Dinner and reading on Good Friday

 I love watching Debbie with her children. She lets them make dinner with her and involves all who want to help out. I think the boys really enjoy their time and the creative process.

It was after they had all gotten ready for bed and brushed their teeth, that she set them down to read from the scriptures about the events that happened on Friday with the Savior. 

Debbie carefully explained and let the children read versus about Jesus' trial and the unfairness of it all. Explaining the atonement and crucifixion was hard. She even read about what was happening across the ocean on the other side of the world. It let me have time to ponder, remember, and think about what Easter, Good Friday, the passover, and what the bitter cup means to me.

Watching an Expert at work

 Francisco took us to a nursery in San Ramon today. He showed us plants and trees he feels would look good and asked us what we wanted in our yard. I only knew a few names of plants that I like and he took any idea or thought and ran with it. He has an artistry in his mind that I cannot see. I know I like lavender and now we have lavender plants and then yellow leaf plants that will look good with them. Some pinks and whites, a few bushes and four new fruit trees. - but it is hard for me to see what he is trying to describe.

He was also showing us how he could get the best plants for the best price and was very picky on which pot had good plants. He showed us a couple of plants that wiggled too much and were not firm. He said they wouldn't grow well when transplanted. He showed us the five-gallon versus the fifteen-gallon buckets and showed us how the five-gallon bucket with a cheaper price had the better tree.

It is nice to watch an expert get excited and do his thing. His artistry came out when he was "drawing" up the little piece of lawn for the backyard. He asked about how much yard we wanted and then curved it up to match the curve in the cement - right in the dirt.  He is very particular in executing when we give him a vague general plan. He can turn it into something very nice.

Here he is comparing and showing how the smaller bucket had a bigger tree. 

Francisco was very particular about exactly which plants he wanted.

Taking out the buckets from the truck to scan, price, and check out to buy them, then load them for travel.

92 pots, three trees, 5 to 10 bushes, lots of grasses, all ready to go......we'll watch Francisco 'paint' his vision of an artistic yard in the next few days.

Happy Birthday - Chocolate Fondue

 The Sacramento Adams came on Thursday afternoon. It was so good to see them - and it was Jame's birthday too. I found a recipe for an eggless, dairyfree cake and put in applesauce when I realized I had no soy, coconut, or almond milk. It was a vanilla cake. Debbie went to the store while I watched the boys play Life at the table. She bought some chocolate frosting to put on the cake.

I really appreciated the fact that Debbie made supper for the family. It is so nice to watch her interactions with her children and how they all learn so much from her. It was nice singing to James for his birthday. He is a really cool kid.

James stirring the melting chocolate in the fondue pot.

Strawberries and fruit for chocolate fondue - as well as graham crackers, bananas, and marshmallows

Happy Birthday James!!

Then he cut the cake and everyone had a good time with the fondue.

Thursday's Haul

 There were so many workers around our house on Thursday! The yards have no greenery except one orange tree, one grapefruit tree, one apricot tree, and the crabapple tree on the side of the house. Everything else has been taken out and hauled away. Woodchips from the back yard, weeds, bushes, trees the squirrels planted, old logs, unwanted tree stumps, old gravel and cement and cement blocks have all been shoveled up in wheelbarrows onto trucks and hauled away.

Inside the house old window panes, stucco, and odd pieces have been collected up and thrown away.

Laying out a sprinkler system for the one patch of grass we will have left.

Laying down gravel

Inside changes happening also

Living room window out - 

Living room window in.

Kitchen window out

Kitchen window in.

I love the fact that change is happening. I really hate how long I've had dust and debris over everything.

I love that things are moving along. I hate that my life is in chaos.

Isn't life grand?!

Hard Workers getting the job done

Tuesday March 26

 For two days now we have had men working in our back and front yards. Francisco is the owner/foreman/boss that makes things happen. He told Jeffrey he would start on Monday and he has had workers here tearing out the old lawn with hoes, hacks, axes, and shear brut force. These men are very hard workers and get a lot done. I can't wait to see what they turn our yards in to. 

Out goes the weeds in the front

Orange tree is getting trimmed and other trees are gone

Every bush and tree taken out is taken out deep down roots.

Francisco's team come at 7 and sometimes stay until 6 pm. All are very hard workers.

Old Windows Out, New Windows In

 

The two bedroom windows came out on Wednesday. I especially asked if the job could be all done before the grandchildren came to sleep in those rooms on Thursday.

Both rooms have new windows put in. No window sills or any frame around them, but the windows are in.

Lots of jobs have been started -- and almost complete - but nothing has been finished.

Monday Night with the Empty Nesters

 We had a lovely evening with good friends while touring the McClellan's new home in Martinez. There is a closeness that comes from sharing, and all of these friends are willing to share their stories and lives. We are going to miss them when we leave. 

Diane had a very cute Easter theme for her dinner table

Diane and Phil McClellan - who now live in Martinez, CA

Kelly and Kim Kruse - whom we have known for years (and have slept in their spare bed)

Kay Dangerfield - new friend, quiet, interesting, and is a nurse, Michelle Simpson - friend for years

Us, the Adams round out the group. 

Girls Night

 Tuesday nights have become a little tradition this month for me hanging out with the two grands. Julia and Michael went to the temple and I had a lemonade tea party with the girls and then we played bingo. My good friend Gayla Allen (who lived in our ward many years ago) has a family/personal history expertise business and sends Tuesday emails of encouragement. She sent this cute Springtime Bingo with very few words - mostly pictures, perfect for the girls.

The night was lots of fun and I savored the hugs and "I love you" from the girls as I know this unconditional love given from little children does not last into puberty. Three years is a long time to be gone. I forgot to bring my iPad with read-along stories, so we made up stories as they laid in bed - which I discovered is NOT relaxing. Those girls were hopping up and using their imaginations until their parents came home a little after nine o'clock.  Who knew that being read to is more soporific than their own imaginations?  Good times.

A big full moon guided me home

Things are Happen at the Adams House

 I got home from the gym today with lots of workers outside of the house ripping up the weeds, trimming the trees, uprooting bushes, and workers inside of the house putting in cabinet handles. An hour later the windows for the house arrived in a big truck, so the inside people are setting up windows outside. Yup, everything is hopping!

Out with the old, in with the new

Windows being delivered

They trimmed the apricot tree up very nice!

What do we do with our cat?

 Of course she isn't really my cat, she is the grandchildren's cat whom they left at our home as there is a no-pet-rule at the apartment they live in.  So that leaves me with this wonderful mouser who is very friendly to children -- and any one who comes up to the door. On the other hand she is shy with loud noises, dogs, raccoons and possums. 

If I bring her to a shelter, she'll only have three days to be adopted. I don't know of any friends who need or want another cat. None of my children can take her in.....

What do I do with my cat?

Opportunities

 This week I have been posting back and forth on WhatsApp with a friend. He has been very concerned about getting a job and has been turned down 28 times in the past few months of applications. For some reason I haven't figured out yet, he feels the elections in the country are lowering his chances of finding a job. He is helping out his younger brother get started and has to put some things in his life on hold.

Interestingly, Debbie had sent me a link about remote job opportunities a day earlier, thinking I could send it to someone in the Philippines or Africa. 

https://www.hirebloom.com/our-impact

I sent it on to my friend just a few minutes after my conversation with him. He was so happy for a new venue to try. But then he posted back in frustration because he noticed they want students in Pathways or BYU graduates or students. He told me he had to drop out because he couldn't pay the fees  --  then he sent me a screenshot. Hopefully I've redacted all his pertinent information.....

One or two things struck me when I saw this. One, not having funds for $14 to go to school is horrible, frustrating, and terrible. Two, the church schools are bending over backwards to help incoming students. 

My immediate response was to send funds to help him on his way. Not a lot but enough to start school, get some supplies and get some food. 

Just like every kind person from Accra I know, he thanked me profusely and responded that he will help his brother out too.

Feel free to send any remote jobs you know of that I can send on to more friends.......

It may help the clench in my heart.