I’m a Painter

When I joined the paint crew I decided to wear my name tag that the name was already wearing off.  Elder Mensel told me that I wasn't official until my tag was full of paint.  

I had cleaned off a bit of it a month or two ago but working with Jared and a sprayer on the Hyde barn took care of any clean space on my tag.  I love working in the paint shop.  I think it took awhile for the powers that be to figure out what to do with me.  In the end, I put myself on the paint crew.  This is where I belong!

Pioneer Day Ice Cream

On Pioneer Day, the employees for the FM group do not work.  We, as missionaries still work.  My dear husband decided that we should use our ice cream makers and have a shorter day.

In the paint shop, we got all caught up with everything that was in there.  By 10:30 we didn't have anything else to do so I went to wash my truck.

Sisters Poll, Porter and Massey made the ice cream.  Three flavors included raspberry, chocolate and strawberry banana.  I'm usually not a fan of chocolate, but this was very good.  I thought I would like the raspberry best, but the actual berries were frozen and that was weird.

Everyone except Elder and Sister Elia came.  The Flanders came over and had ice cream with us.  It was so good to see Elder Flanders up and around.  He's doing so great.  It was a good day in that newly painted break room.

Protection

Each morning in our prayers and in my personal prayers I specifically ask for protection.  I'm a glass half full type of person and so as I describe what happened it will become evident.  

We had an earlier than usual work day today and with a 4pm dinner with the other seniors, we decided we needed to go get some groceries as we have plans for all day tomorrow.

The river road along the Mississippi is beautiful with it's winding corners.  There is a bridge that will be replaced soon and the work has already begun so we are down to one lane in that area.  There are signs posted about the construction as well as a flagman sign.  We came up to that area and pulled behind a semi waiting for the "slow" sign to turn.  

My dear husband had a thought, feeling, prompting to look in the rear view mirror.  He did so and suddenly he was trying to, I thought, drive around the semi when suddenly there was a huge BANG and smoke began filling our cabin.  I knew with the jarring that I took that we had been rear ended.  

We just got this car purchased in maybe November and we haven't driven it until three weeks ago when Andrew drove it down to us.  The brakes were having an issue so it was in the shop over the weekend and we just got it back on Tuesday.  $900+ later, it was running great!

This guy hit us.  It doesn't appear that he has a ton of body damage to his vehicle although I'm sure his engine isn't doing too well.  Here are where the blessings of protection come in.  If Pat had ignored his feeling, we would have been pushed into the trailer of that semi and we surely would have been severely injured or even killed.  Seat belts saved us from injury today, but they would not save us from a steel back side of a trailer.  If we had not been there, this guy would have hit that trailer and killed himself.  If we didn't have the Cruze, our truck would now be a disaster and we would not have a vehicle to drive.

The first people we called were the Bailies.  I knew they would come get us and take us home.  How blessed we are to have them as our dear, dear friends.  I know I could have called many others, but they were one of the first people that popped into my mind.  

I pray for protection.  Even though I have some stiff muscles in my shoulder and neck, I am uninjured.  We all are.  Tom thought that sitting in the back of the ambulance to have his vitals taken was so much fun!  It was nice to see familiar faces in Kendall Gallaher and Bob Glass.  The Lord watches out for us and helps us.  All we have to do is listen to that still, small voice.  Heed the thoughts that come into our minds.  Live so that the Spirit's voice can be heard and recognized.  

Mantle Graining

I have a husband who is always thinking about what he could do with things to make a statement.  Last week, he was told to dispose of two mantles that had been sitting outside all winter, spring and up until now.  They had been taken our of the William Weeks addition.  The addition to that home has been removed and thus so were the mantles.  

Remember that photo of our yard art posted a little while back?  Well, this mantle needed to be faux grained so it can be a backdrop to the stone and geode piece.

Since I worked all winter with Jared and learned how to faux grain a piece of wood, I was commissioned by my companion to faux grain this mantle.  I know what to do and how to make it look great.  I felt a bit rushed as my sweetie would tell me it was just how he wanted it and not to touch it anymore. 

In the end, it looks alright considering it will be outdoors.  The grain is finished and not to my specifications, but it will do.  It still needs one more coat of a clear color and then some varnish or some other finish that will protect it.  We really will need a trailer to get all our stuff home!

Tractors

On Friday we saw a lot of tractors driving through the streets of Fort Madison.  We determined it had to be some kind of a "ride" as many of them had on the same t-shirt.  As we were headed to the compound on Saturday morning, we saw a lot of the same tractors turning into the Nauvoo state park.

We, of course, stopped to check things out and my husband had to find someone to ask what this was all about.  This is their 19th or 20th year doing this ride.  There are people who come from miles away to participate in the ride.  Many of them are alone, but there are a great many others who have a co-rider.

I love the side by side seat on this tractor.  Even more than that, I think the canopy is a necessity.

This one has a bit more area covered with canopy but also has a lot more area to sit.  No crowding on this tractor.

We have one similar to this at home but there is no double seat, no canopy, no great paint job.

Whomever drives this one determined he needed a little more cush in his suspension.  There were so many tractors and there are three divisions depending on how fast your machine can go.  This group are the fastest at 16mph.

Back to Hannibal

We started going back to church in Hannibal last Sunday.  We travel an hour and 15 minutes to the branch building for a 45 minute sacrament meeting.  It's good though.  I've missed those people.  They need me as no one else plays the organ.  It is always good to be needed.

We are to all use only one entrance to the building.  There is hand sanitizer and masks available as soon as you enter.  We are asked not to use the restrooms as they need to be sanitized between uses.  Therefore, here is what is on the outside of the restroom doors.  

Who decides what an emergency really is???

Brigham Young

Here is my Brigham Young.

Hopefully we will open soon so this guy can get out on the Trail of Hope.  I know there are a lot of our "actors" who want to perform.  When I attended last week the spirit was very strong and I was really touched.  It was amazing!