over the Mississippi River and the Sarah Granger Kimball home.

We watched the moon each day as we went to the compound and each day it was higher in the sky than the day before.  It was fun to watch it progress through it's phases.

President’s Office

Just about the time we were finished with the upstairs at the Nauvoo Visitor's Center I helped my husband rearrange President Rizley's office.  We were to hang the white boards and move the furniture.

Jared came up to check on my progress with cleaning the baseboards and the touch up painting on the door frames.  My sweet companion suggested to Jared that President have an accent wall.  Sister Rizley was in the building and thought it was a great idea.  Jared needs no help in deciding on whether or not to paint an accent wall.  He went back to the shop and brought three colors to choose from.  

Heavenly Blue was the color that won out!  Jared and Sister Chestnut got right on it and had it done in no time.  The following morning, my companion and I put up the whiteboards and moved the furniture around and took out the furniture he didn't want in his office.  We put up a new portrait of Christ as well as a portrait of the First Presidency!  

President showed up before we were done and said he loved it.  He even twirled and sang, "The hills are alive with the sound of music."  I think it look fabulous!

 

Rand Park Christmas Light Show

On our way home from Fat Jimmy's Smokehouse last Saturday, we stopped by Rand park to see the lights.

We planned to go do this last December and then totally forgot.

It was incredible!

As I looked out my side of the window, I would hear Sister Bailie or my husband point out something on their side of the car.

Businesses and families sponsor the lights.

There were so many things I had never seen in lights before.  I saw elves playing volleyball, the Eiffel Tower and the Statue of Liberty!

There were several nativity scenes which I also really appreciated.

There was a line of cars waiting to drive through the park.  

I don't think I ever drove under a canopy of lights before.  

There was even a fire breathing dragon!  Not a great photo though.  We will have to go back again.  I can't wait to take Tom through this display!  He's going to love it!

 

Christmas Trees

Because of the stay at home order in Illinois or rather the limiting of groups, we had the opportunity to do something that usually the young men in Nauvoo do.  We were able to put the Christmas trees into their stands and pots and fill them with sand.

                               

                   

 We had a fine group of people working on this project.   It was the last time that Sister Bailie and I were able to work together on a "grounds" project.  Christmas is coming to Nauvoo!

Thanksgiving Pie

Because we were not allowed to meet as a mission or as an FM group for Thanksgiving, we were given the choice of a homemade pie.  We chose the key lime.

As we came home, I heard the pie slide off of whatever it was sitting on.  When my sweetheart opened the door, this pie slid out the door and tipped upside down on the driveway.  Fortunately it had a lid.  Still, it didn't look so good.  It was a good pie but not exceptional.  

We did enjoy our Thanksgiving day as we had a delicious meal at noon.  We were able to take a pumpkin pie to a meal for the young sisters.  We topped it off with a private tour of the temple city district with many, many friends from back home in our stake as well as friends in Utah.  

We are truly grateful for all the blessings in our lives.  President Nelson invited us to give gratitude on social media for seven days.  I enjoyed doing it so much that I simply could not stop after day seven.
 

Upstairs Visitor’s Center

For many years the vinyl wall covering on the walls of the hallway in the upstairs of the Nauvoo Visitor's Center has needed re-gluing.  I did it myself in early summer.

One day we had several YSMs working with us and it was rainy outside so we took them to the VC and they peeled all the wall covering off in a matter of about half an hour.  It peeled quite easily.

It left really ugly walls.  

I got the job to sand the walls.  Fortunately I could use the Festool sander.

Jared and Sister Chestnut then skim coated the walls with a lightweight mud.  After it was dry I sanded it yet again.  I have learned that Jared makes a mess.  Every single day we worked there, I scrubbed mud off of the carpet.

At first I felt bad that Sister Chestnut was doing all that skimming while I sanded.  But then she tried the sanding and said it was too hard for her as the tool is heavy.  Then I didn't feel bad anymore.

We went back and painted the walls.  Jared wanted them rolled and then brushed so we could practice that technique.  Actually, it probably hid a lot of our flaws.

When all the painting was finished, I went back and washed the door frames and base boards.  Then finished with painting the sides of the door frames to hide the white paint that I couldn't remove.  

It looks wonderful!!!

Giving Tours

 About two months ago we began giving virtual tours.  We began with the Riser Boot shop.  I really enjoyed giving that tour.  In fact, we were able to give it to the new young sisters who arrived and needed to see one of the tours where something is demonstrated.  We had a good time doing it.

Two weeks later we began giving tours of the Browning Gun home and gun shop. I liked the story of the Brownings too.  It gets tricky giving tours as it gets dark very early but we manage.

For the last three weeks we have been giving the temple district experience.

This is a powerful example of the sacrifice that so many went through to help build the temple.

It's a walking tour that takes about 45 minutes and visits three homes.  We begin and end in the William and Esther Gheen home.

We talk about how the term "ward" came into being with the church language.  We talk briefly about Stephen and Hannah Markam and Eliza R. Snow before entering the William and Caroline Weeks home.

The Weeks home is my favorite because I was able to do so much work inside of it.  Upon finishing at the Weeks home we go across the street to the Jones Pavilion which is built on the William and Elizabeth Jones property.  Here is an interactive space to learn all about the cutting and preparing of the stones to be part of the temple.

The 3pm tour is the best for light and the 4:30 isn't too bad but the 6pm is totally in the dark.  So the earlier the tour, the better for seeing things.

As we leave the Jones property we come upon the West Grove which is situated behind the Hunter home.  The grove has been regenerating since 2015 so it doesn't have very tall trees yet.

Then we go inside the Edward and Ann Hunter home.  This home is very interesting and Edward Hunter was a very generous man.  He gave substantially of his funds to build the temple.

Then it is back to the Gheen home where we end the tour and take any questions that people may have.  It has been a wonderful experience!  

Next we are on to Carthage!  

Beautiful Vistas

The autumn season has always been my favorite because of the crisp smell in the air and the beautiful colors on the trees.

I miss going to the temple.  I've said that for nine months now.  I am still grateful to live so close and drive by and feel of it's importance.

I thought about the opportunity I have to live in this country where I have the freedoms that I have.  I feel our country is in crisis with all the corruption in our government and with the latest election.  I know that these things have to happen prior to the Savior's second coming.  

Driving to the compound I noticed the Sarah Granger Kimball home with the tree off to the side which was a vibrant red.  I needed to have that documented.  I am blessed to live in this place for a time.  I find so much beauty all around me.