July 19, 2015

The most interesting thing that happened to me this week was a package I received from Amazon. Let me preface this with a story about the ONLY other time I ordered anything from Amazon. It was about 6 or 7 years ago. Everyone (and I do mean everyone) in my book club ordered their books from Amazon - often used - for such good prices. So, I decided in one of my rare moments to be thrifty, to finally bite the bullet and purchase "on line" rather that run down to Barnes and Noble. I managed to get to the website and even found the book (which I might mention was "the Count of Monte Cristo" - which I recommended to the book group because in a recent conversation, my daughter Nicole, had said it was her all-time favorite book. ) Anyways, back to the story - I ordered and three days later it arrived. I was excited to open the package and look at the deal I got. The book was in French!  So down to Barnes and Noble I went.

Well, my current association with Amazon and purchasing is this. Elder Kenney has made a magnificent commitment to reading the entire Work and the Glory series. He is pretty close to being done. He repeatedly has told me that I need to read them, that I would just love them and I would learn so much- partly because we are reading the D&C in scripture study. Because we are on a mission I know I should be reading only edifying and uplifting material. I got a hold of book number one in the series. The problem was that every time I tried to read it - I would fall asleep.  So then I thought about getting the audio version so that i cold listen to them in the kitchen while I cook.  My darling Laura knew this was one of my goals and so she diligently made me a set of CD's of the first book. (Our library here does not have them, nor do they participate in an inter library loan system or I would have tried that route first.) Laura's timing was perfect -she had them ready for me to listen to as I drove the truck back from SLC when we came to pick up the RV. I got through most of it and soon finished it thereafter. Yes, I enjoyed it and was able to put some historical facts into the saga of the Steed family.

Well, I didn't have the heart to ask Laura to do book 2 - not only her time, but it did take 14 CD's which would be an expense. And then there would be volumes 3-????. So, once again thinking I would save money by purchasing a used set of the entire 9 volumes on line- I once again went to Amazon. Oh my, there were lots and lots of choices. I carefully perused them and made my choice - the full set for a mere $90.00 plus shipping. I entered my credit card info and pushed the button. It was a done deal until the "very large, very heavy box arrived." Elder Kenney picked the box up from the office, opened it and brought volume two over for me to start listening to, right away. His first words were, "how are you going to listen to this?" Me: "what?" Him: " do you have a cassette player? " Me: "a what?"  Him: "A thing to listen to these on." "Well, yes, I have this CD player right here." "well" was his response - "you are not going to be able to play these audio cassettes on that thing!" So after trying the only 2 stores in town and at the 3rd antique store I was able to purchase an "antique" audio cassette player at an antique price. Now I am ready to continue with the saga of the Steeds and their historical religious journey.

I know - a lot of words about nothing - but like I said in the beginning it was something out of the ordinary. We had a lot going on here. Three girls camps and lots of others. The slip n slide was packed with a very long line snaking out and around the area.

Probably about 1500 on property. Then on Saturday as the girls camps were leaving, I was the recipient of their leftovers. They started bringing it in by the case loads. There was green leaf lettuce (25 heads), iceberg lettuce (20 heads) and romaine lettuce that was already torn apart into leaves and put in a garbage bag - so that I could "stuff" it all on into one refrigerator shelf and close the door quick! Also 8 of those large 5 pound commercial size of lettuce salad mix ready to go. It is vacuum-packed so it doesn't look too bad until you open the bag and it explodes!!! Tomorrow I will decide in reality what we can and can not use according to how much refrigeration I can come up with. And yes, all of them had good old pancake mix and syrup by the gallons, along with GIANT size containers of MUSTARD.

Also our biggest week for horse back rides. All together over 500. So, it could be worse. At least I didn't have to be on a horse from 7 am to 7:30 pm. I did, however, have to have dinner ready at 6:00 for the 16 people but then keep it warm (and in good-shape) for the other 9 people when they came dragging in at 7:30 pm. This week our challenge will be the Tongans. I understand that the over 1000 of them will provide ample stories for next time. Until then........love, Mom.

My cute aprons made from the scraps of grand-daughters skirt sewing project last summer

7/12/2013

Whew! After three weeks of record breaking heat we finally got a break - a break in the temperature that is, in fact this morning I had to turn the furnace on (partly because my companion insists on leaving the window a little bit open) so now I can enjoy being outside and enjoying that part of the Ensign Ranch experience.

We had a surprise visitor show up at our door on  Wednesday - it was Wes and Lucus. We'd known they were coming sometime but didn't know exactly when.  They were stopping by on their way to his Grandmothers birthday celebration. They spent the night and got to enjoy the water slide experience,  the canoes on the lake, and floating down the river on tubes. We have actually shared those tubes with others and they have the experience very much.

Today one of our young Elders was asked to speak in church. He did a great job of giving a talk my wife wrote for him. He was so stressed out about it that she offered to help and ended up writing most of it.

This last few weeks, we've had over 1500 people be able to enjoy the property that we have been diligently doing our part to make it what it is.

A car was donated to the ranch. The next day I was asked to go to town with the manager to be his second in transporting money to the bank. Besides traveling at 50 miles per hour down Hundley Road, he had ample time to tell me about how difficult it is to work with the SLC  people to obtain the permission to even own the truck as a piece of equipment that will only be used on the property. It just seems like something you might think would be easy - becomes complicated. Lots of bureaucracy and red tape.

Time for me to take my nap - all is well - love - Dad

if you look close on this one there is a little deer watching me work

REUNION time!

Well, some of you may realize that we took a brief hiatus from our missionary memories. Actually- it looks like it's been a whole month. Wow!!! Where has the time gone? The past two Sunday's was because we were actually with our kids, the other two weeks who knows. I think I was in a crisis of some kind or another. With the passing of the 4th of July yesterday, we realize that we are really on the downside (and downslide) now.

We really enjoyed our family members being here with us and being able to share in the special spirit we get to live with here on Ensign Ranch.

Not just the beauties of nature, but some of the activities and meeting one of the local families and sharing in some of their family activities and traditions. My pictures for the week will be from those times.

Two of my brothers and their wives and my sister, Kriss and her husband joined us, as well as a few nieces and nephews and their kids.

The weather was warm and sunny with very little liquid sunshine.

For people that weren't here I wanted to explain the first annual David Kenney blind fun run. Ben and Maisie were in charge of it. We had the perfect location of the 1 mile path around the lake. Everyone had a running partner and each person took a turn at being blindfolded and then holding on to their partners arm. The partner would have to communicate about the trail and what was happening. This was in memory of David and of his running cross country with his blind friend, Eric Carrillo. Me? I just rode my cute bicycle around the lake two times. It was getting way too hot for an old lady like me to be exerting herself in this way. (Picture included)

This past week we had Camp Helaman that was comprised of over 500 young men of Priest age from the state. The missionaries were invited to their closing dinner. It was powerful to hear these young men sing and then they had all those that had received mission calls come to the mic and introduce themselves, where they were from and where and when they were going. It too was powerful!

Perhaps that will be my favorite mission memory.

We are getting back in the groove and when I went grocery shopping this week I spent almost $1800. We were out of a lot of stuff. It was tricky getting the milk and cold stuff back in over 100 degree temperature using the back seat and open back of the truck.

All is well up here in the north country of Washington- love you all - Sister Kenney